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May 21, 2005
Federer looks for love affair in Paris
By Ashling O'Connor, The Times
ROGER
FEDERER goes into the French Open next week admitting that he does not
know what the tournament means to him. Historically a struggler on the
clay at Roland Garros, the world No 1 believes that this is the year he
can progress beyond the quarterfinals for the first time and even win
the only grand-slam title to have eluded him. Then, perhaps, the Swiss can profess as much love for the French
Open as he is barely able to contain for Wimbledon. “You don’t want to
have to win the tournament to like it, but at least if you can get
beyond the first week you start to get a relationship going with the
fans and the tournament itself,” he said. In
the past, Federer, 23, has barely warmed up before beginning his
preparations for grass. Six visits to Paris have yielded three
first-round exits. Last year, a tough third-round draw against Gustavo
Kuerten, the Brazilian and a darling of the French crowd, hardly
helped. “The last three years didn’t work for me, so I need a
statement of results,” Federer said. “I like the French (Open), but I’m
a little bit caught in between. “Where does the French Open stand for me? I think that has
been holding me back from playing well. Once maybe it was a physical
problem, once mental, but I feel like this year could be a good year. I
want to go further, which is a big challenge because I feel there I
have the most opponents.” These will no doubt include Richard Gasquet, who beat him in
Monte Carlo last month. Federer avenged the defeat — only his second
this year — by dispensing with the 18-year-old Frenchman in the final
of the Hamburg Masters this month, a clay tournament of which he is now
fond. “I arrived there the first few times and I said what a
horrible place to play tennis. Too cold, too wet, too this, too that.
The year I won my first time, I didn’t even want to go. Then I was in
the final. Can you believe it?” Federer said, before being named
Laureus world sportsman of the year this week. “I’ve won three times,
which shows I really like the place.” Developing a similar affection for the French Open could mean
the difference. As will Tony Roche, his part-time coach, who guided
Stefan Edberg, one of Federer’s idols. “Nobody can teach me how to play
a forehand any more, it’s too late. A coach is about strategy. We are
almost like two coaches helping myself,” Federer said. “He can’t make
me a different player from today to tomorrow. I didn’t take him to win
the French this year or in five years, but I hope he is going to make
me a better player and by this I hope to win all four grand-slam
tournaments.”
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