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Swiss tennis star Federer warns rivals he is ready for Shanghai Masters title defence

Roger Federer warned Novak Djokovic and his other Shanghai Masters rivals that he is in prime condition even as another long season approaches its climax.

Published: 10 October 2018 09:23 CEST

Swiss tennis star Federer warns rivals he is ready for Shanghai Masters title defence

Roger Federer hits a return as he takes part in a training session at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament on October 8, 2018. Photo: Johannes Eisele/AFP.

The 37-year-old Swiss has been carefully managing his schedule in recent years, cutting out the clay-court segment of the season since 2017 to wring the most out of his ageing body.

It appears to be working and the 20-time Grand Slam winner opens his defence of the Shanghai Masters today in ominously good shape.

The world number two played in a victorious Laver Cup campaign in Chicago two weeks ago, following his surprise last-16 defeat to the Australian John Millman at the US Open.

“The good thing is after feeling good in practice I played a good Laver Cup, have had also some rest after the US Open,” said Federer.

The Swiss great's prime threats in Shanghai are likely to come from world number three Djokovic – who is in fine form – and fourth-ranked Juan Martin del Potro. World number one Rafael Nadal, beaten by Federer in last year's final of the Masters 1000 showpiece, is absent with injury.

Del Potro, who was hindered by cold and flu in losing Sunday's China Open final to unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili, said in Beijing last week that he was running on empty. Not so Federer, it seems, who is seven years older than the Argentine.

“I feel like I'm where I want to be,” Federer said. “I know that this is where I could be playing a lot of tennis, depending on how I play.”

Reflecting on his 2018, which included winning the Australian Open and several weeks back at world number one, Federer said: “I have actually been very successful when I played.

“I didn't play many poor matches, to be quite honest. There is only maybe a couple that come to my mind and I have been injury-free for over a year now.” Federer, who is chasing his fourth title this season, will face either Chinese wildcard Zhang Ze or feisty Russian Daniil Medvedev in his opener.

READ MORE: Roger Federer mulling clay court return in 2019

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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