Roger Federer • Elite Era Won’t Be Matched

By 10sballs Staff
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Updated: February 28, 2018

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer poses with the ‘Sportsman Award’ and ‘Comeback Awards’ at the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, 27 February 2018. The annual Laureus Awards are held to honor people whom make a notable impact and remarkable accomplishments in the world of sport throughout the year. EPA-EFE/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Roger Federer often makes major achievement look easy, but the Grand Slam king knows how hard it is to master a major.

That’s why the 20-time Grand Slam champion seriously doubts today’s talented young players will develop into double-digit major champions.

Three of today’s champions—Federer, 16-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal and 12-time major champion Novak Djokovic—are among the eight men in history who have won 10 or more singles majors.

While Generation Next includes players who have beaten him, Federer says its nearly impossible to project a player as a 10-time Grand Slam champion given the ultra-competitive nature of the sport.

“It is definitely hard to see one player right now getting 10 slams,” Federer told the media on a night he won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Comeback of the Year awards. “It is much easier to say that probably a lot of guys are going to win a slam or two but winning 10 slams is not something you can predict, people didn’t predict that with me to be honest.

“Maybe with Rafa, with the French Open, you say (he’s capable of doing it) yes he is going to grab a few there. Maybe he is going to win five as he was an amazing junior as well like Bjorn Borg, they were the best teenagers we ever had in the game.”

The 36-year-old Swiss, who snapped a near five-year major title drought capturing the 2017 Australian Open then claimed his 20th Grand Slam crown successfully defending Melbourne last month, said confidence is key for a major roll.

“Once you get rolling, like Novak and I did, all of a sudden you don’t look back, then a few years later you do look back and you have eight or 10 Grand Slam titles, it’s crazy,” Federer said. “Confidence and momentum are a big thing. When you unlock your game through success or a coach explains the one ingredient that is missing then that can change things.”