Roger Rocks

Roger Federer's resounding victory at the Australian Open is a firm slap in the face of all his doubters, critics and naysayers. I am just incredulous that all these so called experts and renowned sportswriters can so easily ignore a champion like Federer. Not one among them picked Federer to win the Australian Open! While I understand that you don't necessarily have to be awed by the name Roger Federer and make him your betting horse for every slam he enters, you still wonder at their audacity for being so careless and dumb. Even if you go by current form and performances in recent slams - this guy has reached all 4 previous major finals and has fallen short of winning the grand slam by 2 sets - one would expect at least some of them to put money on him. But, they didn't and it only makes one wonder why success and superlative excellence also breeds boredom, contempt and perhaps a secret envy in even the seemingly sensible and intelligent bunch among us. When you succeed so consistently and excel at almost everything you do, it can proliferate legions of fans and admirers but at the same time produce these vultures that are so eager to pounce onto the first sign of vulnerability and grab of piece of their impossible prey. But our Bodos, Tignors, Wertheims and Perottas are not vultures all the time. Some of them are ready to sing praises when they have no choice and grudgingly accept greatness as a virtue. But then they retract to their closets for a while, gather some dust and and comeback to post ridiculous podcasts about placing asterisks next to the 16 grand slams won by Federer - the greatest achievement in the history of tennis. My sincere advice to all such writers and commentators is - eat some mexican hot peppers, lay an egg or read the book "Why Am I so Stupid?" while sitting on your commode!!