Should sport be beautiful? Roger Federer won 20 grand slams. But it was the aesthetics of his game that left fans and rivals alike wondering if he had been "dropped by the tennis gods".
‘Effortless’ star calls time 1500 matches on
Should sport be beautiful? Roger Federer won 20 grand slams. But it was the aesthetics of his game that left fans and rivals alike wondering if he had been "dropped by the tennis gods".
For millions of fans, Roger Federer made tennis an art. He covered the court with effortless grace and conjured up winning shots that defied the laws of physics. He played with joy, skill and beauty.
This week, "King Roger"1 will play his final tournament after 24 years. In a farewell message to the world of tennis, he said: "I love you and I will never leave you."
World No 1 Rafael Nadal says the retirement of his great rival and friend is a "sad day" for sport. In 2003, Federer exploded onto the world stage with his first Wimbledon title. His admirers say he combined eye-popping talent with relentless positivity to achieve sporting perfection.
Early in his career, he ranked No 1 for 237 consecutiveOne after the other. weeks, a world record. He amassed a staggering 103 titles. In 2017, he beat Nadal in a dazzling comeback, making him the oldest top-ranking player in history. With Novak Djokovic, they are the "big three" in a "golden era" of men's tennis.
"A champion's champion," says former world No 1 Billie Jean KingAn American former World Number One tennis player who won 39 major titles in the 1960s and 1970s. . Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova told Federer: "You have been such a huge inspiration. Your elegance, your grace, your beautiful game."
He made tennis beautiful, say his fans. Too often, sport looks like war: ruthless attacks, brutal defeats. Uniforms, banners and chants. Chest-thumping and crushing rivals. Federer is different. He does not fight like a warrior. Instead, he dances and delights.
Watching Federer is a "religious experience", wrote writer David Foster Wallace. The craft and intelligence of his play connect us with a human experience that "feels perfected and free", argues dance critic Sarah L Kaufman. It is awe-inspiring.
The American football coach Vince Lombardi once said: "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." Some argue sport can be ugly, scrappy and messy - as long as you win. Research shows watching or playing sport puts our bodies on a "hormonal rollercoaster". Winning creates a pleasure high and a long-lasting memory.
Federer "made tennis look effortless, but it was not", says sports writer Tumaini Carayol. Beauty is an illusion. Behind the performance lies immense self-discipline, hard work and perseveranceDetermination and keeping going despite difficulties.. These are the characteristics that make great things possible.
The president of the International Tennis Federation says Federer is "certainly, the greatest player of all time". It is a title hotly debated in tennis, with several contenders for the position of GOATThe unofficial title, Greatest of All Time, was first used to describe the boxer, Muhammad Ali. It was made famous by LL Cool J and his 2000 album of the same name.. However, there is no official title or way of deciding who is the greatest.
Nadal, Djokovic and Serena Williams have all respectively won more grand slams than Federer. But Tumaini Carayol writes that the Swiss player is great because he is "a gamechanger and a gentleman". He treats everyone around him with patience, kindness and respect.
Federer's motto is: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." This is not just a debate about greatness in sport. It is about what matters most in life: effort, achievement or beauty.
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong><strong><strong>Should sport be beautiful?</strong></strong></strong></h5>
Yes: Sport is an escape from our ordinary lives. It is a spectacular demonstration of what humans can do, inspiring us with wonder and admiration. Like great music and poetry, the best sport is beautiful.
No: We are obsessed with how things look. But sport is not skin deep. It requires years of preparation and training - nerves of steel and icy determination. It is the ultimate test of human character.
Or... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Winning is beautiful if you want to win, and determination is graceful if you admire hard work. So sport will always reflect what we find attractive in life.
Consecutive - One after the other.
Billie Jean King - An American former World Number One tennis player who won 39 major titles in the 1960s and 1970s.
Perseverance - Determination and keeping going despite difficulties.
GOAT - The unofficial title, Greatest of All Time, was first used to describe the boxer, Muhammad Ali. It was made famous by LL Cool J and his 2000 album of the same name.
‘Effortless’ star calls time 1500 matches on

Glossary
Consecutive - One after the other.
Billie Jean King - An American former World Number One tennis player who won 39 major titles in the 1960s and 1970s.
Perseverance - Determination and keeping going despite difficulties.
GOAT - The unofficial title, Greatest of All Time, was first used to describe the boxer, Muhammad Ali. It was made famous by LL Cool J and his 2000 album of the same name.