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TENNIS

Australian Open: Magnificent seven beckons for Federer, Djokovic

Thirtysomethings Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic share the Australian Open record with six wins, but either could make history with a magnificent seventh when the first Grand Slam of the year begins in Melbourne on Monday.

Published: 9 January 2019 10:46 CET
Australian Open: Magnificent seven beckons for Federer, Djokovic
Can Roger Federer make it a record sweet seven titles at the Australian Open in Melbourne this month? Photo: AFP

The pair face a stern challenge from youthful force Alexander Zverev, looking for a first major as the torch-bearer for the next generation.

But there are question marks over the fitness of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, meaning it remains to be seen if all members of the “Big Four” will again prove a force to be reckoned with.

Twelve months ago Federer rolled back the years once more at the Rod Laver Arena to beat Marin Cilic in five pulsating sets and lift an emotional 20th Grand Slam.

Read also: Federer gets bragging rights over Williams in highly anticipated match

It put him on a par with other six-time Australian Open winners Djokovic and Roy Emerson – but the Australian great's victories all came before the Open era.

By contrast, the 31-year-old Djokovic endured a miserable early Melbourne exit, followed by elbow surgery and a string of disappointing results that saw him drop outside the top 20.

But since winning a fourth Wimbledon in July the Serb rose inexorably back to number one by losing only three further matches — one of which was to Zverev at the ATP Finals.

World Number 1 Novak Djokovic in Melbourne on Monday. Photo: AFP

Djokovic won his third US Open in September to put him on 14 Grand Slams — three behind Nadal and six behind Federer.

Ageless Swiss master Federer, now 37, will remain a chief threat to the Serb but the other two members of the Big Four look to be struggling after an injury-plagued 2018.

Read also: Fired-up Federer hoping for another 'crazy good' season in 2019

Second-ranked Nadal, 32, pulled out of his Brisbane warm-up tournament with a thigh strain although he returned for an exhibition in Sydney and insisted he was healthy.

Murray, 31, looked way below his best in a second-round straight-sets Brisbane defeat to Daniil Medvedev.

NextGen 'already there'

“I think if we are healthy and playing well, the four guys still have probably the best chance to always win Slams,” said Djokovic.

The Serb warned however that “the next generation is already there” and picked young guns Zverev of Germany, Borna Coric of Croatia, Karen Khachanov of Russia and Greece's Stefano Tsitsipas as key threats to the Big Four, who have won a staggering 49 of the last 56 Grand Slams stretching back to 2004.

“It's just a matter of time when we will see some of them competing in the last stages of Grand Slams,” said Djokovic.

Zverev, 21, starts the Australian Open full of confidence after an impressive warm-up in Perth's mixed teams Hopman Cup, despite his terrible record at Grand Slams.

Germany's Alexander Zverev has been tipped to be one of the key threats to the Big Four of men's tennis. Photo: AFP

The German has never got beyond the third round in Melbourne. 

Last year, seeded four, he crashed out in the last 32 to South Korea's Chung Hyeon and has only reached one quarter-final in his 14 major appearances. 

Federer seems to thrive at the start of the year and begins his campaign on the back of winning the Hopman Cup. He is hunting a third successive Australian Open after last year becoming the oldest world number one in the 45-year history of the ATP rankings.

Competitive at 37

“(Pete) Sampras once upon a time said, 'If you win a Slam, it's a good season',” said Federer, now ranked three, who skipped Roland Garros and had disappointing exits at Wimbledon and the US Open.

“I played super well in Australia again. So obviously I can't wait to go back there. I'm very proud that at 37 I'm still so competitive.”

Murray's hip surgery meant he played just six events in 2018, and Nadal's truncated 2018 campaign was bookended by injuries that forced to him to retire in both the Australian and US Opens.

But the Spanish king of clay still managed to win five titles including a record-extending 11th French Open.

World number five Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, beaten by Djokovic in the US Open final, will miss Melbourne after fracturing his patella in Shanghai in October.

And Cilic, who pushed Federer all the way in the final last year, heads into the tournament after pulling out of a warm-up event in India last week with an injured knee.

Home fans will look to Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios, but the latter is searching for form after a troubled 2018 and tumbled out of the Brisbane warm-up, where he was defending champion, in the second round.

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?

Published: 11 June 2020 16:22 CEST
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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