Why we Watch

            We tennis fans love watching our sport for many reasons.  We enjoy seeing the skills we struggle with at the club being practiced by the world’s best players.  We enjoy the drama as a server is poised to start a critical point in a match.  We enjoy the intense, one-on-one competition as players give everything they’ve got in a tough encounter. 

            But the emergence of Roger Federer onto the pro tour has provided yet another reason.  When Roger plays his best, with his incredibly graceful movement, phenomenal agility and heart stopping shot making, we can revel in the beauty of tennis played in another dimension.  When he harmoniously blends his diverse skills to produce one of those symphonic performances, watching him gives us a joy that transcends the thrill of competition, and allows us to experience, even if vicariously, the glory of human achievement at its highest level.  It makes us feel good just to be alive. 

            Such was the case in Roger’s third round annihilation of Thomas Berdych, a perennial top ten player who came to this tournament well prepared.  I honestly expected Federer, who has been out of competition for 6 months, and who struggled with his timing in his first two matches, to lose to the big, strong Czech.   But instead Federer put on one of his legendary displays, and left everyone in the stadium awash with admiration and gratitude at being able to be part of the experience.  Roger has done this sort of thing before, of course (see his 2009 Australian Open match with Andy Roddick, for example), but we never tire of seeing it.  It’s worth watching an entire tournament just to see a match like this. 

            An addendum.  I believe Roger Federer is the best singles volleyer (please note: I don’t think volleying in doubles and singles are exactly the same) in the world, and perhaps in the history of tennis.  Take a look at the first point of the 5-4 game in the second set if you want to see what I mean.