The greats all have them. Jordan wore his own shoes.Woods wears his red shirt. Nadal has a g-string (or something). Federer has the headband.

Like it has been super glued to his forehead, Roger Federer as adorned his headband to even greater heights and LeBron James. The headband has stuck firm, holding back Federer’s flowing fringe through 17 Grand Slam singles titles and a streak of consistency that may never be matched.

Hard to believe now, but Federer didn’t always wear the headband. When he broke through against Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001, it was there though, holding back a ponytail. Federer would settle down with his hair cut and the headband would come to represent the ease and grace of one of sports greatest champions.

Unlike Lleyton Hewitt, whose backwards cap always represented an antagonistic disobedience, Federer’s headband has always been prevalent but never an overpowering or arrogant presence. It has grown to become part of one of the great humble victors in history.

verdict

The only thing holding back the headband from a perfect 10 is the lack of pop culture presence it has. No Twitter account? No branching off for his own advertisement? Disappointing.