Certain descriptive words and phrases in tennis are typically reserved for Roger Federer’s matches. You’ve heard them hundreds, if not thousands, of times before when he plays: “graceful,” “vintage,” “artistic,” “full flight.” Federer’s best tennis has inspired a vocabulary of its own.
Then there’s the descriptive term that’s used when Federer really plays well. While other men administer schoolyard “beatdowns,” or take their opponents to a dank and mysterious “woodshed,” Federer teaches a “master class.” His method of victory, with its elegant spins and dips and curves and flicks, is seen as more elevated and civilized; it’s something we can all learn from.
Will we ever allow another player to give us such a comprehensive lesson in excellence? If Novak Djokovic’s play during the first two sets of his 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Federer in Melbourne on Thursday wasn't a master class in tennis—not “modern tennis” or “baseline tennis” or “today’s tennis”; just tennis—than it’s hard to say what could qualify.