4 Jan 2005

Greater expectations for Federer

By Mark Hodgkinson, The Telegraph

In the music industry they call it "difficult second album syndrome", when the band are asked to come back and improve on greatness, singing a little more in tune, a few more hits. Roger Federer won three of the four Grand Slam titles last year, and if he does not achieve a calendar sweep this season, won't some put his 2005 down as a failure? Federer could not control his laughter.

He did not laugh because he believes four from four is totally out of the question (far from it), but he finds it incredible that, aged 23, the possibility of a Grand Slam is being discussed as if it will be a formality for him. "I find it funny when people say that I am definitely going to do the Grand Slam," the Swiss said, "as it is such an incredible thing to do and people seem to suggest that it will be easy."

But Federer also said, and he sounded very convincing, that he is under "no pressure at all" to achieve the Grand Slam. He has two main ambitions this season: to remain world No 1 and to win a third Wimbledon title, three in a row. Despite the clamour for history this year, Federer has not listed the Grand Slam as a target. "But if it happens, it happens, and I'll be the happiest man in the world," he said.

'Mr Modesty' is not one for pre-season bombast and grand predictions. "I don't feel any pressure from anyone to do it, even when so many people say that I can do it, as I've set my own targets that I want to achieve. There's a lot to defend, starting at the Australian Open. I'm not going to change my targets because people are desperate for me to do the Grand Slam," he said.

The difficulty for Federer is that he has such style and grace that he made striking a tennis ball look so easy last year. "People don't realise how hard I had to work last year to win three out of four, and I'll have to work even harder if I'm to win four this season," he said.

Federer won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open last season, the first man to collect three majors in a year since Mats Wilander in 1988. Only two men have previously achieved the Grand Slam; the American Don Budge in 1938 and Australian Rod Laver, who managed it twice, in 1962 and 1969. "If you look at history,'' Federer said, "you will see that a Grand Slam is almost impossible to achieve."

Laver is still known as 'The Greatest', but he confessed recently in a Daily Telegraph interview that he would "be honoured to even be compared to Roger", that Federer was "such an unbelievable talent" and "could be the greatest tennis player of all time". Federer, who has four Grand Slams to Laver's 11, said that he took great encouragement from the comments.

"Someone showed me what Laver had said in your article and I could not stop smiling when I read it. I was stunned," Federer said. "It's incredible for someone of that stature, with that incredible record, to be saying such nice things about you, especially as we have never met before. It would be fantastic to get the chance to meet him and have a chat."

Federer admitted that he would need a little luck on his quest. "I would have to have eight amazing weeks during the four Grand Slam titles. I would need eight weeks without injury, without sickness, without personal problems, without any distractions at all. That would be a very good run," he said.

If he were to do the Grand Slam, the biggest test would come at the second of the four, the French Open in May. Federer has yet to do his talent justice on the red clay of Paris – last year he was floored in the third round, in straight sets, by Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten. But Federer is becoming more comfortable on clay with every season and last year won Hamburg, the final warm-up event for Roland Garros.

Federer is a confidence player, and if he feels comfortable with the way he is sliding and striking on the red stuff, the Grand Slam will definitely be on. "It hasn't worked out for me in Paris, but I know that I can play well on clay and it's possible for me to win it. Do I have to concentrate more on the French Open than the others? I'm not sure. I had a good preparation last year and it didn't do so good," he said.

Australian Open (Jan 17-30) Surface: hard: Holder: Roger Federer
'I want to get the year off to a good start, and I'm confident as I'm hitting the ball well at the moment.'

French Open (May 23-June 5) Surface: clay: Holder: Gaston Gaudio
'It has not worked out for me here, but I know that I can play well on clay and it's possible for me to win it.'

Wimbledon (June 20-July 3) Surface: grass: Holder: Roger Federer
'The best tournament in the world, and this is my priority of the four Grand Slams.'

US Open (Aug 29-Sept 11) Surface: hard: Holder: Roger Federer
'I am determined to defend all three of my Grand Slam titles, but I could even win my fourth Grand Slam title of the year here.'

Wimbledon remains the biggest prize. "I think that Wimbledon is just the greatest tournament in the world, and it is the priority of the four Grand Slam titles," Federer said. "I want to defend all three of my Grand Slam titles, but the one which would mean the most to me is Wimbledon."

He spoke of his "happy memories" on the Centre Court grass. It was there in 2003 that Federer first won a Grand Slam title, dropping to his knees before leaning so far back that you worried about breaking bones. Then Sue Barker made him cry. It was more than pure joy, it was the end of all the talk that Federer's resolve did not match his physical talents, that he did not have the required mental software to win a Grand Slam title. Strange to recall, these days.

Federer is more than happy with a small entourage of girlfriend (Mirka Vavrinec, a former player and now his personal assistant) and physiotherapist. He does not need or want a full-time coach, even if some of the Australian press had it that Tony Roche, a former Wimbledon finalist, rejected Federer's offer of a full-time role. Federer said that he is "not looking for a full-time coach at the moment". And anyway, he would have known that Roche has a sore hip and is reluctant to travel on the tour again. But Federer, who has been without a full-time hired help since splitting with Peter Lundgren more than a year ago, did confirm that he will use Roche as a coaching consultant. They had a few days together in Australia before Federer moved his practice sessions to the Gulf, first to Dubai and then Doha.

"Tony is a great guy and someone that I've always looked up to, even though we're separated by a couple of generations," Federer said. "I was pleased that he could give up his time to work with me but he is not going to be a full-time coach. Tony and I will work together again in the preparation weeks before tournaments and, hopefully, during the off-season again."

Despite his achievements in 2004, Federer was not entirely satisfied last year that he had enough time to work on improving his game. He and wants to find more practice weeks this year. "Last season was impossible. I went from tournament to tournament to tournament, and then I had to rest, so I didn't feel that I had as much time on the practice court as I would have wanted and that was frustrating," he said.

"Practice is a must. If you don't practise, then you won't improve. You'll stay in the same place and the other players will catch you up," Federer said. "I'm determined to stay ahead of the rest."

Ominous for the rest, and Federer knows that if he wins four Grand Slam titles this season, next year his public will probably demand a fifth.

©2003 - 2008 Shinanat Mahamaytakit