Federer: The Greatest Champion In Sports History

[scoop]

Roger Federer won his eighth Wimbledon title today with a decisive straight set triumph over Marin Cilic. That’s 19 majors overall for the soon-to-be 36 year old icon who is showing no signs of losing his winning touch.

His game is as great if not greater than ever before, in every aspect. Now he has more experience and “fun” playing, as he told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi after.

“I’ve seen a lot in forty years,” said an awed John McEnroe, “But I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Federer and Cilic battled early with Cilic holding an early break point at 2-1. Cilic netted the backhand return and then it was all downhill from there for the Croatian who just completely unraveled under the pressure of playing the “tennis god” and also the outrageously high level that Federer was playing at.

It was as one-sided a major final as you will ever see, but what can you expect when the greatest tennis player in history is at the top of his game?

Or perhaps, the greatest champion in the history of sport. Yes, I’m going to assert that Roger Federer is in a class of his own now. He has raised the bar. Pele, Ali, Jordan, Nicklaus, Gretzky, Schumacher reside in an echelon just below the one and only Roger Federer.

 

[mrzz]

Hey, @britbox and @Federberg, do you see Maradona in the list above?

 

[shawnbm]

Nicklaus???? Gretzky??? Hold on now. Jordan? Yes. Pelé? Maybe, but likely yes. Schumacher? Maybe. Nicklaus and The Great One--I give him a tie with them.

 

[Federberg]

Hey, @britbox and @Federberg, do you see Maradona in the list above?

Lol! I'm not sure @scoop knows much about football!

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

I might have to add Diego Maradona to the list

 

[crystalfire]

messi? lol

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Federberg LOL you are right but I get more into it with each World Cup Love the World Cup.

 

[Federberg]

messi? lol

You have to win world titles to get on the list

 

[Federberg]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Federberg LOL you are right but I get more into it with each World Cup Love the World Cup.

Best sporting event in the world. @mrzz is Brazilian so he's not objective

Maradona was hacked to pieces by possibly the greatest Brazilian team ever. @mrzz's compatriots recognised extreme talent

 

[mrzz]

Best sporting event in the world. @mrzz is Brazilian so he's not objective

Maradona was hacked to pieces by possibly the greatest Brazilian team ever. @mrzz's compatriots recognised extreme talent

They just kept playing around him, singing, "nah nah nah, you are not that good, nah nah nah, nha!"

 

[crystalfire]

You have to win world titles to get on the list

talent wise and what hes accomplished in the sport hes def up there

 

[Federberg]

talent wise and what hes accomplished in the sport hes def up there

He's a fantastic player don't get me wrong. But there's so much recency bias. Look at the Argentinian team Messi has played in. To not win a world title is really poor. Maradona did it with next to no one around him. I love Messi, love watching him play, but he's not in Diego's league. Ask Argentinians they'll tell you the same. I'm not even sure I can call him a greater player than Brazilian Ronaldo, Zidane and he's not as great as Garincha who no one talks about these days. You could almost say he's the modern day Garincha without the rings

 

[atttomole]

I think Federer is up there with the likes of Nicklaus, Woods, Maradona, Ronaldo, Jordan, Schumacher etc. Its hard to compare across different sports.

 

[El Dude]

I think Federer is up there with the likes of Nicklaus, Woods, Maradona, Ronaldo, Jordan, Schumacher etc. Its hard to compare across different sports.

This. I love Roger and am as happy as anyone for him winning Wimbledon, but if we can't rank tennis players across eras, then we certainly can't really rank players across sports.

Oh yeah, scoop...no baseball? Gotta mention the Babe.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Thanks Duke. I can't think of another champion who more impressed in my lifetime than Federer. And nobody I've read or heard about either. Federer has taken sport to a new height with his class, example, achievements, manners, playing style and elegance.

 

[El Dude]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Thanks Duke. I can't think of another champion who more impressed in my lifetime than Federer. And nobody I've read or heard about either. Federer has taken sport to a new height with his class, example, achievements, manners, playing style and elegance.

I agree, Scoop. He is everything great about tennis and we'll never see anyone like him. He is my favorite athlete of all time, with Mike Trout a close second! (I'm also a big baseball fan and follow the Angels).

 

[MartyB]

I know I'm looking a bit ahead here but if Fed wins the US Open will SI finally give Fed the acknowledgement he deserves by being named Athlete of the Year...Oh no wait Brady will get it. LoL

 

[Obsi]

 

[mrzz]

Ali is surely great, but his greatness goes well beyond the ring. He was way more than just an athlete. Our times do not have room for guys like him.

 

[shawnbm]

^ Ali is an icon that transcends his sport, much like Arnold Palmer transcended golf to become an icon of America during his heyday. Neither one of them was statistically the dominant of all times, but they stand over their sports as kings. Federer is like this and tennis, with Borg being the only one in the same vein.