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TENNIS: AUSTRALIAN OPEN

ROGER FEDERER

Federer sounds confident Down Under

Roger Federer said on Saturday that he was hitting some of the best form of his life in an ominous warning as the Swiss great guns for an 18th Grand Slam title.

Federer sounds confident Down Under
Photo: AFP

The five-time Australian Open champion shows no signs of slowing down despite approaching his 34th birthday this year, winning 73 matches and five titles in 2014.

He began the 2015 season by winning the Brisbane International and said he was in good shape as he chases his first Grand Slam crown since Wimbledon in 2012.

"I mean, I would hope that over the years I've always improved," he said at Melbourne Park ahead of the Australian Open, where he is seeded two behind Novak Djokovic.

"I think I'm serving more consistent and stronger than I ever have. That's my opinion. I definitely think the (new) racquet has helped me with that as well, a little bit.

"But, you know, my concentration I do believe is there, better than it's ever been, at least I hope it is, because I feel over time you always want to improve.

"I think my backhand is working better than it has in the past as well. The question is confidence, forehand, movement."

Federer's glittering career now includes 83 singles titles, since his first victory over Frenchman Guillaume Raoux in Toulouse in 1998.

The 33-year-old's longevity — he has ended in the top 10 for 13 years in a row — saw him win his 1,000th tour match in the Brisbane final to put him third on the all-time list, behind Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071).

Federer said he wasn't convinced yet that he was in his best form ever, but it was getting close to his golden years when he was almost unbeatable.

"Clearly when I was winning almost everything, everything was so gold that nobody was even questioning anything," he said.

"Maybe if there were different opponents, different times, it would have changed. But for that particular time, I was playing exactly the way I needed to. I had to adjust my game a little bit over the years.

"I feel I'm playing very well. If it's the best ever, I'm not quite sure," he added.

"But I'm definitely very pleased how things have gone now the last six months."

He showed in Brisbane by beating big-serving Milos Raonic, one of the new generation threatening the old guard, that he can still beat the best of the youngbloods.

Whether he can still do so for seven potential five-set matches in two weeks and add to his grand slam tally remains to be seen.

His desire to keep winning is unquestionable.

Federer revealed that he took just eight days off during the off-season, determined to have his body in good order for the 2015 season and the opening Grand Slam of the year.

He said his real break would come after the Australian Open, when he will reassess how much he will play this year.

"I need a bit of a break after this because the year end was short," he said.

"In a way, it's not so bad. Usually you start the Australian Open not quite knowing where your game's at. But because I didn't take that much time off, I got right back into practice."

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ROGER FEDERER

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?

Roger Federer is talking optimistically about returning to his "highest level" after knee surgery, but does tennis have to start adjusting to a future without the Swiss star?

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?
Is it the end of the line for Roger? Photo: Martin BUREAU / AFP

The 20-time Grand Slam winner announced on Wednesday that he would be sidelined until 2021 after his second operation in a matter of months.

Federer remains upbeat, tweeting: “I plan to take the necessary time to be 100 percent ready to play at my highest level.”

In some ways 2020 is a good season to miss after the coronavirus ravaged the tennis schedule. Writing Federer off in the past has proved dangerous.

He returned from a six-month injury lay-off to claim the Australian Open in 2017, winning his eighth Wimbledon crown later that year.

But he will be 40 in 2021 and is now heading into uncharted territory.

Despite his groaning trophy cabinet, there are two factors that will motivate Federer to keep going — the risk of losing his grip on the men's Grand Slam title record and a missing Olympics singles gold medal.

Rafael Nadal has 19 majors, just one shy of Federer's mark and Djokovic has 17.

Spain's Nadal will be fancied to draw level with Federer at the French Open, rescheduled for September, while few would bet against Djokovic winning in New York weeks earlier.

In April, Federer said he was “devastated” when Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. Last year he fell agonisingly short at the All England Club, failing to convert two championship points on his own serve against Djokovic.

The Wimbledon grass probably remains his best chance of adding to his Grand Slam collection — he has not won the US Open since 2008 and his only title at Roland Garros came in 2009.

Even though Federer has slipped from the very pinnacle of the game, he is still a major threat to Nadal and Djokovic.

'Golden' ambitions

Last year, the world number four had a 53-10 win-loss record and he reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January in his only tournament this year.

Federer, who is still six ATP titles short of Jimmy Connors' all-time record of 109, has one glaring omission from his CV — the Olympic title.

The Swiss won doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 with compatriot Stan Wawrinka but lost in the singles final to Andy Murray in London four years later.

The postponed Tokyo Games will almost certainly be Federer's last opportunity to complete a career “golden” Grand Slam — he will turn 40 on the day of the closing ceremony next year.

Tennis will feel the loss of the elegant Federer keenly when he walks off the court for the last time.

Djokovic and Nadal have been the dominant forces in recent years but the Swiss remains the biggest draw and last month topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-earning athletes.

His last appearance on court was in front of nearly 52,000 fans — touted by organisers as a world record for tennis — at a charity match against Nadal in Cape Town in February.

Federer is nearly always the crowd favourite wherever he plays and has proved a perfect ambassador for the sport since he won his first Grand Slam title in 2003.

He certainly expects to be back and competitive next year.

“I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly but I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season,” he tweeted.

The avalanche of support from his adoring fans showed they would miss him too, but they will have to get used to a time when he is gone for good.

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