Albeit that his work schedule is now a somewhat compressed one, Federer, who turned 36 this week at the 2017 Rogers Cup,  showed the young Canadian Polansky a lesson in court mastery. He hits the ball as clean as ever, in an effortless motion. He glides across the court with grace. He serves with precision, leaving opponents bewildered. But, he garners huge respect from fans and players alike- Polansky was seen post match collecting the match balls as a souvenir.

In the post match press conference Federer spoke about “carrying the sport” when world number 1, and taking that responsibility seriously. The number 1 title has gone but Federer ranks deservingly by many as the best tennis player of all time, and with two more Majors added so far in 2017, there appears little reason the number 1 spot cannot once again be achieved. The reduced tournament schedule is paying dividends. Perhaps we can hope to see the Swiss Master continue at the top until 2020, and achieve the one title missing in his collection…. an Olympic singles medal??