“You guys make me nervous. You guys make me practice. You guys fill the stadiums. Thank you.”
This is exactly what Roger Federer said after winning the Australian Open 2018, which happens to be his 20th Grand Slam. 36 is not an age tennis players peak in tennis, it is an age, that in most cases marks the twilight of a tennis players career if they have not yet thrown in the towel. That is exactly what separates the phenomena called Roger Federer from his contemporaries.
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It was his sixth Australian Open title and his 20th Grand Slam singles title on January 28, defeating Marin Cilic, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. The win also made him the oldest man to win the coveted Australian Open. One thing is for sure, Federer has, like Serena Williams redefined tennis once and for all. He has pushed the bar really high, becoming the only male tennis player in the history to win 20 Grand Slams. Three women have already done it.
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Here is how the world lavished praise on the Swiss:
What a legend! Congratulations King! #ausopen #20 _ @AustralianOpen @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/chrzjKVmat
— Cristian Chivu (@Chivu_Official) January 28, 2018
There’s really only one thing you can say about @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/g08UwEpQ5L
— Tug Speedman (@KyleGiles_) January 28, 2018
Hey u @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/b9OyEewUzN
— Plath’onik (@feerique7) January 28, 2018
Goat pic.twitter.com/bceZSt0rDb
— Navneet Tanwar (@TanwarNavneet) January 28, 2018
The first time I saw Roger was a decade back when he stormed into the limelight after defeating Pete Sampras. From then, there has been no looking back for the Swiss legend.
Roger Federer just doing GOAT things. Congrats to Marin Cilic as well on a heck of a tournament. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/JcBnU7yzbK
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) January 28, 2018
What else? @rogerfederer #AusOpen #Emotion pic.twitter.com/X7Ei0XJ7BX
— Matteo Rizzi (@rizzi_mr) January 28, 2018
_
After @rogerfederer won, the photographer could not even stop himself.#Federer pic.twitter.com/NKznIrp0Rh— RABBI _ (@Ravi_SBP) January 28, 2018
Roger Federer fans right now https://t.co/aEssv6W1fh pic.twitter.com/zkUWYeNNfa
— ill Will (@UrbanRx) January 28, 2018
Congratulations Roger Federer pic.twitter.com/y9TO3LHYKY
— ShinobiCreed___ (@AzmarthUg) January 28, 2018
I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING! __
“You guys make me nervous. You guys make me practice. You guys fill the stadiums. Thank you.”
– @RogerFederer _#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/sGHCB6mhJG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
__________
__________@RogerFederer, 2__0__x Grand Slam champion.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/l1oskAwzMU— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
This speaks for itself.#AusOpen @RogerFederer pic.twitter.com/7sw5d3Mx58
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
.@rogerfederer on the phone to the President of Switzerland, @alain_berset #AusOpen #RF20 pic.twitter.com/ARpV83BUjz
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
Incroyable papy !!!!!! _2__0____@rogerfederer !!!!! pic.twitter.com/irc4wTCaUT
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 28, 2018
Mats Wilander. “If I was a tournament director, I would speed up the court so Roger Federer can play for more 3 ou 4 years. He is probably the best thing in professional sports.”
— Jose Morgado (@josemorgado) January 28, 2018
Surrounded by greats, past and present – @rogerfederer Neale Fraser, Ashley Cooper and Roy Emerson. @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/M72MOhG1Do
— Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 28, 2018
20 grand slam title, but watching him play it seems like he’s fighting for his first one. The humility and intensity hasn’t diminished at all. Inspirational #GOAT @rogerfederer
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) January 28, 2018
Always a joy to watch you play, @rogerfederer. 20 Grand slams.. What an achievement! #AusOpen #Federer pic.twitter.com/ThN1AbgQT0
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 28, 2018
It is still so vivid in my memory when last year Roger Federer said that he does not believe he will get past the quarter-finals in 2018, and look what happened. That is Roger Federer for you!
