Farewell, Roger Federer

Lawn Tennis will now be played without Roger Federer, something mightily difficult to come to terms with. I still vividly remember the day 19 years ago, when a pony-tailed boy defeated Mark Phillipouses in the Wimbledon final of 2003. I was glad to see someone beat the big server. And then this boy began winning one grand slam after another. The birth of a star was evident.

His humility in winning, his childlike smile, his artistic game, his good looks, and his pleasant personality made him a Tennis lodestone. I owe him a lot of happy and satisfying moments. As his admirer and ardent supporter, his victories felt like my own. Very seldom has he disappointed me over these years.

There are so many fond memories. However, one match seems to have been etched in my mind forever. A match that was so fiercely contested and so narrowly lost that it emotionally wrecked me that day. I was living his experience, just that I was more tense. During the final moments of the 2009 Australian Open final, at the peak of the tension, I started trembling while sitting on the couch. Such a heartbreaking loss against his rival, Rafael Nadal! When Federer broke into tears during the presentation, I couldn't help but sob with him. The loss felt intensely deflating. But the sorrow was somewhat assuaged by the on-stage compassionate gesture of the great guy who had just defeated him.

It has been a long journey of almost two decades. During the latter part of the journey, when the end was palpable, I dreaded the likelihood of having to hear the news of his retirement sooner rather than later. Like countless others, I, too, wanted to keep seeing him playing. But the star has lived out its most dazzling years. However, its glow will brightly illuminate the space for many years to come. I have had the privilege of observing the phenomenon of Roger Federer unravel in my lifetime, which the upcoming and future generations would probably desire had happened during their time.