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Hall of Fame
From Federer’s Supporters, Cheers and I-Told-You-So’s

PARIS — Their son had ended Novak Djokovic’s lengthy winning streak and kept him, perhaps, from becoming the No. 1 player in the world. Roger Federer’s father, Robert, passed around beers. His mother, Lynette, talked happily about all the people who were wrong about her son’s career slide.

“For me, of course, it’s a great feeling because you guys, the press guys, all of sudden say this guy is over and done with,” she said. “And, for me, it’s just great that he can prove you guys all wrong.”

She paused for a moment.

“Are you going to write that?” she said.

Nearby, between accepting hugs and replying to text messages, Mirka Federer, Roger Federer’s wife and mother of his twin daughters, smiled.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “He’s the best. For me, at least, he’s the best.”

Roger Federer, 29 and with a men’s record 16 Grand Slam singles titles to his name, has not won a major tournament since the 2010 Australian Open. It is the longest drought of his career. For a man who had won at least one and as many as three major titles every year since 2003, the career arc had dipped rather sharply.

Rafael Nadal was the best player in the world. Novak Djokovic, winner of 41 straight matches to start the year (three over Federer) and 43 over all, was the most talked about. Federer, No. 3 in the world, had slipped into the role of afterthought.

But in the player’s lounge Friday night after Federer beat Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), there was nothing but optimism — and a few I-told-you-so’s — among his biggest boosters.

With his son still showering and dressing in the locker room, Robert Federer finished a glass of beer. He gave hugs to a couple of men, said he was happy for John McEnroe (whose record 42-match streak to start a season, in 1984, still stands), then hurried back toward the bar.

He returned with three glasses of beer. They were raised, clinked and emptied. Someone snapped a photograph of Robert and Lynette. They smiled big.

“I’ve been here since Wednesday a week ago, and I could feel that he was very comfortable,” Lynette Federer said of her son. “And I could feel that somehow, he felt very much at ease. For me this is a sign that, oh yeah, he can do anything. He can either lose in the third round, fourth round, or he can go all the way.”

Of course, Roger Federer has not left a major tournament before the quarterfinals since losing in the third round at Roland Garros in 2004 — the one Grand Slam event he did not win that year. It is a stretch of 28 tournaments.

But the perceived downslide began here last year, when Federer’s record string of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinal appearances ended against Robin Soderling. He has not been to a major final since — until now.

Later, after showering and dressing, Federer told reporters that it “almost feels somewhat like I won the tournament.” Instead, he will face Nadal, his rival, in the final on Sunday.

That match may well end differently for Federer. But the feeling from Friday in the players’ lounge should linger.

Lynette Federer had tears in her eyes. There may not be too many more nights like this. Sure, there have been 16 major-championship victories. But this one was big, too. In a while, the family would be together.

“I’ll just congratulate him,” Lynette Federer said. “There’s not too many words to be said. He knows. And we understand each other too good to carry on about it too long.”
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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/s...heers-and-i-told-you-sos.html?_r=3&ref=tennis
 
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Rookie
Fed's outfit for Wimbledon
No gold this year!

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Crayola Oblongata

Crayola Oblongata

Hall of Fame
I can't with that Tank Top, it's is sad to see(for me).

Everything else is fine! I am just glad not to see that effing cyan blue!!! Though I kinda wish it was completely white.
 
C

CMM

Legend
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The All England Club could be described as an extension of Roger Federer's backyard. It clearly feels like home for the Swiss superstar - since 2003 he has reached seven of the past eight Wimbledon finals and has hoisted the trophy six times. And despite not playing a match on grass in almost 12 months, he says he feels instant comfort in returning to the lawns of SW19.

"The first time I hit here on Monday, very easily, like right away after 10 minutes, it feels so natural for me to play on grass. I hope that feeling is going to pay off by going deep and then hopefully winning the tournament here," he said.

It wouldn't be a surprise, as Federer has recently rediscovered the stellar form that won him 16 Grand Slam titles. His performance at Roland Garros - historically his weakest major - was exceptional. He ended Novak Djokovic's 43-match winning streak in the semi-final before pushing Rafael Nadal in a compelling four-set final. "I'm happy about my game, and I am happy it showed in Paris. I played a wonderful match against Novak, and also all the other matches before that were good. Obviously I come into this tournament very confident," he said.

"I feel good about myself, about my body. I've recovered. The last week was vital for me to recover from my groin injury. I feel like I'm almost back at 100% again, which is a really good sign for Wimbledon."
The win against Djokovic resonated with the tennis world. Prior to that, the Serb had beaten Federer in their past three encounters, including a straight-sets victory in the Australian Open semi-finals. The consensus among fans and media was that Federer's level of play was inevitably declining, and younger, hungrier players such as Djokovic, Nadal and Andy Murray represented the new pinnacle of the sport.

Yet in Paris Federer showed he remains a force to be reckoned with, and in his subtle yet pointed way, he reminded everybody today as he faced the media at his pre-Championships news conference.

"I didn't necessarily need to prove my point in Paris for my mind or for my confidence. I know I can beat Novak on any surface. I've done that in the past. Just because he's on a great winning streak doesn't mean he's unbeatable," he said.

"That was my mindset going into the match in Paris. I played really well. I was able to play well in the key moments. Here at Wimbledon anyway I'm even more confident. I think I'm a better player than in Paris, so I expect myself to do really well here, even better maybe."

Despite this assessment, Federer recognises that he is playing in one of the strongest eras in the history of the men's game, making his path to the title a rockier one "I just think all four guys at the top right now feel very comfortable on grass," he observed.

"I think that's maybe something that's a bit different than maybe in the past, where maybe one of the top four guys wouldn't feel so comfortable on grass. But this year it seems like all of us are, which is a good thing.

"Maybe [a few years ago] Rafa was still looking a little bit for how good he was on grass. We all knew he was good on clay - excellent on clay really - very good on hard courts, and grass you just never really get a chance to really prove yourself. I think as time went by, he showed how good he was; won a couple times here in the meantime. And Murray's game is very natural for this surface."

As for the fourth member of the quartet at the top of the tennis world right now, Federer couldn't resist another dig at Djokovic. "I think Djokovic has always been great, but nothing extraordinary yet. But with the run he's on, obviously there's a lot of possibilities for him as well here," he said.
And so the mind games have begun. Federer finds himself in the same half of the draw as the Serb, and if all goes to plan they would clash in the semi-final for the fourth straight time at a major. Prior to that, the Swiss's path to the semis is relatively unobscured, minus a projected third-round clash with one-time nemesis David Nalbandian.

And unfortunately for those who will come up against him at this year's Championships, Federer is dreaming big in 2011. When asked about the images he sees of Wimbledon when he closes his eyes, this was the response: "For me it's the moment when I lift the Wimbledon trophy really… that's the moment I see and I feel the strongest," he explained.

"All the hard work during the year and then the preparation and just staying focused and strong till the very end, to be able to lift up the trophy is a wonderful feeling. That's the picture I see."

In just two weeks, it's a picture the rest of the tennis world could be seeing for a seventh time.

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2011-06-18/201106181308406564528.html
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Wimbledon 2011: Roger Federer does not know just how great he is, says Pete Sampras

Whenever he sits in what his sons mockingly call his “man-cave”, a television room at his Los Angeles home where he can gaze at his seven replica Wimbledon trophies, Pete Sampras is reminded of what he achieved 5,500 miles away, on a lawn in south-west London.

By Mark Hodgkinson, Tennis Correspondent
11:59PM BST 17 Jun 2011

Sampras is not one of those former champions who stews in thoughts of what might have been, or regrets the handful of titles that got away.

The American is a man at peace with himself, which is why he would not feel any angst or sadness if Roger Federer were to win this summer’s Championships for what would be a record-equalling seventh victory.

“When I stopped with seven Wimbledons, and 14 grand slams, I thought that my records would stand for a while,” Sampras said. “I didn’t know at the time that this guy Roger was going to come along but I’m getting used to him breaking or threatening my records.”

If that suggests a lingering rivalry between these two great warriors, it is conducted on purely cordial terms. The pair became friends on a tour of Asia in 2007 and have remained close ever since.

Earlier this year, they both found time in busy schedules to meet in Los Angeles where they spent the day on the practice court, before heading to a restaurant and, finally, an LA Lakers game.

“It was just two guys hanging out at a basketball game – I think it was good for him to get away from tennis for a bit,” Sampras said.

“I don’t think Roger realises how good he is and what a great champion he is. That’s what makes him so appealing, that he doesn’t go around saying that he’s a record-breaker; instead he’s humble and just goes out to play.

“When we first met properly, we were both shy, and we weren’t really sure how to act around each other, but once we got past that, it was great, and we realised that our personalities were very similar.

“Roger is a bit of a prankster, that’s a side of him that people don’t tend to see.

“We also both have two kids, and we talk about that. He’s going through that toddler stage with his twins, and I was interested to hear how he travels with the kids.

"I was never in that position. It’s obviously hard enough to be looking after two kids at home, but when you’re travelling with them, that’s going to take up even more time and energy. But that hasn’t diminished his game.”

Such is Sampras’s effusiveness when discussing Federer and his achievements, it would not come as a shock to discover to hear that he shakes a cowbell at the television during the Wimbledon fortnight.

In 2009, Sampras and his wife, the Hollywood actress Bridgette Wilson, caught a red-eye to London to watch Federer’s final with Andy Roddick.

They were a little late, but as Sampras found his seat in the Royal Box he looked over at Federer and gave him a thumbs-up.

Federer would win the fifth set 16-14 for a sixth Wimbledon title and a 15th slam, superseding Sampras’s 14 majors. Afterwards, Sampras described the Swiss as “a legend, a stud and an icon”.

“I don’t have any plans to go over there this year, even if Roger gets to the final,” Sampras said. “I flew in from LA a couple of years to see him get to 15, and beat my record for slams, as I felt that was a big moment and I wanted to be there.

“Before Wimbledon, I will send Roger a message, saying, ‘good luck’, but I will leave him alone when the tournament is going on.”

Sampras insists that Federer should once again be considered the favourite for the All England Club.

“He had a great French Open and I feel he’s going to have a great Wimbledon,” he added. “I’m confused when I hear people saying that he’s not going to win another major. It’s not as if Roger has got 10 players to worry about. There are only three who will concern him.”

For all his inner peace, post-retirement, Sampras cannot deny there will be a few nostalgic pangs when he switches on that television in the ‘man-cave’ next week.

“I don’t tend to watch tapes of my matches,” he said. “If my kids are around and they’re curious, we might watch a bit together, but not much.

“But the one thing I miss most about tennis are the Wimbledon Championships. It’s such a great tournament.”
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/8582554/Wimbledon-2011-Roger-Federer-does-not-know-just-how-great-he-is-says-Pete-Sampras.html
 
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Long Toss: Roger Federer

Roger Federer will turn 30 this year, though judging by his French Open performance, where he ended Novak Djokovic’s 43-match winning streak and reached the final, he might not play like it for many years to come. He spoke to The Wall Street Journal about his health, his future, fatherhood and Wimbledon, his favorite tournament. (He also spoke to us for this profile.) Excerpts:

WSJ: You’re going to turn 30 this year. You seem to feel a lot younger. Would you agree?

Roger Federer: I feel young, you know. Obviously matches and all that stuff takes its toll on your body and so forth. But as you get sort of a bit older, a bit wiser, and a bit more experienced, you know also how to handle it. I always say actually I prefer the situation I’m in today physically, because I know in some way, shape or form my limits, but I also know my great potential I have. Whereas when you’re younger you’re sometimes too scared to push or you just go full out and you overdid it.

WSJ: Many tennis players get worn down by the constant travel, the monotony of life on the tour. Does it wear on you?

RF: The traveling for me, which can be bothersome or very tiring at times, seems not to bother me as much. I try to make it as easy as I can, I try to avoid stress as much as I can. But all of that stuff for me is not an issue, because I really enjoy traveling, seeing different cultures, and all my friends around the world. My wife [Mirka], which I think is also a big part this, she doesn’t mind and also actually enjoys it as much as I do. Because of course if there also is a roadblock that she has, if she’s just like, ‘I just can’t do it, I hate it,’ then things would change maybe. But it doesn’t because she is still behind me and still supportive. So that definitely also helps to keep the machinery going.

WSJ: Do you have certain pre-match rituals, whether it’s a meal or certain exercises? Is there something you have to do to be ready to play?

RF: I mean, not really, to be honest. I guess I have actually no superstitions, which makes me superstitious to some degree. But I just try to give myself enough time before I play my match, enough time to warm up, so I won’t miss my practice because of traffic. Then just have enough time to shower, eat, get ready, and so forth so I am well‑prepared for a tough match, because I’m not going to underestimate any opponent. So that I guess is to some degree a routine. It’s a very simple one.

WSJ: You won your first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. Has the tournament become even more special to you at this stage of your career?

RF: It’s where, for me as a tennis player, everything comes together. I guess it started for me back in the living room of my parents, where I used to watch Becker and Edberg play three straight Wimbledon finals in a row—and remembering how badly or how I used to fake my way: ‘I’m also going to win Wimbledon, I’m also going to be on my knees one day.’ For me, that’s why Wimbledon is for me always the highlight of the season, even though I love so many other tournaments as well.

WSJ: Have you changed your routine at all in the last year or so? Your workouts or your practices?

RF: Well, I definitely think I’m feeling better since, let’s say, plus-minus a year, I would say, in terms I’ve gotten over mono, I’ve gotten over my back issues, which honestly took away, I don’t know quite again how many it was, but it maybe took away five blocks of lets say three, four weeks of practices. And I just think my game just felt that.

WSJ: Do you feel you’ve gone back to a more aggressive style, more like your earlier days on tour?

RF: I’ve been on the tour for now over 10 years, I think maybe my 12th year on tour, I’m not sure—it’s just you go through phases where maybe you do play more aggressively and you start to play more, maybe too much the percentages or just start to play wrong because you maybe played too many matches in a row and you couldn’t practice or maybe you practiced too much so you play wrong in the matches. That goes vice versa, so I think that’s where a coach brings something to the table where he can guide you sometimes down the right path. What I really enjoy right now in my team is the harmony I have sort of from all the people I talk to. I really like the chemistry we have. Paul [Annacone, his coach] definitely told me to play more aggressive, but it’s important that I don’t go away from my roots, which is to play natural, classic tennis and play with the instinct a lot. I can’t just go out there and swing freely on every shot. That’s just not who I am. Maybe other players can do that, but I need to have some guidance but also sort of the X factor where I can on a particular point just choose what I want to do and come up with something special. Paul and Severin [Luthi, his other coach] remind me constantly to use sort of all the clubs in the bag. I’ve tried to do that as much as I can.

WSJ: You have twin daughters. What’s it like traveling and playing as much as you do with a family? It has to change things a bit.

RF: It’s the best time in the world. They’re learning how to talk and run and all that stuff. It’s definitely more a change to my life as a person than as a tennis player. So I honestly think it’s been very inspiring just seeing them grow. It helped me I think in my game and as a person, and my relationship with Mirka. It’s been very tough at times just because they also go through sicknesses and jet lag and so forth. But it leaves me very happy when I see that I can actually help them grow and learn. Many people say that when you’re a father you can’t win so much. I completely disagree. I anyway consider myself a special case because of my achievements. And without being, how do you say, cocky or anything, I just still think I’m very young and I have so much more to look forward to.

WSJ: Will you teach them to play tennis?

RF: If they want to try it out and run around with a racket and hit some balls, I’m happy to sort of help them out because that’s what I can do best (laughing). If they want that, then they can play with me, they can play with all my friends, they can play with my wife who also played. But I don’t know, am I going to push them to the degree that I want them to become world No. 1? I don’t know. I mean, it depends what they want to do. But I would love them to do sports just because I think it’s a healthy lifestyle. It’s good thing for kids in general to do sports, you know, to learn how to deal with winning and losing and meeting friends at the sports grounds and so forth. I think that’s very important. If they choose tennis, that’s great.

WSJ: Do you look at what you’ve accomplished and say, ‘I can’t believe what this game has brought to me?’

RF: Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, I don’t think any player can look forward to or expect to a career of so many Grand Slam wins or title wins or being so long at the top of the game. I think as a kid you don’t have dreams to be so—that are so beyond. I think anybody who achieves maybe just once world No. 1 or just one Grand Slam would say, ‘You know what, I’ll take that any day and that’s it.’ When you achieve more, it’s just a bonus really. I did much more than ever I thought I would. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I was ever going to win a Grand Slam, so I definitely did much more than I ever thought I would.
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http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2011/06/16/long-toss-roger-federer/?KEYWORDS=federer
 
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tennisfan244

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WSJ: Do you look at what you’ve accomplished and say, ‘I can’t believe what this game has brought to me?’

RF: Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, I don’t think any player can look forward to or expect to a career of so many Grand Slam wins or title wins or being so long at the top of the game. I think as a kid you don’t have dreams to be so—that are so beyond. I think anybody who achieves maybe just once world No. 1 or just one Grand Slam would say, ‘You know what, I’ll take that any day and that’s it.’ When you achieve more, it’s just a bonus really. I did much more than ever I thought I would. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I was ever going to win a Grand Slam, so I definitely did much more than I ever thought I would.
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Not really related but this part of the interview remind me of Federer's interview in 2001.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxXDBDRfIA4
 
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tennisfan244

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I'm not sure if it has been posted but there was also another interesting article about Fed in the Wall street Journal.

Part 1

Roger Federer shouldn't look this good.

He has played 959 professional matches in his career, appeared in 46 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments and spent more than a decade criss-crossing time zones while collecting a record 16 major singles titles and more than $60 million in prize money. Married and the father of twin 22-month-old girls, Mr. Federer brings his family—jet lag, runny noses and all—on the road with him from Melbourne to Paris to London to New York, and many places in between.

Yet as the 125th edition of Wimbledon is set to begin next week, Mr. Federer is fresh, fit, confident and, remarkably, on the upswing after a stellar performance at the French Open, where he ended 24-year-old Novak Djokovic's 43-match winning streak and pushed Rafael Nadal, age 25 and perhaps the best clay court player in history, to four sets in the final.

"I'm in a very good place mentally and physically," he said. "I still feel very young."

As Mr. Djokovic piled up victories this season, beating Messrs. Federer and Nadal a total of seven times, it was tempting to leave Mr. Federer out of the Grand Slam conversation. His last major title came at the 2010 Australian Open and Mr. Nadal dominated the rest of the season, winning at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. But in Paris earlier this month against Mr. Djokovic, Mr. Federer either turned back the clock, or showed that in Federer years, the seconds tick away much more slowly than anyone had anticipated.

At Wimbledon, he'll engage in what promises to be a remarkable power struggle. Mr. Nadal hasn't lost at Wimbledon since the 2007 final. Mr. Djokovic badly wants to rebound from his first defeat of the year. Behind them lurks Andy Murray, 24, who won a grass-court event in London this week and is always a threat. As for Mr. Federer, no surface rewards his attacking style as richly as the lawns of Wimbledon, where he has won six titles, one fewer than Pete Sampras. He called Wimbledon the "holy grail" of the sport and his primary goal each year.

Mr. Federer, whose first major title came at Wimbledon in 2003, said his favorite childhood tennis memories were watching Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker contest three straight Wimbledon finals from 1988 to 1990.

"Just practicing at Wimbledon, being a member, putting all the whites on with the ivy on the walls, the purple and green, it's something that really touches me," he said. "It's such a sacred place in tennis."

Everyone knows about Mr. Federer's titles, his graceful technique and his boundless skills: a precise serve, a lightning forehand, deft touch and impeccable footwork. The most remarkable part of the Federer story, though, has been his uncanny ability to fend off physical and emotional fatigue and remain motivated.

Tennis history is littered with great players who succumbed to injuries or burnout. Björn Borg played his last Grand Slam tournament at age 25. John McEnroe didn't win a major title after age 25. In Paris this year, Mr. Nadal celebrated his 25th birthday—and remarked, as he struggled in early rounds, that he felt like he had been "playing for 100 years" on the pro tour. In the Open era, which began in 1968, late-career success has been rare. Only 10 men age 30 or older have won major titles, the last being Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open when he was 32.

On paper, Mr. Federer has had a punishing career. Yet in all his years, he has had few significant setbacks: an ankle injury in 2005, mononucleosis in 2008 and more recently, lower back pain. He has retired from a match exactly once in his life, when he was a 16-year-old playing a junior tournament in Belgium. His immunity from injury is unparalleled.

"If I didn't know better, I would say I don't believe it," said Mr. Agassi, who climbed back to the top of the sport in his 30s, but did it after a rejuvenating break from the game. "But I've seen him do it for too long now. You can't bluff your way through it."

Mr. Federer attributes some of his resilience to a love for travel, something that his wife, Mirka, also shares. Many tennis players come to see globetrotting as soul-crushing and do little more than shuttle back and forth between their hotel rooms and the tennis courts. Mr. Federer is more inclined to soak up the local culture: When he went to Shanghai last year, he took Mandarin lessons and spent a day at the World Expo. "The tour is not supposed to be brutal and annoying," he said.

He said his twin daughters, Charlene and Myla, who will turn two late next month, haven't lessened his desire to win or train. He and the family travel by private jet and his parents and babysitters help with the kids.

Another asset when traveling with family: Unlike many professional athletes, Mr. Federer is not superstitious. "It doesn't need to be the same every day, doesn't need to be the same shower I use, the same restaurant I go to, the same hour I go to sleep," he said. "I've always been very flexible. I don't care if I practice at nine in the morning or 10 p.m."

Mr. Federer has been planning his attack on time—to not just be great, but to do it for longer than anyone else has done it—since he first became No. 1 in 2004. He recalled a conversation he had with his long-time physical trainer, Pierre Paganini, as he closed in on the top of the game.

"I was at a crossroads to decide, 'Am I happy with winning two Slams, one World Tour final, world No. 1? Will that suffice for me, or do I want to achieve more?' " he said. "I remember a very strong conversation with Pierre, we always said, 'If I do hit world No. 1, I won't overplay,' because I tried to look at the long term. I didn't want to just chase everything possible in the short term."

Each year, Messrs. Federer and Paganini block out at least three two- to four-week training periods (usually one each in December, February and July, and sometimes another in the fall). Mr. Paganini said there are four components to each session: rest and recovery, meaning, take time off and start training slowly; strength and endurance exercises not specific to tennis; tennis-centered exercises, such as footwork patterns on a court, but while using medicine balls, not rackets and tennis balls; and tennis practice. Many of these sessions have taken place in the Dubai heat, though Mr. Federer trains there less often since he became a father. He also stretches several times a day.

In the last two years, Mr. Federer has put extra emphasis on his abdominal muscles in response to back pain that lingered long enough, he said, to cost him several training sessions (he cited the injury at Wimbledon last year, when he lost in the quarterfinals).

"After doing it for over one and a half, two years now, it's paying off," he said. "If the back is going to stay this way for the rest of my career, I'll be very happy."

Mr. Paganini, a chiseled 53-year-old, looks like he works out as often as an average person drinks water. He has known Mr. Federer since Mr. Federer was a 14-year-old prize talent in the Swiss Tennis Federation, where Mr. Paganini worked as a trainer in the junior program. He has been Mr. Federer's personal trainer since 2000. He described Mr. Federer as a rare combination of creative and disciplined.

"Usually, when you're an artist, you have not so much structure," Mr. Paganini said. "And when you're a hard worker who is maybe less of an artist, then you're very organized. He is able to do both. Roger is a champ because he's the boss of his talent."

Mr. Paganini says there are two essential elements of Mr. Federer's longevity. First, he still trains with the enthusiasm of a junior. "Sometimes I think, 'Damn it, he's doing these exercises now 2,756 times, but he does it as if it was the first time," Mr. Paganini said.

Mr. McPhee masterfully uses the 1968 U.S. Open semifinal match between Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner to explore the intricacies of human character and culture.

The man who hated tennis and later learned to love it tells all, from the ball machine that shaped his childhood (he called it "the dragon" to drugs to winning every major title in the game.
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Part 2 of article

Mr. Federer also has an uncanny feel for his own health. "He's able to say, it doesn't hurt me today, but it could hurt me tomorrow," Mr. Paganini said. "And he doesn't say this just to have less work to do. He knows that the most important thing is health, and the most important thing for health is communication."

Mr. Paganini cited Mr. Federer's withdrawal from the grass court event in Germany last week as an example. Mr. Federer said he was disappointed to have to skip it. "I had all little niggling injuries," he said. "It would have been a huge, massive risk for me to go play there and then go and play Wimbledon."

Mr. Paganini is just one member of Team Federer. One of Mr. Federer's closest friends, Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi, has served as a coach for several years now. Stephane Vivier, a former physiotherapist for the men's tour, has been Mr. Federer's private therapist since the fall of 2009, and handles Mr. Federer's aches and pains. Paul Annacone, the former coach of Pete Sampras, is the most recent addition to the group. He began coaching Mr. Federer last summer and has been instrumental in helping Mr. Federer modify his tactics and begin to volley with more frequency, as he did in his earlier years.

Mr. Annacone knows much about the weight of expectations for a champion in an individual sport like tennis. Victories become coronations, proof of one's greatness; losses are taken as signs of an imminent, and probably gruesome, demise. Though Mr. Sampras won 14 major singles titles, he didn't play with the pressure of Mr. Federer. He wasn't given much chance to win on clay, and on hard courts he had many capable rivals. Since Mr. Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003, he has been expected to win nearly every match he has played on every surface. His record since January 2004, the year he became No. 1: 541 wins and 72 losses, a winning percentage of 88.3%.

"Pete was very emotionally tired—he wasn't physically tired, he was emotionally tired at the end of his career," Mr. Annacone said. "Roger still has the energy of a 23-year-old. He's relentlessly optimistic."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303714704576385793528219736.html?KEYWORDS=federer#articleTabs%3Darticle
Click to expand...
 
T

tennisfan244

New User
Seems like there are loads of articles on Federer today. This one he talks about Murray's chances at Wimbledon

Andy Murray good enough to in Wimbledon says Roger Federer

Scotsman.com
Published Date: 18 June 2011

Roger Federer has not turned up for second prize but if he cannot win another Wimbledon title he would love Andy Murray to walk away with the trophy.

Beaten in the 2009 and 2010 semi-finals, by Andy Roddick and then Rafael Nadal, it might be Murray's destiny to triumph and end Britain's long wait for a men's singles champion, which stands at 75 years.

But whereas he has reached a final at the US Open and two at the Australian Open, in his 'home' grand slam Murray has fallen frustratingly short.

Federer claims the Scot is "way good enough" to take one of the tennis majors, and the six-time Wimbledon winner would welcome him into the champions' circle.

"It would be great if he were to win the tournament. I think that's the mindset of many people, and himself as well," Federer said.

"So I don't think people are getting too ahead of themselves. I think it's more the media expecting him to finally win a grand slam. (Ivan) Lendl lost many grand slam finals before he won his first."

Federer is right. Lendl was runner-up four times before finally making his breakthrough at the 1984 French Open, shortly after turning 24, and the Czech won eight grand slams.

Murray had his 24th birthday last month, and Federer said: "I think he's way good enough to win a grand slam. To me it's just a matter of time.

"He'll definitely have, what, another eight years, 10 years of chances to win Wimbledon. It would be nice if he won it this year for him and the British fans."

It was a valiant attempt to preach patience to a nation which last had a man conquer Wimbledon in 1936, when Fred Perry triumphed, and Federer even saw another reason to believe Murray can live with the expectations.

"Well, he's not the defending champion, so he doesn't face that pressure," said the world number three of the world number four.

"Even though that would be a nicer pressure to face, I would think. That means you've already won the tournament."
http://sport.scotsman.com/tennis/Andy-Murray-good-enough-to.6787377.jp
Click to expand...
 
T

tennisfan244

New User
Reuters interview Part 1

INTERVIEW-Reuters Q & A: Federer back to reclaim his crown

By PRITHA SARKAR, REUTERS

Last Updated: June 18, 2011 4:48pm

LONDON -- A Wimbledon final without Roger Federer almost seemed unthinkable 12 months ago but the 'unthinkable' happened last July when the most gifted player to have picked up a tennis racket discovered he was no longer on the guest list for the showpiece match at the grasscourt grand slam.

But the man who enjoyed the privilege of opening Centre Court proceedings at the All England Club for seven successive years -- including 2009 when Rafa Nadal was unable to defend his title -- is now back to reclaim his crown.

The six-time Wimbledon champion purposefully strode into the grounds on Saturday morning and even the miserable British weather did not dampen his spirits as he went through his paces during a 30-minute hit with his friend Tommy Haas.

Just in case Federer had forgotten the identity of the current holder of the title, Nadal navigated his way through the couple of hundred people jostling for space around the outside court and the Spaniard was soon nodding his head in appreciation as Federer finished off the session with a flurry of aces.

Job done for the day, Federer exchanged high fives with his great rival and walked off court knowing that he was just seven matches away from drawing level with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw's record of seven men's titles.

Dressed in an all white track suit, Federer settled into a green chair in a bunker of the All England Club to have a chat with Reuters about how much he wants to win back the Wimbledon crown, his desire to reclaim the world number one ranking, his various records and how he combines his on court commitments with fatherhood.

REUTERS: Roger, last year was the first time in eight years that you were not involved in the final weekend at Wimbledon. What was that like for you?

FEDERER: "Honestly I did not even think of that. First you're disappointed you lost, then you move on and then you're like 'okay, I'm going on vacation'. Then you don't think about it. Only later did I hear so many people telling me 'uh, a final without Federer is not the same'. That's just the Federer fans or my supporters who felt that. I didn't think about it too much and it hasn't come to my mind much this year. What you play for is really to be in a Wimbledon final, walking out on that Sunday, that's so special. I've been fortunate enough to be there so many times. But (Tomas) Berdych played a great match against me and deserved to be in that final against Rafa. Obviously it hurt a bit but it didn't hurt not being in the final. It hurt not winning that match against Berdych."

REUTERS: Is that something that you have been dreading for the last few years -- that your run of reaching seven consecutive finals would eventually end?

FEDERER: "I was disappointed but life goes on. I've had an amazing run here. I did so much better than I ever thought I would. The important thing is that you learn from defeats like this. You take the right decisions after that and that you don't panic. Many times what can also happen is you lose a match and whole thing just goes sideways.

"You (think) 'I'll change everything around me. I'll change my coaches, I'll change the way I travel, I'll change the tournaments I play because I made so many mistakes'.

"But the important thing is to really be able to pinpoint what didn't go well, what I could have done better. You just lay out all those things in the table and you take the right decision for next time. Sometimes you have to accept that a guy played better on the day than you. (Alejandro) Falla played fantastic in the first round (last year before losing in five sets) and Berdych played an amazing match against me. Ok, maybe I wasn't playing at my very best but I was playing not bad. I didn't make it easy for those guys to beat me."

REUTERS: When you see that people are not talking about you as a potential champion of an event, as was the case in the build up to Roland Garros -- does that irritate you?

FEDERER: "I felt I was (in contention). I was quite surprised (how people) said 'oh you have no pressure'. I would have had less pressure anyhow because I wasn't defending champion, Novak (Djokovic) was on an (unbeaten) streak and Rafa was defending champion. I've already beaten the all-time grand slam record (by winning 16 majors), I've won the French Open before so I'm going into this French Open regardless of how I did before. That I was such a small favourite, only later did I hear that. It surprises me a bit and it seems sometimes people are very short sighted and they look at only the last three weeks instead of looking at the last three years. That's unfortunately how tennis is, it's very volatile in terms of the rankings, and that can change a few things. I know I have a chance for world number one if I play well from now till the U.S. Open. The players know that but sometimes people tend to forget."

REUTERS: Out of all the records you have achieved, which is the one you are proudest of?

FEDERER: "Let's wait and see when I finish. Then maybe I'll say 'this one is my favourite one'. I'm still going and I'm still able to re-write history. But I guess it's the ones (streaks) that last five or seven years, that you know you only get one chance in a lifetime to do, like Sampras's six straight year end number one rankings. You're not going to miss one year and then get another six. It's almost impossible to do. You only get one chance for those kinds of things.

"I have short term records, like at one point I think I beat 24 top 10 guys in a row. Or once I made the finals, I won 24 finals in a row. Those kinds of records are also unbelievable for me when I look back. There are many of them but I don't know which one to choose from."

REUTERS: Out of all your many records, which is the one do you think will last the longest and why?

FEDERER: "I wouldn't know because sometimes you think 'this is the one' but then it won't. It doesn't matter too much to me."

REUTERS: What about the streak of reaching 23 successive grand slam semi-finals?

FEDERER: "Maybe that one. Yeah, maybe you're right. If it gets interrupted once after a few years, then you won't get it again. That will be a tough one to beat."
Click to expand...
 
T

tennisfan244

New User
Part 2 of interview

REUTERS: If you had to pick one career defining shot/point you have played during your career, which one would it be and why?

FEDERER: "Uhhmmmmm (laughing). For me the biggest shot was unfortunately against Tommy Haas, who's a good friend of mine, at the French Open (in 2009). You probably know which one I'm talking about, on break point (at two sets and 3-4 down in the fourth round), the forehand inside out. I couldn't hit any more forehands for some reason I completely lost it. That's the one I needed and I remember I fist pumped and thought 'this is it'. This is what was going to put me back into the match and into the tournament. Who knows, maybe I would have still won the French Open later on but it just all seemed so perfect to win that year. The way I had to battle against Haas, against (Juan Martin) del Potro, against (Jose) Acasuso, against (Gael) Monfils, against (Robin) Soderling, all those players. It was just a very tough tournament and still very vivid in my mind."

REUTERS: That shot was a bit like Tiger Wood's miracle birdie at the 16th -- when ball appeared to teeter tantalisingly over the edge of the hole before, a second later, dropping into the cup -- during the final round of the 2005 U.S. Masters.

FEDERER: "Yeah, maybe, although mine went a bit quicker. It was all over in a hurry. Second serve, bang, bang and it was over. But it was huge."

REUTERS: Lots of people have said they wished they could have played like you. Is there any player or a particular shot of a player -- past or present -- that you are envious of.

FEDERER: "I am very happy with what I have. Sure I cannot hit a double handed backhand, I wish I could. But it's fine. I wish I had a serve like Sampras but I'm happy with mine. I wish I had volleys like (Tim) Henman or (Stefan) Edberg or (Pat) Rafter but I'm happy with what I have. I have tried to become the best player I can be over all these years and I think I did really well. I'm surprised how well I actually did.

"I grew up in the era of Sampras, Henman and (Richard) Krajicek and all those guys who kept coming in, I would have loved to have played an even better serve and volley game. Even though I know I can play it well. I don't know if surfaces have slowed down or if my volleys are just not good as the other guys or if the guys return so much better today. I guess it's a combination. I would like to play much more moving forward but it is very difficult in this day and age."

REUTERS: In less than two months you turn 30? Are you dreading it?

FEDERER: "No, no problem. I can only smile about it. Do I feel 30? I guess I do. I feel ripe like a grape for (a good quality) wine. I feel like I'm in a really nice place right now. Everybody who's 20 wants to stay 20 and everybody who turns 30 wants to stay 30. That's the feeling I get. It's a wonderful age to be. You've already experienced a lot but there's still a lot to come. It's a wonderful age and I'm looking forward to the next 10 years."

REUTERS: What has been your lowest point in your tennis career?

FEDERER: "I have had a few tough losses and the other night I was having dinner and (my friends) were saying 'oh I remember that loss, and this one and that one and this one' and I was like 'oh God, we're only talking about my losses.' With all the 950 plus matches I have played, I've had a lot of losses and a lot of heart breaks. To pick the toughest one, was it here against Nadal (in the 2008 five-set final described as the best ever tennis match)? Possibly, but at the same time it was such a special match to be part of it doesn't hurt as much down the stretch. In the very moment it hurts but not later on."

REUTERS: How does Roger Federer the tennis player differ from Roger Federer the father?

FEDERER: "I'm as patient a father as I am on the tennis court. It takes a lot for me to get really upset but sometimes kids can get you really cross if they really keep bugging you. As they get older, they push the limits more. So it's more a matter of setting boundaries for the kids then getting really upset with them. But you have to pretend that you're a little bit upset sometimes.

"I really enjoy time with the kids and I'm really happy I've only missed them for three weeks in the last two years. I've been very fortunate to have such a wonderful wife (Mirka) who is so supportive and so willing to pack all the bags and come on the road with us and make it work. It's a lot of organization but I don't want to be away from the kids, I don't want to be away from Mirka and it's just a nice time and I wouldn't want to miss it for the world. I think I'm patient, good husband and good father but your have to ask others about it."

REUTERS: Are you a strict dad?

FEDERER: "I think the strictness will grow as they grow, unfortunately for them."
http://www.lfpress.com/sports/othersports/2011/06/18/18302751.html
Click to expand...
 
zagor

zagor

Bionic Poster
The old man seems quite hungry for a slam title,hopefully he goes on a rampage in Wimbledon.
 
abmk

abmk

Bionic Poster
REUTERS: If you had to pick one career defining shot/point you have played during your career, which one would it be and why?

FEDERER: "Uhhmmmmm (laughing). For me the biggest shot was unfortunately against Tommy Haas, who's a good friend of mine, at the French Open (in 2009). You probably know which one I'm talking about, on break point (at two sets and 3-4 down in the fourth round), the forehand inside out. I couldn't hit any more forehands for some reason I completely lost it. That's the one I needed and I remember I fist pumped and thought 'this is it'. This is what was going to put me back into the match and into the tournament. Who knows, maybe I would have still won the French Open later on but it just all seemed so perfect to win that year. The way I had to battle against Haas, against (Juan Martin) del Potro, against (Jose) Acasuso, against (Gael) Monfils, against (Robin) Soderling, all those players. It was just a very tough tournament and still very vivid in my mind."

..............

the first one that came to my mind as well. The one that saved his French Open Campaign in 2009 !
 
zasr4325

zasr4325

Professional
Bobby Jr said:
What is the meaning of this shirt? Surely not New South Wales?

Is he a State of Origin fan? lol
Click to expand...

Haha, Nike Sportswear - NSW.

By the way. I'm sure everyone has seen highlights of the match by now, but these are brilliant purely because of the French commentators. They genuinely seem to be cheering Freddie on, and the sheer joy they show when Rogi hits a great shot is awesome.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E9lKQHaAwg

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leEU-ummwU0
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
Federer really looks like he is focusing in on the seventh Wimbledon title. His game is certainly heading towards the right direction, in comparison to last year at this time.

Hopefully Roger will bring his best, and put on some grass court clinics on his way to equalling the legendary Sampras.
 
zasr4325

zasr4325

Professional
Just a quick FYI. For anyone in the UK, there's a documentary on BBC2 right now, celebrating 125 years of Wimbledon. Seems good so far
 
zasr4325

zasr4325

Professional
Couple of shots from Rogi's practices:

I think there was a fairly famous picture of Annacone and Sampras near the end of his career that was almost identical to this one...

350x.jpg


And here it is:

sampras-annacone.jpg


A little glimpse of the special bag Roger'll be using during Vimbleydon:

x350.jpg
 
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