It hit differently this year with Kids Day in front of it for the first time. Day 1 of Qualifying, formerly known as Q1 and now known as FW 2, still produced the same results: expected wins, unexpected wins and one big shot who comes in and overshadows it all. This year that big shot was Roger Federer, who’s been away from Arthur Ashe for seven long years. He walked on to the grounds at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at 12:47 pm yesterday and the jukebox stopped. Time stopped. Like a total solar eclipse, birds stopped chirping and the temperature cooled. Federer’s every word was parsed for meaning at the press conference he held a short time later. Then, fans gasped at every light touch one-handed backhand he employed in practice with Lorenzo Musetti.
It is as if God himself decided to play an exhibition tonight at 8:00 pm Eastern that will be covered live on ESPN2. How mighty is King Fed? So omnipotent that one no-ad set of entertainment with Andy Roddick is booked for primetime television. Sorry boys, but the baseball pennant race is postponed. And why is Federer’s hit with Roddick so special? Precisely because it is so rare, and the owner of “The Streak”, the five consecutive US Open singles titles intends to keep it that way. In press yesterday, I asked him if he would even consider following in the footsteps of Venus and Serena Williams and jump back on the tour, or at least get his toes wet.
“No, no, no, no. No, not at all,” he said, like someone had offered him a joint. “Thanks for asking. I wasn’t sure if the question was going to get asked, but I’m happy you did so I can clarify in case anybody thought.”
And then he nailed the door shut a second time with a final round of “no” nails.
“No, no, no. Not at all,” he reiterated. “And I think the doping, way too many obstacles. I’m too busy. I’m barely finding time to play any exos, so imagine a tour. And the body is done. You know, but I’m very happy how I’m feeling. All good. Just a fan now. Just enjoying watching, yeah.”
I did not fully appreciate Federer’s enormous talent and grace until later in his career. His comments yesterday show another example of the wisdom and judgement that is a testament to him. He is way too smart to even consider getting out there and tarnishing his legacy for avarice and exposure. To say he seems content with family life is an understatement. Roger Federer has written his history and no one else will define it but the author himself.
Return Serve?