Friday, 29 June, 2007
In what was another comprehensive display of professionalism, Roger Federer took out former world No. 1 and Grand Slam winner Marat Safin, and then revealed that he had been nervous at the start in the knowledge that he would have a tough battle on his hands. “I was very pleased with my performance,” he commented, “because I knew that Marat was dangerous and the conditions were tricky with swirling winds. With the sun shining from one end, it was really hard to play from the baseline or to pick out the serve. I expected him to serve well which is why it got close in the third, but the wind stopped and it got easier. “I played the right way against him, keeping the ball in play and serving well when I had to. I neutralised him from the baseline and it was hard for him with a quick first set which put him under pressure right away. I got a pretty good start in the second so he was down two sets to love and then it was too late and I played a great tie-breaker.” Winning ways are established by consistency and with Federer clocking up his 51st consecutive win on grass, he knows he is an intimidating figure for other players to face. “That is what comes from streaks and when you are on such a big streak like I am now you wonder who is going to win a set. I still believe that grass is easier to win a set on, because if you serve well it kind of falls your way. For me it’s good to keep on winning in straight sets and maybe the intimidating factor is there, but I don’t really care about that, I just want to play good tennis.” The serve remains an important element in his armoury. “You go through different serves throughout a match and when it comes to the crunch you pick the best you have and you have to take into consideration where his best return is, what your best serve is, are you going to stay back or go in, or mix it up. “So you have to make the right decision at the right time. I thought my serves down the ‘T’ were working well on both sides and it took only one mini-break to win the tie-break which was crucial.” Any comparisons with Marat Safin’s approach to the sport were quickly brushed aside, as were any attempts to compare the two players’ development over the years with Federer seemingly benefiting much more from his dedication to hard work. “I’m sure Marat has worked hard also. You have to work hard to get to the point where we are and play all year long on a solid base. He’s won plenty of big matches, especially five-setters. He’s got a phenomenal record so he must be fit and match tough. He has never changed on court and is very emotional and you saw it again today. I changed that. That is why I maybe look much more professional now. I don’t know if I am, but I’m trying my best and work extremely hard off court and I would expect Marat does the same.” The change itself for Federer was far from easy, he said. “It took me many years to understand why I’m working hard, and what I am working for. Tennis is very confusing with changes of surface; you play opponents who are always going to play to your weakness and try and make you play bad. It’s a big jump from juniors but thank God I made the step pretty quickly so there is an advantage if you have talent on your side.” Despite this, Federer still gets nervous before a big match and it takes him three or four games to get into a rhythm. And even with all the success he has had over the past few years, Federer describes his game as ‘work in progress’ but stresses: “First you have to have a passion for the game, otherwise there is no point travelling the world and going through jet lag.” The motivation to continue comes from the various coaches players mix with over the years. “They always feed you with a lot of information, tell you how it used to be and motivate you to achieve, You start to dream a little and you chase the dream as far as you can, and then you eventually start to realise you also have capabilities and possibly lots of talent. “You want to get the best out of yourself so when you eventually retire, you want to feel happy with your career. And then there are parents, they always motivated me. I’ve had great parents and then my girlfriend over these last seven years.” And so the Federer formula for success remains intact, and on current form he looks odds-on favourite to equal Bjorn Borg’s modern day record of five consecutive titles at Wimbledon. Written by Henry Wancke
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