Amid all the sports craze surrounding Armando Galarraga, The Stanley Cup, The NBA Finals, and Tiger’s return to golf, I would just like to announce to the sports world that Roger Federer was defeated in a Slam… in the quarters. Roger lost at Roland Garros this Tuesday to 5 seed Robin Soderling in a rematch of last year’s final at the French Open; Soderling is the same man who ended Rafeal Nadal’s historic streak on clay at Roland Garros last year, before falling to Federer in the Final. Soderling’s victory on Tuesday ended Roger Federer’s epic streak at Slam Tournaments. This was a streak that has flown under the radar, but is perhaps the most impressive in all of sports…period. Going into Tuesday’s match with Robin Soderling, Roger Federer had reached the semifinals in 23 straight Slam Tournaments. That’s right, 23 straight! That is six years of tennis, a physically demanding and mentally strenuous game. 23 straight over 6 years. Take it in, digest it. I cannot even put it into perspective for readers because there is nothing fathomable to such a feat. I guess the closest comparison would be to say how stunning it would be if Tiger Woods placed top 4 in the Masters, The US Open, The Open Championship (British), and the PGA Championship 23 consecutive times… he has never done it. Bottom line, Roger Federer is the best athlete in the world right now, and has been for the last six years. Simply put, he is the most dominant athlete of our generation (and yes, that includes Tiger). He is the best tennis player of all time, no question. Yes, Tuesday’s loss at the hands of Sweden’s Robin Soderling may be the beginning of a slow decline for the man known as Fed, but I believe Roger still has a few Slams left in him… Just wait until the grass of the All England Club – I predict a 17th Slam Title at Wimbledon 2010.
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