Recent Wins Aside, Roger Federer’s Still Elite … Duh!

Just a couple of days ago, I read an absolutely foolish tennis column from a guy (Peter Bodo) that has been in the tennis-writing business nearly as long as I've been alive, so I guess I should have expected even more nonsensical ESPN writings coming, especially from a guy that probably wasn't even born when John McEnroe started winning grand slam titles.

First, ESPN's Peter Bodo foolishly wrote of American tennis superstar Serena Williams's chances for next year's 2012 WTA season, "I think she'll contend, but I think she'll have a hard time winning those majors unless she really dedicates herself and plays a lot. The combination of her age and her recent, growing tendency to get injured is a candle burning at both ends."

Now, maybe it's me, but I certainly don't consider stepping on glass at a restaurant, resulting in a significant foot surgery - or dealing with ensuing clots in her lungs and a hematoma that required emergency treatment - injuries. On the surface, Bodo the Dodo's comments look way off base and a bit 'haterish' if you ask me.

Now, another ESPN tennis 'writer' has come out with even more stupidity coming on the heels of Roger Federer's first career win at the PNB Paribas Paris Masters event on Sunday.

Young ESPN tennis blogger Ravi Ubha must be drinking from the same 'haterade' as Bodo - and is apparently drunk with tennis stupidity.

Late Sunday afternoon, Ubha's latest insane writings started off with this headline ….

'Welcome back to the land of the elite, Fed'.

Now, I personally don't care whether or not you like Roger Federer or whether you're the world's biggest Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic follower, anyone that truly believes that the incomparable Federer is not still an elite tennis player, or had not been one even during this grand slamless season, has rocks in their head!

Let me repeat, if you like professional tennis and follow the men's ATP World Tour, then you already know that Roger Federer is still one of the top three players on the face of the planet.

To suggest that Fed isn't still 'elite' is total and utter nonsense and I suspect that even the staunchest supporters of Djokovic or Nadal will be the first to admit this fact to anyone.

For Ubha to write that Federer's win in Paris and recently at his hometown tournament in Basel, Switzerland, has somehow brought him back to the land of the elite, then clearly Ubha is either absolutely nuts - or taking some really powerful pharmaceuticals.

Making this kid's blog even more ludicrous is the fact that, after throwing some 'praise' Federer's way, Ubha then immediately goes back into suggesting that the all-time grand slam leader is aging quickly and as he says in his own words, "who knows how much longer he has left in his career".

Maybe Ubha hasn't looked around, but I don't see a single player on the planet that Federer can't consistently compete with, unless you're talking about Rafa on clay.

In the end, there are only a handful of truly 'elite' players on the men's ATP Tour and Federer is clearly among them. Just ask yourself this question.

How many players would you bet on in a match against Federer?

Exactly! There clear-cut answer is two and those players would be Djokovic and Nadal. Outside of that pair, I - and most every other tennis follower on the face of the planet - would never even think about betting against Federer.

To me, being one of the three best players on the planet is as elite as it gets. Or maybe Ubha and his betting bucks prefer the slamless Andy Murray.