Federer's Quest For Perfection

At what point in an athlete's career is it appropriate to have a book written about him or her? In the case of Roger Federer, one of the world's leading tennis journalists, Rene Stauffer of Zurich's Tages-Anzeiger and Sonntags-Zeitung, wanted to write a book on the Swiss genius soon after his first Wimbledon triumph in 2003, but the player and his family decided that it was too early in his career to embark on such a project. However, a few years later it became evident that Federer was entering the pantheon of tennis greatness and that his accomplishments should be documented. Thus was born the idea for "The Roger Federer Story - Quest For Perfection". Originally published in German in 2006 under the title Das Tennis Genie, the book has now been updated and translated into English for a worldwide audience.

The author, Rene Stauffer, first met Roger Federer in 1996 when the current world's number 1 player was only 15 years old. From that initial encounter, Stauffer appeared to be charmed by the young man and came away from the interview with a quote that served as inspiration for the title of his book. While explaining some of his bad behavior on the court, the young Federer revealed his philosophy on tennis. "One should just be able to play a perfect game." From then on, Stauffer understood what the Swiss superstar was trying to attain - perfection.

The book is separated into two parts. Part 1 deals with the rise of Federer and tracks him from his early days on the court through the 2007 Australian Open with almost encyclopedic detail. Part 2 examines Federer the man and what makes him special compared with other athletes and celebrities.

Two of the main themes that Stauffer introduces us to with respect to the rise of Roger Federer are his temper and the impressive variety of shots in his game. In order to ascend to Number 1 in the world, the young Swiss would have to learn to control both aspects. From an early age, it was apparent that Roger had a burning temper whether it had to do with tennis, school or board games. If he didn't get what he wanted, he could be very vocal about it. In tennis, this manifested itself into self destructive behavior on the court that affected his results all the way into his pro career.

As Federer progressed through the junior ranks in Switzerland, it was obvious to all that he had an amazing array of shots. However, he had no love for practice or training. He considered himself to be purely a match player. This would change over time as Federer learned that fitness was a huge part of attaining the results he wanted on tour. He would also become more and more comfortable with the sheer variety of shots in his repertoire. While many of the world's greatest players won their first Grand Slam titles at an early age - Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Mats Wilander, etc. - Federer did not. Stauffer explains that because of the number of weapons in the Federer arsenal, it took him longer to put his whole game together as opposed to some of the other players previously mentioned who were not quite as multi-dimensional as Federer. They had it easier as their games were more singular in focus. Once the Swiss superstar did put his game together and managed his temper, he became nearly unstoppable. The result was a veritable symphony of tennis that fans had never seen before.

In the process of becoming the world's best tennis player, Roger Federer remained true to himself. In Part 2 of his book, Stauffer describes a man who is comfortable being famous and enjoys the life he leads, yet he remains uncorrupted by the trappings of his fame. His commitment to friends, family and country demonstrate how truly grounded he is.

With Federer as the world's Number 1, the sport of tennis could hardly have a better representative. Federer understands his responsibility as Number 1 perhaps more than any of his predecessors in the Open Era. He is an ambassador of tennis to the world, and because of his multi-lingual abilities and his excellent rapport with the media, he is popular the world over.

While his popularity may be near a peak, the career of Roger Federer isn't over and one gets the sense that "The Roger Federer Story - Quest For Perfection" is simply the first book in a series. Federer continues to chase history. Part 1 of this book ended in January 2007 in Melbourne, Australia with another Aussie Open title for the world's best player. Federer has since ended Rafael Nadal's clay court winning streak at 81 matches, reached the French Open final for the second consecutive year, won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title equalling the record of the great Bjorn Borg, and captured his 50th career title with a victory at the ATP Master Series in Cincinnati. With his Wimbledon victory, Federer's Grand Slam title count stands at 11, only 3 behind Pete Sampras. On the eve of the US Open where Federer will be going for this fourth consecutive title in New York, it's hard to fathom him not shattering Sampras' mark.

For the Federer fan, "The Roger Federer Story - Quest For Perfection" is a must read. It is an Encyclopedia Federer if you will, and the author's exclusive access to the player over the years gives the reader ample insight into the career and life of a man who may become the greatest tennis player of all-time.

"The Roger Federer Story - Quest For Perfection" is published by New Chapter Press. Go to www.rogerfedererbook.com for more information including links to where the book is available for purchase.