When an incredible sportsperson is active it is hard to know just how good they will be judged by history. This is true of stars like Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Roger Federer. All three players have dominated their sports but are they the best of all time? A recent record by Federer ensures he is likely to go down as the best there ever was.
When Roger Federer lost in the quarter-final of the French Open it marked the end of one of the greatest streaks in the history of any sport. He had now featured in 23 consecutive semi-finals. This incredible record shows that he is the greatest tennis player that ever graced the sport.
Federer holds plenty of records concerning his win; multiple grand slams show he is an incredible winner. However, his greatest record is likely this incredible ability to reach 23 semi-finals.
The accolade shows not only his brilliance and dominance in the sport but his physical ability and endurance to be able to consistently produce such amazing results. While other athletes have shown incredible success during his time, for example, Nadal and Djokovic, they both do so while relying on their physicality. To do what they do is incredibly taxing and this is shown in how it impacts their body. What Federer has shown is that he achieves greatness in tennis without exhausting his body. He has a style and approach to the game that allows him to consistently produce the best moments. This is most evident from his success in 2008 when he reached every semi-final despite suffering from mononucleosis.
The consistency, endurance, and skills of Federer are without question. To go 23 semi-finals without faltering shows that he has the most well-rounded game of any athlete. To dominate the sport for so many years shows he is incredible. But to do so without respite is testimony to the impact he has had on the sport. His time will forever be known as the Federer era, despite being during the time of the emergence of the greatest clay player ever. History will no doubt judge him as the best there ever was. The question is not if he is the best tennis player ever, but if he is the greatest sportsperson there ever was?
