IN 100 degree heat in St. Louis, against the dreadful Browns, Joe DiMaggio would tell himself there was somebody in the stands who had never before seen him play, then refuse to give away a single at-bat.
If the Penguins’ only sellout of the year was when the Oilers came to town, Wayne Gretzky knew he was the reason why, exactly how he broke 200 points in a season four times.
So do not wonder, not even for the duration of an Andy Roddick serve, what Roger Federer has left to play for, never mind that in June he won the French Open he seemingly was never going to win. Never mind that a month later he won a record 15th Grand Slam title, which probably nobody else will ever win.
Michael Jordan thought he had done everything there was to do in basketball until a year in baseball told him otherwise. He came back to turn three NBA titles into six, and even returned a third time to try to win another championship with Washington at age 39.
Even the greatest of the greatest eventually lose their skills, but never their drive. So if Federer has earned anything besides $50 million, it is the benefit of the doubt that boredom, self-admiration or fatherhood will catch up to him like Roddick hasn’t.
Because Federer says he has never been more relaxed does not mean he has never been less motivated. You can’t make the finals in every Slam but one in a mind-boggling four years without wanting to repeat, if only for repeat’s sake.
“Try to win again and again, that’s what it is,” Federer said yesterday, after a fifth consecutive defense of his U.S. Open championship began with a straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, 7-5, win over NCAA champion Devin Britton. “That’s what I’m here for, trying to equal Bill Tilden’s record.
“I like being the winner of any tournament in the world. If I don’t (win), OK, I walk away. I know tennis is not everything. But if I enjoy playing, why should I stop? Just because I’ve beaten the all-time Grand Slam record?
“If you ask the other 100 players in the draw, I don’t think their goal is to win 16 Grand Slams. It’s trying to enjoy, have a great career and being best maybe in your country. You can set different types of goals. Mine are at a very, very high level.”
He can salt away more Slams than Rafael Nadal might possibly even enter again on those knees. Or, add more Slams than Rod Laver, the only good argument remaining vs. Federer as the greatest of all time, could have added during the five years Laver was ineligible. Or, regain the Australian Open championship after semifinal and final losses (to Novak Djokovic and Nadal, respectively) the last two years, gearing up for a run at four Slams in one year, a feat Laver pulled off twice.
Federer can also turn around that 7-13 record against Nadal (2-5 in slam finals), at the age of 28, leaving multiple opportunities, the next of which could be Sept. 13, never mind Nadal’s rust.
“When my career is over is when you analyze how much did Rafa help my career and how much did I help his,” said Federer. “It’s a great rivalry we have had so far.
“For my own career, I don’t know. I think this has to be seen when both our playing days are over.”
Sound like someone who has won so much, he has won enough? It doesn’t work that way.
