Nadal over Federer

I've always maintained that true sportsmen learn much more than commoners about the subtleties of life throughout their career- be it in victory or defeat, but as we experience in our daily lives what Miss Rowling percieved as well, defeat adds enormously to our maturity which is much more essential in leading a mentally-prosperous life. However this is a consolation for people like Marat Safin and now Roger Federer, the latter rarely having had to reflect on defeats in recent times until the emergence of the extraordinarily improving Spaniard Rafael Nadal. As this man won the epic final, what was really disheartening was to realise the amount of sorrow felt by Roger which clearly reflected on his ever-smiling face. Post match, as Nadal was busy wiping his tears of joy and meet his family in the stands to cry with them too, the five-time Wimbledon champion was seen pretending to smile. In fact, he couldn't even do it properly, which was quite understandable, but was quite unlike him.

Yes, he had never faced it before. Over the past few years we had all wondered if there would be any competitor who'd challenge the supremacy of the Swiss, as he had been running away with almost all the trophies in the world which tennis could possibly provide. And now we've got the answer, and the gentle and quietly confident champion would have to hand over the reins, possibly momentarily, to this newcomer. This is a trying period in Roger's tennis career, and he does not need to brood over it- sooner or later it had to come. This loss justifies the fact that Federer is a human and can be challenged, and that a monopoly cannot go on forever. I would definitely wish for Federer to bounce back and reclaim his crown at Wimbledon, but trust me, this moment would help him as he would be compelled to experience the other side of life as well.

As for Nadal, I truely believe he could go on and do a Federer over the years to come, but it would be equally important for him to grow as a person, which I think he already is doing. Success or failure does not define a person, it is the way you handle them which does. This is a lesson for not only these rivals but also for all of us.