It’s no mean feat to clock up not one, not two, but TWENTY international Grand Slam titles. Not only that, but to take out your twentieth big-time win as the third oldest man to ever do so is something that’s quickly etched into the history books.
Such is the case for Roger Federer, who, at 36 years and 173 days old, overcame a tense, five-set screamer against Croatian big-server Marin Čilić to win the 2018 Australian Open.
Visibly emotional Roger taking out the 2018 Australian Open last night.
Roger’s twentieth Grand Slam trophy happened to be his sixth from the Australian Open.
But alongside Roger’s 41 winners and 24 jaw-dropping aces, it was the Swiss tennis champ’s tears post-match that really caught our attention.
An inconsolable Roger could barely speak let alone accept his trophy at Melbourne Park last night.
Roger says an overwhelming sense of relief brought on his tears.
Later, when the tears subsided, Roger let us in on what made this win just so emotional.
“This win reminded me more of 2006 when I beat Baghdatis. Had a great run to the final, I was the huge favourite,” he said in a press conference after the match.
“I was just saw relieved when everything was said and done. It was the same tonight. That’s why I couldn’t speak… I was terrible.”
Relief. Happiness. Greatness.
The single-hand-backhanded great then went on to talk about the nervousness even one of the world’s most memorable tennis champs in history feels – something we can all related to in some aspect of our lives.
“My thoughts were all over the place all day. Every minute of the day. When the match is late, you have so much time to think about it.”
“I got off to a flier, but that got me thinking about winning. I froze in the tie-break, got really nervous. I couldn’t take control of the match. I got a little bit lucky tonight.
“I couldn’t see [Rod Laver taking a picture] because I was crying too much. I couldn’t see through the tears. I didn’t lift my head. I was too embarrassed!”
See, Roger is like us mere prone-to-the-odd-weep mortals after all…
