In sports, the emphasis is always on youth. Great players are shooting stars across the sky of their respective sports. Alas, like those shooting stars their paths are all too brief, and then they flame out and disappear from view.
The other day Roger Federer won the first two sets at Wimbledon in London in the quarterfinals. Anytime he has done this before in his career - 178 times to be exact - Federer has won the match. But this time was a different story. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came back and won the next three sets. There is no question that the Federer of the past is no longer out there on the court. Tsonga (26) simply overcame Federer (29) with power and resilience and broke his serves. It would not have happened a few years ago. Federer has to face the facts about his game, just as all the tennis greats like Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, and Pete Sampras have had to do.
Last week Tiger Woods (35) announced that he would not compete in the AT&T National. In golf older men have had much success, but one has to remain healthy and in shape. There is no question that Woods has always been into training, but his body is not "healthy" enough to compete. Again, as with Federer, reality rears its ugly head. Tiger is feeling all too human these days, and even with that sex scandal behind him and a lucrative endorsement for a Japanese company announced, Woods is realizing he is only human.
And then there is Derek Jeter, the perennial All Star shortstop for the New York Yankees. Jeter (37) has struggled this season (as he did last year), and ended up on the disabled list. The Yankee captain has been a great player for many years, but his body is starting to send signals to him that he may not want to receive. His hitting and fielding have been substantially compromised by the calendar, and whether or not the fans want to accept it, Jeter has to know that he better not turn around, because Father Time is gaining on him.
Article comments
1 - brucenhk
Should Roger consider alternative careers? This is a very witty article.
2 - Todd
LOL tiger is much healthier than many great players.
'his body is not "healthy" enough to compete' - this statement took all credibility away from the article.
3 - Sandy
Sports should be alwys taken on the sportive spirit.One failure doesn't mean end of the career,be it federer or tiger.
4 - Victor Lana
Todd, there are a slew of articles where Woods is saying he is not healthy enough. This is just one of them.
5 - keno
I thinj roger federer is still young enuff to perhaps move into a softer sport such as golf and compete there. for Jeter, its gone. And for Woods, he can probly continue earning a mil or two for a few more yrs.