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November 11, 2007
Roger Federer, head of the army
Roger Federer's 2007 record outside the Grand Slams has been poor by his standards. He hopes to change that this week
By Barry Flatman, The Sunday Times
Aside from those moments of wondrous realisation that another Grand Slam title
has come his way, a look of incredulity is not an expression that appears
too often on the face of Roger Federer. Little, it seems, can astonish the
supreme Swiss tennis player who bases his life on being as unperturbed off
the court as he is prevalent at his chosen place of work.
Twice in the space of just a few hours, as his characteristically meticulous
preparations to finish off his competitive calendar with a fourth Tennis
Masters Cup title in five years have been temporarily set aside for an hour
or two, Federer’s countenance momentarily took on a look of utter
bewilderment.
Every leading sportsman appreciates that lucratively paid endorsements require
a modicum of payback. However when the manufacturers of the razor Federer
advertises alongside Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry required the world No 1
to stand in front of more than a thousand Chinese students and give an
exhibition of exactly how he shaves every morning, complete with tips on
lather consistency and how to leave minimal stubble, he was noticeably
bemused.
That task finally completed, despite being handed an outsized Gillette bigger
than a tennis racket to shear a grizzled caricature of himself projected
onto a screen, the five-time Wimbledon champion moved on. And he appeared
only marginally less mystified with the suggestion that he might be at his
most vulnerable to the challenging seven players at this end-of-tour round
robin extravaganza where initial defeat does not mean the first flight home
and a potential $1,520,000 (£750,000) is on offer to the eventual champion
if he takes the title unbeaten next Sunday.
Defeats to the notably absent Argentinian David Nalbandian in successive
Masters Series events in Madrid and Paris have supported the theory that
nowadays, in the same way that Pete Sampras did before him, Federer takes
aim fastidiously at the Grand Slam titles and other tournaments tend to be
something of an inconsequential side issue.
Statistics seem to back up the premise; Federer’s 2007 haul of Masters Series
titles (the nine highest ranking events away from the Slams that will be
reduced to eight next year) is just two, his lowest return since before
taking the world No 1 spot nearly four years ago. Broadening the scope, he
has won only four tournaments away from the majors this year – of which
he won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – compared to
nine in 2006 and has been beaten by more different opponents (five) than in
any year since 2004.
Furrowing that pronounced brow into an expression that sought reason rather
than retribution, Federer replied: “I’ve always said that every tournament
counts for me. However it’s natural that there’s always more focus on the
real highlights of the year, which are of course the Grand Slams, and
sometimes I have to give myself more time to prepare for these.
“To me this has been another very good year. I’ve won three Grand Slam titles
for the third time in four years and now I want to round it off with this
Masters Cup title again.”
The two defeats against Nalbandian in the past month, on the lightning quick
surface of Madrid’s Pabellon de Cristal at the final stage and much earlier
in the third round on the pedestrian slow footing at Bercy in Paris, gave
Federer reason to both question his own application and rejoice that the
Argentinian left it too late to make the late-season run for qualification
into an event that he won at the No 1’s cost in 2005.
Fortunately, Federer managed to purge any self-doubts within a couple of days
but simply smiles at suggestions he is delighted at his nemesis’s absence.
“Madrid was disappointing simply for the fact it’s never nice to lose in the
final,” said Federer as somebody who routinely only has to suffer the
experience against Rafael Nadal on clay. “It’s not nice to be there at the
ceremony afterwards and be there as the second guy, although it’s not
something I have had to deal with too often in my career and I’ve spent 52
times in the spotlight as a winner.
“Paris was a bit different because he did not win against what I would call
the best Roger Federer. The match itself and my performance were extremely
poor and when I got back to the locker room it felt really bad. By the next
day I was thinking, ‘Why the hell did I lose that match?’
“After a few more days it was gone. It’s important to analyse the defeat but
it’s also very important to keep things in the bigger picture. It has been
another great year – three Grand Slam titles – so why get down on
myself?”
Unlike Nadal, Masters Cup debutant Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Andy
Roddick, Federer’s four closest rivals if the rankings are to be believed,
the No 1 has arrived in Shanghai supremely fit and the extra days afforded
him by an early Paris demise have only served as a help.
Regardless of the fact Nadal is nursing knees still throbbing with the
tendonitis that first struck on the North American cement in late July,
Federer still views the Mallorcan as his greatest threat. Drawn in opposing
groups, however, the two will not meet until the semi-finals at the earliest.
Of the next three challengers, Djokovic remains exhausted after an arduous
first year at the pinnacle of the sport, Davydenko is still suffering from
the elbow complaint that he blamed for not being able to serve properly in
recent tournaments and Roddick is hampered by an aching hip.
Newly assisted by Tim Henman’s former fitness trainer Johann de Beer, Federer
happily pronounced not even the slightest twinge but then cited his focus on
the main events for being the reason. Time for rest and recuperation has
become a major part of his schedule and sometimes that presents a problem
when it comes to quickly recapturing his best form for a Masters Series;
Madrid being the most recent example when two Davis Cup rubbers against the
Czech Republic were the only competitive exertions in a five-week spell
after winning a fourth successive US Open.
In fact Federer is so delighted by a lack of late-season fatigue that he will
stay in Asia after this event to play a three-date exhibition tour against
Sampras in Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Macau. Facing the American legend whom he
upset at Wimbledon in 2001 to announce his emergence as a world-class player
is a prospect Federer relishes, even though it will cut into his normally
sacrosanct holiday time.
“There was a time I didn’t see the point of exhibitions but now it’s nice to
play in a more relaxed atmosphere without thinking I have to win because of
the points,” he explained. “I have practised with him this year but to again
play in a match with umpire, linesmen and fans will be a chance to relive a
surreal moment for me.” However it will be very much a one-off tour and the
limited regime will return immediately afterwards. Federer quickly added:
“It’s not so easy to practise for maybe just a week and then expect to win a
Masters Series, but I have got to get used to that situation and I think
it’s going to help me in the long run. I’m looking to stay in the game for a
long time and that means staying injury-free.”
And Federer’s perception of a long time would not make good listening for
young challengers such as Nadal, Djokovic, Richard Gasquet and even Andy
Murray, who this weekend is holidaying in Miami after narrowly missing out
on qualification for the event here in Shanghai. “I’d like to play until I’m
35 if the body holds up,” concluded the very clean-shaven and suitably
assured defending Masters Cup champion.
Masters of the universeRoger Federer (Switzerland) Age: 26 World ranking: 1 Titles
this year: 7 (including Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open) Prize
money this year: $7,430,620 2007 Win/Loss record: 64/8 Masters
Cup record: 2002 Semifinal 2003 Won 2004 Won 2005 Runner-up 2006
Won
Rafael Nadal (Spain) Age: 21 World ranking: 2 Titles
this year: 6 (including French Open) Prize money this year:
$4,596,935 2007 W/L record: 68/13 Masters Cup record: 2006 SF
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Age: 20 World ranking: 3 Titles
this year: 6 Prize money this year: $3,327,700 2007 W/L record:
68/16 Masters Cup record: Debut
Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) Age: 26 World ranking: 4 Titles
this year: 1 Prize money this year: $1,601,775 2007 W/L record:
52/29 Masters Cup record: 2005 SF 2006 Round Robin
Andy Roddick (USA) Age: 25 World ranking: 5 Titles
this year: 2 Prize money this year: $1,232,070 2007 W/L record:
51/14 Masters Cup record: 2003 SF 2004 SF 2006 RR
David Ferrer (Spain) Age: 25 World ranking: 6 Titles
this year: 3 Prize money this year: $1,255,252 2007 W/L record:
57/22 Masters Cup record: Debut
Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) Age: 27 World ranking: 7 Titles
this year: 1 Prize money this year: $1,237,130 2007 W/L record:
36/22 Masters Cup record: 2005 RR
Richard Gasquet (France) Age: 21 World ranking: 8 Titles
this year: 1 Prize money this year: $1,084,790 2007 W/L record:
48/22 Masters Cup record: Debut
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