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July 1, 2007
Federer closing in on fifth title
By Eleanor Preston, Sunday Herald
SWITCH ON a television or
a radio when Roger Federer is playing, especially when it's at
Wimbledon, and you will barely have time to breathe before somebody
talks about him moving up a gear. It is somehow too mechanical a
metaphor for a player of Federer's elegance and panache. As Wimbledon
moves into its second week and he moves a little nearer to matching
Bjorn Borg's modern record of five
consecutive titles at SW19, Federer is not so much double declutching
as gently, imperceptibly, edging towards a higher plane.
Weather permitting - an ever more vital caveat at this year's
Championships given the number of Atlantic fronts that have blown in -
Federer will take on Tommy Haas tomorrow in the fourth round.
The pair have met on 10
previous occasions, with the
German winning two matches (one of which was at the 2000 Sydney
Olympics) and causing trouble in several others. Haas is an able
grass-court player, has twice been a grand slam semi-finalist and is
the tournament's 13th seed, though nobody who saw Federer demolish
Marat Safin in straight sets on Friday would give the
German a prayer.
Confronted with a fellow grand slam champion, Federer moved gently
into second-week' mode. Gone were the wobbles and
irritations of the first two rounds, some of which might have stemmed
from the mild sore throat he was suffering from early in the week.
Against Safin they were replaced by smooth shotmaking and dancing feet.
Federer is going about his
business at this year's Wimbledon without the benefit of a coach,
having parted ways with Australian Tony Roche before this year's French
Open. Roche is a man of vast experience and undoubted wisdom but
Federer needs no-one to tell him how to prepare for the next four
matches, the ones that could bring him his fifth
Wimbledon and his 11th grand slam title. He knows how it feels to be at
the halfway point in a grand slam, just as he knows what it is like to
win one. He also knows Wimbledon like a native and knows how the grass
will change from the slow, soft turf of the last few days to an
altogether harder and truer bouncing surface. As he says: "I have the
keys to Centre Court."
The way Roche was dispatched was swift and brutal but while
Federer is an urbane and charming man, he is also precisely as ruthless
as he needs to be. "A career is short," he said. "I'm not egotistical
but you have to believe you are a special individual athlete.
"The communication with Tony wasn't good but I also wanted new
information and wanted to move on. It was a hard decision because he is
one of the best. I think I am easy to work with and he's a great coach
and for two years we had a great relationship. He definitely made my
game more solid."
Unsurprisingly, Federer received 40 applications from those wishing
to replace Roche, but he is in no hurry, nor will he appoint someone
just for the sake of it. "I had people I've never heard or anyone has
ever heard of," he said. "I want someone who works hard and gives a lot
of advice and makes you feel good and makes the game get better. I know
my game best and a new coach can maybe analyse other players, see or
hear something different."
Roche won't be seen at
Wimbledon in the coming days but his legacy will. The Australian, one
of the world's best doubles players before becoming a coach, tried to
make Federer a more attacking player and ensured that he had the belief
in his physical stamina as well as his natural talent.
"Tony taught me how to work hard and that's what I enjoyed most
about being with him, being out on the practice courts for four hours
in a row," said Federer. "At one time I couldn't even stay for an hour
and now I can do it for four hours. This is really where he has helped
me a great deal. I have become such a different person because before I
hadn't attacked the courts like that."
No wonder Federer feels at home at Wimbledon. His grass court skills
are only getting better and he is slowly building up a history with a
tournament he first came to as a teenager. His name and features are on
so many honour boards and replica trophies that he is almost part of
the furniture.
"I have so many pictures around, so much talk. I even remember the
juniors. I remember my win against Pete Sampras in 2001 and then the
next four victories. I have so many great memories here. The finals,
obviously I know how each and every one felt. Last year was really,
really special because of the way I played I was so happy.
I've had really, really good wins. It didn't only start when I
played here. I used to follow this
tournament like crazy when I was a kid, watching on TV. It was
massive. It was transmitted all day long and I was sitting there
watching it. It's been with me since I was born basically, so to be
back playing as defending champion, there is no better place to be."
Federer sees his main
challengers for the title as last year's finalist Rafael Nadal, Lleyton
Hewitt and Andy Roddick, but, as ever he is also conscious of
securing his place in tennis history. "I was so happy to win the fourth
last year and put myself in position for a fifth this year," he said.
"Bjorn's was an incredible achievement."
The talk of gear changes will increase the closer he gets to matching Borg's mark but, as ever, such clichés will fail to do him
justice. Gears are for those who need to climb; Federer simply soars.
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