Federer Comes in Third in Swiss Sports Personality of the Year Poll

Roger Federer is insistent 2010 was not substandard by standards, regardless of the fact Rafael Nadal won three of the four Grand Slam event titles. However the Swiss public clearly were not too impressed as the winner of a record 16 major singles titles only came third in the nation’s Sports Personality of the Year poll. Federer, a four times winner of the award ended up behind the double Olympic ski jump champion Simon Armann and outdoor wrestler Kilian Wenger who starred this year at the annual Eidgenossisches Schwingfest. The award is made with 50% of the voting carried out by Switzerland’s sporting media and the other half the public at large. A year ago Federer was shown to be way in front when the media had their say but the public vote elevated downhill skier Didier Cuche in the winning spot. In his victory speech Cuche made a public apology to Federer who was philosophical four years after voicing his dismay when motorcyclist Thomas Luthi took the prize under similar circumstances. This year looks like being no different. Federer was resigned to not winning three weeks ago when en route to winning the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, he admitted: “The other guy won two Olympic golds in ski jumping. That's probably going to do the trick for him. That's my feeling anyway.
 
“Look, all I can try is to have a good season myself. One thing for sure, the Swiss are not going to vote me ten times in a row. It's not just going to happen. I've already won plenty enough times. It's been nice to win.
 
“I've got great admiration from the Swiss people. I don't think this award is how the Swiss people see me. Ask others.”
 
Armann, curiously a couple of months older than Federer, is the only man in history to win two Olympic ski jump golds in two separate Olympiads. He was supreme at the Salt Lake City games of 2002 and repeated his twin triumphs earlier this year in Vancouver.