A day after his 33rd birthday, Roger Federer continues to amaze with his magical skills

Roger Federer turned 33 a couple of days ago, and was appropriately serenaded by the Rogers Cup organizers as well as the fans on the occasion. But 33 is quite old by tennis standards; his on-court skills must be in a steadily declining stage now, right?

Wrong!

The Swiss Maestro is defying age and time by continuing to exhibit his mastery with the racquet, and continuing to befuddle both his opponents and spectators with moments of sheer tennis magic.

In his semifinal victory over Feliciano Lopez at the Rogers Cup yesterday, Federer once again pulled out the perfectly timed tweener, which might just be the toughest shot to play in the sport. And while he didn’t win the point this time, he did end it with another shot that will remain in memory for a long time, albeit for the wrong reasons: a forehand that went flying into the stands, very much like a cricket six!

This is the second memorable tweener he has hit in 2014 alone. In Dubai earlier this year, Federer came up with a jaw-dropping tweener to win a point against Benjamin Becker. Watch that piece of brilliance below: 

How does he do it so often though? How does he keep managing to hit the between-the-legs shot with so much confidence, sting and panache, almost like it is second nature to him? If you’ve ever played tennis at any level, you’d know just how darned difficult it is to even get a racquet on such a shot, let alone get it over the net. And yet, Federer makes it look like a walk in the park.

The word you’re looking for is ‘genius’. The sheer control that he has over the racquet, the way in which he can make the ball sing even when his back is facing his intended target, the sublime hand-eye coordination that makes even impossible shots look routine – those are things that can’t be taught; you’re just born with them.

And this wasn’t the only moment of magic Federer produced yesterday. Late in the first set, he showcased his still extraordinary movement, footwork and touch by attacking the net and unfurling a series of impossible volleys that left Lopez stunned into submission. 

Who said 33 is old? For the genius called Roger Federer, 33 might well be 23.