Roger Federer: Never too old to learn

At 33, Roger Federer will still finish the 2014 season as one of the best male tennis players on the planet.

Roger Federer is still among the top male tennis players in the world, even though he is 33 years old.

Just over a year ago, we all knew that Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were dominating the majors, that Federer was on the brink of retirement, and that his retirement was imminent. But his performances this season, especially his near-miss with an eighth Wimbledon title, suggest that it’s too early to count him out.

Federer has been playing so consistently at 33 and with two sets of twins to care for. Although he has not won a Grand Slam title, his deep runs in major tournaments and five titles this season have helped him surpass Nadal and return to second place in the ATP rankings. If things go well for him at the Paris Masters this week, the Swiss could even threaten Djokovic's world No. 1 position.

As they get older, tennis players start to think about retiring whenever they feel tired or simply satisfied with the glory they have achieved. Men from 30 onwards start to consider long-term plans for their home, become less ambitious, and of course their strength decreases. But that doesn't seem to exist with Federer. He just competes, plays tennis normally, as if he is still the same FedEx of the past, not yet a husband, not yet a father and doesn't care how old he is.

Federer doesn’t even rest. He’s the winningest player this season with 66 wins out of 77 matches played. And another extraordinary thing about Federer that players like Murray and Nadal would love to have is his “resistance” to injury. Perhaps it’s his non-physical style of play that keeps Federer in top shape before every tournament.

“The Express Train” has never talked about retiring. Perhaps his fans do not want that to happen. Because at that time, men’s tennis has lost a romantic beauty that may take a long, long time for another player to fill. Never too old to learn, Federer seems to be sending that message to the rest of men’s tennis.

According to TT&VH