The Australian summer will be at its simmering and punishing best, when the first major of the season begins in Melbourne on Monday. Roger Federer is seeded 17, Rafael Nadal 9. When was the last time the two were seeded so low after capturing the top two spots in 2005 (when Federer was No. 1 and Nadal No. 2)? Well, never. Something that is difficult for tennis lovers to imagine, but inevitable, is that these ageing stars will soon hang up their racquets.
One day, they will not be there! No matter how glorious, every era will come to an end. That’s sport writ in stone. No matter how much the sport craves for stars to last longer, age—the ultimate equaliser— will have the last laugh. The stars will again become mortals. Federer is coming back from injury and Nadal is just about managing to stay inside the top 10. Nadal’s swift retrievals, his crushing topspin forehands and sprints across the court are no longer as fierce.
The Spaniard is no longer the epitome of fitness that he used to be in his prime. Federer, who enjoyed a fine resurgence after suffering a slump in 2013, was pushed out of the top 10 after a five-set loss to Milos Raonic in the Wimbledon semifinals. Perhaps, this is good. We are gradually getting used to a world without the awesome twosome. The bonhomie they shared, and the respect they showed for each other despite intense rivalry on the court, will forever be etched in our mind.
Nothing could have been more touching than to see Nadal go up to Federer when the latter was sobbing uncontrollably after losing the 2009 Australian Open final. Sometimes, one is forced to wonder if one would have been as great without the other. Maybe another rivalry—World No. 1 Andy Murray and No. 2 Novak Djokovic —is waiting to blossom and fill the vacuum. Who knows? But then, sport is unpredictable and ruthless. Like in life, no matter what, it goes on.