As the ATP finals wind down to a fitting close, with Roger Federer assuring his year-end number one ranking, as well as making it to the semi-finals, this has been a historic year not just for Federer, but also for tennis as a whole. In a sport that is known for its ups and downs, and which is just a year removed from witnessing what is almost universally being acknowledged as the greatest match ever, namely the Wimbledon 2008 finals, this has been a see-saw of a year, with momentum shifts, feel-good stories, injuries — and unfortunately, controversy as well.

What is certain is that this was Federer’s year, but, ironically, he has a feeling of vulnerability about him, and his winning is no longer a foregone conclusion. Rather, his turnaround year can be attributed to some support from a person who was barely known in his home country of Sweden, but in the ATP finals defeated two of the top three players in the world. Robin Soderling was the protagonist of what is now considered the greatest upset of all time, when he defeated Rafael Nadal at the French Open and opened wide the window of opportunity for Roger to kill three birds with one swing of his racquet: slam number 14, his first French Open, and a career grand slam. More importantly, it was a far cry from when he literally cried his heart out during the prize distribution ceremony at the Australian Open, seemingly unable to decode the Nadal puzzle.

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