A year and a half ago Roger Federer was done. He had lost again to his nemesis Rafael Nadal but this time for the first time on grass, where he hadn't lost in 65 straight matches. It was the 2008 Wimbledon Final where the year prior the duo played in one of the greatest matches you've ever seen only to equal or possibly surpass it in this one. At the end of the match, Federer not only lost but looked defeated. It seemed like it was over for him as far as being he dominant #1 tennis player in the world. His record against Nadal hadn't been favourable, but he could always beat the southpaw Spaniard on grass or hard court... until now. He wasn't gonna catch Pete Sampras in total Grand Slams, Wimbledon Titles and US Open Titles; and was never gonna join Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the third player to accomplish the Career Grand Slam in the open era. Skip ahead a month to the the US Open and Federer wins convincingly, mind you without playing Nadal, and he was back... Then we get to the Australian Open where he loses to Nadal in the Final, is tearful during the trophy ceremony, and it's over again... Until the French Open which he wins, completes the career Grand Slam, and ties Sampras for most Grand Slam Titles in a career. He also wins Wimbledon beating Andy Roddick in another nominee for "the greatest match you've ever seen", surpasses Sampras in Career Grand Slam Tiles, and also surpassed Ivan Lendl for most Grand Slam Final appearances. In the 2009 US Open, Federer found himself in yet another Gran Slam Final and loses not to Nadal but to Juan Martin del Potro. If it wasn't over before, it was over now because once his only Kryptonite was Nadal but someone else beat him. Done. It's O-ver... Until the very next Grand Slam where he beats Andy Murray in straight sets.

I never want to hear a writer/pundit/expert tell me it's over for this guy. It's not. I will concede that a healthy Nadal will beat a healthy Federer 99.9% of the time just like Russel's Celtics would beat West's Lakers at will. The thing is Nadal isn't healthy enough to get himself to a final and Federer's been to 19 of the last 20 Grand Slam Finals. Until Roger decides to join Sampras and McEnroe senior tour, it won't be over for him.