![]() ![]() Reliving past matches adds to The Master an extended dose of nostalgia.The author’s recounting of some of these classic matches will give the reader much pleasure. But his metamorphosis into the poised player we all know was down to a gifted player being able to make the most of his abilities, learning from watching his own bad behaviour on television.Ĭlarey seamlessly blends Federer’s career with his life off court. Unbelievable as it may seem now, as a teenager, Federer was notoriously temperamental: breaking racquets, throwing tantrums and often stoking his inner John McEnroe. Like his timing with shot making, the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s career decisions also came across with Swiss-like precision. Spotted early as a potential champion, Federer’s road to glory was made easier by a solid support group of coaches and family members. ![]() The Master: The Brilliant Career Of Roger Federer By Christopher Clarey, Hachette India, 432 pages, ₹799. He also spoke with over 80 people for the book, including Nadal and Novak Djokovic, as well as a host of current and retired players, coaches, trainers and agents. Many of these interviews were exclusive, at Federer’s home town or travelling together on a private jet. But supplementing it is hard work, smart training, and refining skills that connoisseurs of the sport would think were already perfect.Ĭlarey, a tennis correspondent for The New York Times, has been writing about Federer since his first Grand Slam match in 1999, interviewing him a number of times across the world over these years. The fluid movement, the ease of stroke play and the ability to conjure shots from seemingly impossible positions are all due to his phenomenal talent. What is not entirely true is that tennis comes naturally to him. It’s these kinds of anecdotes that make The Master illuminating.Īlso Read: Medvedev denies Djokovic Grand Slam year by winning US Open Or run back into an office building, head downstairs and past security just because he forgot to thank a few Nike employees who helped him with his shoes. Christopher Clarey’s biography, The Master: The Brilliant Career Of Roger Federer, does not bust many myths surrounding Federer, but it does humanise a player who has, at times, looked superhuman on the tennis court.įederer does come across as a genuinely nice guy: someone who would take the time to help his rival and friend Rafael Nadal promote a new academy in Mallorca, Spain. The impression that one might get of Roger Federer is that winning in tennis comes naturally to him and that he is nice to everyone. ![]()
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