'Roger Federer can do anything with the ball,' said Somdev Devvarman

The former player Somdev Devvarman played two matches against Roger Federer, losing against the Swiss in Dubai 2011 and Roland Garros 2013 when Roger blew him away from the court.

The Indian couldn't do much against the Swiss in Paris, winning only a couple of games and leaving the court after 82 minutes, impressed by Roger's shotmaking abilities and the way he changes the balls' trajectory.

"Roger can do 55,000 things with the ball on any shot. When I trained with him, he was casual, polite. At no point did he make you feel you were out there against The Greatest. One thing that makes Roger stand out is how he can do things explosively and still elegantly. No one has seen that happen in the sport. When he goes after his shots, there is zero hesitation. One of the hardest things to do is see the ball you need to hit.

I felt I was playing well at the 2013 French Open. I qualified that year and won my first round against a Spanish guy in straight sets. My coach told me, 'Maybe Roger's getting older.' Little did we know. I thought I was quick, but he was hitting winners so far away from me. He can take the ball so early, find an angle and hit with speed. I have rarely seen that before. Rafa and Novak are also incredible, but people can't do what they do because their physical and mental abilities don't allow it.

But Roger, no one can do what he does; it's a different kind of beauty. Just the way the ball comes off the racket. At the French that day, my coach, Scott McCain, told me, 'Som, I was unbalanced while sitting on my chair because I didn't know which way Roger was going to hit.' And later, Paul Annacone, who was Federer's coach, said, 'I also didn't know where he was going.

That's the genius he has.' And he has found a way to do it under the most significant amount of pressure while keeping the elegance. It's something special," Somdev Devvarman said.