If the Jacket Fits…

It’s hard not to like Roger Federer. He just seems such a nice guy. While anything would have been a step-up from the oft-glum Pete Sampras, he seems genuinely charismatic. As if that’s not enough, he’s from Switzerland, more neutral than a comment piece in The Independant.

As Nadal infuriates with his penchant for extending matches as if he was being paid by the hour, Djokovic go into full sulky four-year old mode when not being given sufficient attention and Andy Murray be, well, just downright unlikeable, Federer is just… nice. Too nice. Even when he hit that purple patch after losing to Nadal at Wimbledon last year and couldn’t seem to buy a win over his rivals, you found yourself feeling sorry for him.

Well, this year’s Wimbledon reminded me why I shouldn’t. Why I routinely root for him to be embarassed by some wildcard entry from Bolivia. It’s not the hair, it’s not the fact he seems to win everything, it’s the jacket. Yes, that stupid, pretentious, cream and gold thing he insists on wearing to Wimbledon each year as if he’s some sort of tennis royalty. Give me a break…

When he first turned up at Wimbledon 2006 in the Nike swoosh-laden ensemble, he was undisputedly the best in the world; he’d won three straight titles at SW19. Rafa Nadal was still getting there while Djokovic and Murray were still a year or two away from really breaking through. But even then, what’s wrong with a bit of humility? You’re good, we get it. Are you telling me it’s really necessary to not only walk out onto the court, but practice in a pair of cream trousers, shirt and jacket, complete with a crest to let everybody know just how many Wimbledon titles he’s won.

God it just makes you sick doesn’t it. At what point did he decide that he was so much better than everybody else, that he should start wearing some poncey blazer as if he is in a different class to every other player in the tournament. Ok, he probably was, but that’s for commentators decide, not the player himself. Especially coming from such a supposedly soft-spoken guy; it’s just sheer arrogance, plain and simple.

What really gets me however is that he has the cheek to carry on this ridiculous facade when actually, as it turns out, he’s not better than everybody else. Last year, Nadal took his crown. He went into Federer’s home court, and beat him, again. They’ve now played in 7 grand slam finals and the Spaniard leads 5-2. Overall, Nadal leads 13-7. The torch for now has been passed. To further compound the downfall, Federer was now taking losses to Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic too and a loss down-under to Nadal saw the no.1 ranking relinquished. There’s a new King in town, and he’s not all about the toblerones.

Except he’s now injured to the point where he couldn’t even defend his clay court title. So Wimbledon rolls around again and guess what? Federer still has the cheek to turn up in this ridiculous get-up. Except now, it’s even more “fun” as it’s turned into a fashion statement as well, straight from the Milan catwalks. Next year he might as well just go the whole hog and turn up in Kanye West-esque sunglasses and a shemagh scarf. At least that would be purely motivated by fashion, not some need to come out with some ridiculous “look at me, I’m great, Nike even says so” peacock gesture

It’s just so arrogant and pretentious; you’re not even the best any more. When it’s all said and done history may judge you differently, but for now, the scales are tipped in the favour of the guy four years your junior.  Yet, a year after being beaten on your best surface and best tournament, because Nadal’s succumbed to injury you turn up and strut around like you own the place again? Gold man-bag and all? Please… Would it just kill you to show a little bit of humility? If you want to keep your little crest with your initials, fine, wear a designer polo shirt like everybody else. Don’t insist on walking round in this get-up, acting like it’s just “a bit of fun.”

I’d take Andy Murray over the self-anointed God’s gift to tennis any day.