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Tuesday July 27, 2004
Federer hints that leisurely search for coach might end by 2005
By AFP
TORONTO - World number one Roger Federer
dropped the strongest hint yet that his leisurely search for a coach
could end by 2005.
"I need to think about someone who would fit my needs and
personality," said the top seed, who begins play on Tuesday at the
2.56-million-dollar Masters Series here with a match against Moroccan
Hicham Arazi.
"I know a bit who might fit my needs. The next question is: is he
available," said the 22-year-old who is currently dominating the game
with two Grand Slams and two Masters titles among his seven tournament
triumphs this season.
Added the steady Swiss, who has been on his own and doing quite
nicely since parting company with Swede Peter Lundgren in December:
"Maybe there is someone (coming) next year.
"I'd like to have a coach next year."
The lack of a coach hasn't appeared to harm Federer, who has lost
only once in his last 26 matches this red-hot season. That was to
Gustavo Kuerten at Roland Garros.
Federer is aiming to make it a hat-trick of titles this week after
lifting his second Wimbledon on grass, winning Gstaad on clay a week
later and now aiming for hardcourt success in the run-up to the Athens
Games and the US Open.
Federer is also the first man to win 50 matches this year, achieving the mark after 54 matches played.
Life is looking sweet - and the Swiss knows it.
"This year has been fantastic year for me," he said. "It's even
better than last year. That's difficult to understand, I thought it
would be especially tough."
Federer said that his confidence took a huge leap as the won the
end-of-season Masters Cup last November going undefeated and taming a
few personal demons with a pair of wins over Andre Agassi and victories
against Juan Carlos Ferrero, David Nalbandian and Andy Roddick.
"It was important to win the Australian Open in January and carry
the momentum, coming out strong right away," Federer said. "I used
momentum from the Masters Cup well.
"I like being number one. You can feel stressed sometimes, but for
me it's a good situation, I prefer this to being number two or three."
"It is strange," Federer said. "You win a big tournament or you win a title or play well but there are so many people around who you know will make points if you lose. You always feel like you're stressed in a way but it's definitely a good situation. I enjoy it very much and don't try to put myself under too much pressure because in the end you want to enjoy playing and that's what I love doing."
The superlative Swiss said that he's taking this intense and busy summer season as it comes.
He added that while beating number two Roddick for the Wimbledon
title this month was satisfying, the American is just one in a string
of rivals trying to knock him from his top position.
"I think it's correct we talk about it but we're still quite young," Federer said. "We still have a lot of time left in our career to actually build up this rivalry even more. But I don't think my focus is to actually just beat Andy . . . it's on my career, to win titles to keep the No. 1 position and beat everybody on tour."
"If he and I have a rivalry, well that's good for the game."
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