How is history repeating itself with Roger Federer?

If you follow tennis, you must remember the Wimbledon of 2001, 18 years back. Federer was just 19 then and was playing against the then American tennis star Pete Samparan. Despite all the conflicts in the style of the two opponents, young Roger managed to defeat a giant player and earn him a name he has carried all these years.

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After 18 years, it’s as if the circle has come full circle. On the one side of the tennis court of the Australian Open, there is Roger Federer, now 37 years old, and on the other side is the 20-year-old Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas.

As you might have guessed by now, it’s the younger player this time too, who wins.

Seems like another passing of the torch moment, doesn’t it?

Maybe it’s not, as there are some differences in the two incidents.

While Federer looked at Samparan only as an opponent in the 2001 face-off, for Tsitsipas has always looked up to Federer as an inspiration. According to his statement, playing against the star was itself a grand thing and the win felt incomparable to anything.

The Greek player even sometimes imitates Federer’s one-handed backhand.

It is as surreal for Stefanos Tsitsipas, as it is/was for Roger Federer himself. According to a report, Federer has “massive regrets” after the game.

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