Roger Federer as many would say, is and will be the greatest of all time. Over the years, the Swiss has entertained us with his breathtaking skills on the court and has been a perfect role model for the aspiring youngsters. But, is this the end for the 17 time Grand slam champion? Being a huge Federer fan I would certainly want him to win more titles, probably a dozen more. But again, does the Swiss have it in him to go out there and produce the same quality of tennis he has for the last 11 years?

Roger Federer: Is it the end of an era?

The 2013 season saw Federer suffer a considerable decline in form, dropping five places to number 7 in the world, his lowest ranking in 11 years. His exit in the second round at his fortress, the Wimbledon, was a clear indication that the Swiss master wasn’t at his magical best. This year also marked the first time since 2002 where Federer didn’t reach a major final. His only title victory was at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle. Roger Federer had a 45–17 (72.58% of wins) match win-loss record in the 2013 season. His record against players in the ATP top ten was 4–10 (28.57% of wins). A year, Federer would definitely like to forget.

302 weeks at the top of rankings, 17 Grand Slam titles, the Swiss master has done it all. Federer has a negative head-to-head record only against 2 players. The current world No. 1 Rafael Nadal and Britain’s Andy Murray. Champions never go down easily and so didn’t Federer. The Australian Open 2014 saw a fitter and a confident Federer cruise into his 34^th Grand Slam semi-finals. The world witnessed the most celebrated rivalry in sports for the 33^rd time and for the 23^rd time Nadal got the better of the Swiss genius, making it 9-2 in the Grand Slam competitions.

Being a Federer fan, you either get to view the purest form of tennis or an array of unforced errors. Federer showed shades of his absolute best, but can the FedEx do it on a regular basis? Rafael Nadal, has 13 Grand Slams in his kitty, equal with the great Rod Laver. He has Pete Sampras’s 14 and Federer’s 17 to chase. Can the Swiss stop the belligerent Spaniard or will it be a repeat of the year 2013 for Roger? 2014 will be an exciting year for tennis lovers and the question still remains, is this end of an era?

Tags: Andy Murray, Australian Open 2014, Grand Slam, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Tennis