Disappointed or in awe of Federer

Lollipop and I were devastated when we heard the news that the world no.2 Roger Federer had pulled out of the ATP World Tour Finals after his thrilling match against fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka.

Despite Federer’s incredible comeback which he came through 4-6 7-5 7-6 (8-6) in London the looming final was just all too much.

In the closing moments of the match on Sunday there were signs that Roger was struggling again from the back injury he sustained in 2013.

The six time champ came out on court to say “I did everything I could. I took pain-killers, had rest until the very end, but I just cannot compete at this level with Novak.

“At my age it would’ve been a risk.”

The way the former champ addressed the crowd was exemplary but disappointing to watch. As world no.1 Novak Djokovic came to collect the trophy even he said: “”It’s clearly not the way I wanted.”

It is not the way Lollipop or other avid tennis fans wanted it either. But in such a gruelling individual sport it what sometimes happens. Federer has only pulled out of a competition three times in his professional career but this forfeit  marked a new stage of his game for Lollipop.

The 33-year-old announced he was not “match fit” and at his age it would have been a risk. At this point in his career are the games just coming around too fast for Federer. Granted. The Swiss had less time to recover than Djokovic. He was also playing this years Australian Open champion in a showstopping contest where Wawrinka had four match points he just could not convert.

Federer clearly had the tougher schedule but that has never been a problem before. At the Wimbledon final last summer Federer looked imperious. Djokovic had to play out five sets to win the title and although he won the crowd were on another man’s side. Roger Federer.

But tonight things were very different. The champion’s luck and skill has finally ran out and whether he will gain it again in time for the Davis Cup final against France next week is questionable.

Lollipop is not saying Federer should quit just yet, she’s too much of a tennis fan to ever say that but he is clearly not the same player that won Wimbledon five times in a row.

Federer has done everything possible to win another world title including changing his racket and hiring former world number one player Stefan Edberg as his coach but he just keeps coming second.

It is now something Lollipop has become used to but will Federer? His dominant win over Andy Murray on Thursday where he won 6-0, 6-1 shows he is still one of the best players to grace any court yet it was not enough to become the ATP World Tour Champion.

That crown now belongs to another man and his three consecutive titles this season shows he is in no mind to give it up.