That's why he is the tennis GOAT.
Roger Federer has had all of the qualities that sportsmen treasure in a champion: he is humble, gracious, tenacious, kind, caring, competitive and an extremely hard worker.
In victory, he does not gloat. In defeat, he makes no excuses, crediting his conquerors. Off the court, he is a family man who gives time and money to numerous charities.
On a tennis court, Federer is a little like a fairy, seemingly gliding all over the terrain and hitting any number of shots with consistency and beauty. Federer’s forehand is smooth and vicious, especially when he angles it.
His backhand might be the most beautiful on the men’s tour, full of one-handed purity and exquisite follow-through. His serve is deceptively fast and tricky, full of spins and pace. His volley is solid when activated. Federer has no perceptible holes in his game, another reason why people call him the GOAT.
That lack of holes is evident when you look at is record on all surfaces. Unlike most top players, Federer does not have a surface that is his bugaboo, like Pete Sampras and other great champions, the one major that constantly eluded him due to his inflexible game. If it wasn't for Nadal existing, Federer would have been king of all turfs.
Jimmy Connors summarized it well: "In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer."
