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November 3, 2004
Roger Federer wants to stay number one in 2005
By Roger Federer Official Site
Basel/Switzerland - Roger Federer, the number one in world
tennis since January 2004, is gearing his plans for the 2005 season entirely
to the goal of holding onto the top spot in the ATP rankings. Roger is
currently scheduled to play the following events up to the end of June:
Doha, the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte
Carlo, Rome, Hamburg, Roland Garros, Halle and Wimbledon. The contracts
of Roger's fitness trainer Pierre Paganini and physiotherapist Pavel Kovac
have been extended to next season. Roger will very probably be able to
compete in the 2004 Tennis Masters Cup in Houston.
Roger Federer's top priority for the 2005 tennis season is retaining his world number
one status. His planning for the season is thus totally geared to this ambitious goal:
"2004 has been a great year for me, but it's also been long and physically
demanding. For next season, I now have to think about how I can perform at the
same level as in 2004 or even improve my game. I've realised that the goal I've set
myself for the season is only realistic if I focus completely on the Grand Slams and
plan all my tournaments around this strategy."
Rationalising competitive matchplay
Roger, still without a coach for the time being, will start training in the second week
of December to ready himself for the first half of the 2005 season. For Pierre
Paganini, ensuring that Roger can defend his global lead means not only preparing
meticulously for the season, but also strictly observing rest periods between
tournaments: "The tour puts a tremendous physical strain on top players like Roger
Federer, who has to play virtually all year round and is often exposed to a lot of
matchplay within a tournament. Competitive matchplay therefore needs to be
spaced out evenly to prevent injuries such as the one Roger suffered this autumn.
The Davis Cup in particular puts heavy demands on him over the three days and really takes its toll." Consequently, Roger had no other option but to skip the first
Davis Cup round, which also coincides with a period of intensive competition from
14 February to 3 April, when he is to play four tournaments.
Mounting offcourt commitments
Since Roger is an exceptionally popular and committed tennis player, he is
increasingly taking on responsibilities away from the tennis court. As a top
sportsman and international star, he is a role model for many children and young
people throughout the world. The 23-year-old is personally committed to setting an
example via a variety of ambassadorial functions outside the sporting arena. He
would also like to devote more time to the Roger Federer Foundation, which aims to
help disadvantaged children in South Africa and promote sport for young people. A
fundraising event organised as part of the Davidoff Swiss Indoors collected CHF
110,000 for the Foundation - far more than Roger had expected to raise: "I was
delighted with the success of my first fundraiser. It shows just how much support I
can count on. I'll be heading off to South Africa in the first quarter of 2005 to meet
the kids I'm sponsoring face-to-face, to see how they're doing and what the projects
funded by my Foundation have achieved so far." Such social commitments are
naturally taking up more of Roger's time, but he takes the social responsibility that
comes with his role as a figurehead of international sport very seriously.
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