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Is this the end for the Fed-Express?
Fra-Dog
Roar Rookie
27th June, 2013
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Roger Federer is around 85 years old, and still going strong. (Image: AP)
Fra-Dog
Roar Rookie
27th June, 2013
4

Roger Federer will not feature in the second week of a Grand Slam, for the first time since the 2004 French Open.

After featuring in a record 36 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals, the streak has finally came to an end, with a second round defeat at Wimbledon against Serhiy Stakhovsky.

Which has left many tennis experts and supporters wondering, is this the beginning of the end for the world’s greatest ever player?

It is not the first time tennis followers have wondered if the best of the Swiss master was behind him. From the ‘10 Australian Open to the ’12 Wimbledon, when Federer was not able to claim a Grand Slam title, many claimed his best years were behind him.

But like any true champion, he came out swinging and eventually won last year’s Wimbledon title. This in turn also allowed him to become the official world number one again, after a two year absence.

However, this time it is even more worrying. At least during these so called lean years, the Swiss-born player was still competing at a high level by qualifying through to the quarterfinals or further in the Grand Slams.

But to fall to defeat in the 2nd round, at the major where he has had the most success in his tennis career, has to be a real eye-opener for Federer that retirement may be sooner than he thinks.

The 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5 & 7-6 (5) defeat to Ukrainian Stakhovsky, ranked 116th in the world, was the first defeat Federer has had against a player ranked outside the top 100 since 2002.

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Will this loss finally open up the door for other unheralded players, to start believing that it is possible to defeat the once all mighty Fed-Express on a regular basis?

At nearly the age of 32, is it time for Federer to finally pull the pin of this illustrious career?

Sporting fans all around the world, hate witnessing a legendary figure struggling at the back end of their career, instead of finishing in top. It would be an all mighty shame, if this happened to Federer.

This question and many others will be circling in Federer’s head at this moment in time, and will need to be answered before the start of the American hard court season of the year.

But as we all know, you can never rule out a champion and it would not be surprising to see Federer come out firing at the US Open and claim an 18th Slam and prove his critics wrong once again.

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