For whatever reason, I can't post this on ESPN. Federer Denies Nadal His Due While Nadal showed great honour and sportsmanship in downplaying his victory and his accomplishment in the face of Federer's inability to control his emotions, Federer himself failed the test of his own sportsmanship. That calls for losing with dignity and according the victor his just rewards. Federer's remarkable record will be marred, sadly forever, by the image of his tear-stained face in the aftermath of defeat. Of course passion denied is heartbreaking. And when played out on a world stage, it has to be devastating - to a degree only the very few can truly sympathize with. Nevertheless, it takes enormous courage and the mark of a true leader and role model, when the moment calls for it, to set such intense personal disappointment to the side and allow the rightful victor a celebration unfettered by such selfish distraction. It would have been a commendable victory, and perhaps a better one, for Federer to have conquered his inner turmoil instead of etching it for all time on his own face before the public eye. I can imagine what was going through the minds of the "Legends of 1969", and it isn't flattering to Federer. Regardless, this fragility, albeit human, is a chink in his armor. Unless he is able to move past his own needful wants, Federer will be consumed by them, and pitifully so. Number 14 never looked so unattainable for Federer as today, or so attainable by Nadal