Federer extends greatness with destruction of Murray

"I'm over the moon winning this again. I played some of the best tennis again of my life these last two weeks,” said Federer on the Rod Laver court at the Australian Open in Melbourne after comprehensively snuffing out Andy Murray’s hopes of a first Grand Slam title on Sunday.

Ominously for the rest of the field he added: "Guys like Murray have made me a better player. I think this has been one of my finest performances in a long time, you know, or maybe forever."

The question now is exactly how much further the world number one can extend his greatness? As Britain’s Tim Henman observed on the BBC: "Federer is able to minimise the damage to his body because he is able to make his opponents do all the work. It really does point to the fact that he's going to be around for a few years yet."

Twelve months previously the prospects looked very different and the Swiss was in tears after fighting a monumental but ultimately losing battle against Spaniard Raphael Nadal, a younger man at the top of his brutally effective game who looked almost certain to take over Federer’s crown and make it his own.

In June at Roland Garros however, Nadal’s knees buckled under the strain of his muscular frame, opening up the French Open draw for the Swiss, who went on to complete his collection of wins on every surface and equal Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam victories into the bargain.

A few weeks later and Federer outlasted the determination and blistering service of American Andy Roddick to add another Wimbledon title to the collection and finally overcome Sampras.

With the weight of that particular albatross off his neck, the Swiss could argue that he was now the GOAT (greatest of all time) of tennis, relax, and wind down.

An unexpected loss in the final of the US Open against an inspired and powerful Argentine Juan Martín Del Potro, again begged the question of whether Federer still had the desire to hold the young guns at bay.

And going into Sunday’s match with a 4-6 deficit in head-to-head encounters with the talented Scot, it looked anybody’s match, or so we thought.

In two expertly crafted sets, Federer stamped his mastery over Murray. The third saw the Scot choke on a series of chances to get back into match – the Swiss doesn’t usually require too many freebees.

It’s clear that this particular win was sweet, almost a bonus, for Federer, who now reclines in the leather upholstery of world tennis' driving seat, with a state-of-the-art SatNav under his command.

"I haven't put a number on how many Grand Slams I want to try to win. Whatever happens, happens,” he said in Melbourne.

"I really want to try to enjoy the end to my career, because I've reached already so many goals I thought were never possible. I really want to just enjoy the tour, and that's what I'm doing at the moment."

So, no pressure there, and it's worth mentioning that a relaxed player doesn’t tighten up so much during the big points.

Added to that, Federer is still only 28-years-old. Take his sublime and probably unique talent coupled with unmatched experience of the big occasion and astonishing fitness, and another six Grand Slam titles doesn’t seem out of the question.

That would bring him to 22 and surely out of reach of anyone.

With all those records to date, an outwardly perfect family life and endorsements from Credit Suisse to Rolex, Federer continues to coast down the road where Tiger Woods’ drive was recently bunkered in such dramatic fashion.

What’s more, the Swiss appears to fully recognize how blessed his life is and has no intention of screwing it up. "I know this is an incredible trip I'm on," he said on Sunday. "We'll see where it ends. I hope not any time soon.”