Does Roger Federer Need a break?

Is age catching up with Roger Federer or is it just fatique? Watching him being dispatched with relative ease by world 55th ranked player, Daniel Brands in the 2nd round of the CAS Open Gstaad on Thursday evening was quite painful to watch. And to think this was only 5 days after being sent packing in straight sets at the semi-finals of the Hamburg Open by an Argentine qualifier,

Federico Delbonis who is ranked 114 in the world,  and less than a month after losing his Wimbledon title to yet another player ranked outside the Top-100, one begins to wonder if mother nature is catching up with the man regarded as the best tennis player ever.

As a Tennis player, you are bound to lose some matches, no doubt about that, but the manner of Federer's recent defeats seems to be worrying.  At 31, he is not exactly a young man neither is he too old to compete at the very top afterall there are few older players out there on the tour in the Top 20. It is quite obvious that he's lost a few yards in pace and his reaction to power serves isn't as quick as it once was some years back. Even his ever reliable serve appears to be deserting him gradually. Yesterday, his serve was all over the place while his shots were so consistently wayward as we've come to see in his games in recent times, particularly in 2013. Although Federer attributed yesterday's loss to a back injury, many Tennis analysts are of the opinion that he is no longer feared as he was a couple of years back. Another factor is the physical aspect of the game. More players with bulging muscles are emerging and its getting to the point where Fed's natural talent alone just isn't enough to match these guys strength anymore. His gradual slide down the ranking attests to this. 

Perhaps what Federer needs is a break or time out from the game to recharge his batteries. For an athlete who has been injury free in his whole career, he has had little or no time off unlike the Nadals or Murray who have been off court on a number of times due to injuries. Again, suffering injuries at this stage of his career could be a sign of fatigue or  the body not being able to cope with the physical demands of the game anymore after so many years of loyalty.

While it may be argued that Federer's game suffered a similar rot last year only to come back to win the title  at Wimbledon, it remains very doubtful to see him win a Major again with the way his game is at the moment.

He may win few ATP's here and there but another Grand Slam may be asking too much from this legend of a man. If only he could prove us wrong again and bounce back but like every good things in life, there's always an end and for this perfect gentleman of Tennis, it is not too far ahead......again, if only he could leave the stage when the ovation is loudest.