Wimbledon - Federer: I'm better than ever

Eurosport - Wed, 17 Jun 12:18:00 2009

Winning the French Open was not just a personal milestone for Roger Federer, it was the making of him.

TENNIS Federer Rasen - 0

Armed with the belief that he can win titles even when he is not on top of his game, the Swiss master is determined to snatch back the Wimbledon crown from his nemesis Rafael Nadal when the grass-court Grand Slam begins next Monday.

"I feel like I've definitely become more a man now than in the last few years since I'm not scared of five setters anymore. I can handle the pressure," said Federer, who became only the sixth man to achieve a career Grand Slam with his triumph at Roland Garros 10 days ago.

"I had to show my fighting spirit more than ever and it's nice to have had a chance to show those qualities because before everybody was just used to my dominance. It's good to know for myself that I can also do it differently," added Federer, who for the first time had to play two five-set matches during a successful run to a major.

"Now going into the grass season, and Wimbledon, and being on top of the world it's a fantastic feeling."

In his previous 13 assaults to Grand Slam titles, it seemed as if Federer's aura was enough to beat most opponents before the warm-up had even finished.

If that was not enough, the Swiss quickly outwitted his opponents with his silky shots and killer instinct.

But none of that was on display in Paris and if anything, Federer's cloak of invincibility looked tattered and torn when he was just five points from defeat in the fourth round against Germany's Tommy Haas.

That win from two sets down against Haas not only set Federer on his way to a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title, it also boosted his chances of regaining the number one ranking Nadal took from him last August.

"For me it's about the majors because right now Wimbledon is around the corner," said 27-year-old Federer.

"From Paris until Wimbledon, this is when you want to play your best tennis. So the ranking will always follow when you do play well.

"I know it will take a special effort to get back to number one because Rafa has set the bar high. It's going to be hard to take it away from him because he has so many great tournament victories in his 365-day rankings. But I feel I'm a step closer now by winning in Paris and winning my 14th."

That triumph led to a chorus of players declaring Federer was the greatest of all time and Martina Navratilova even suggested the Swiss could "just go on and sip Margaritas for the rest of his life".

However, Federer does not have it in him to simply put his feet up and soak up the sun.

For him it is all about timing and with a baby on the way, he feels there is no better way to prepare for the new arrival in his family by breaking the record of 14 Grand Slam titles he shares with Pete Sampras at Wimbledon.

"I do think I'm the favourite actually, with the success I've had. I came close again last year," said Federer, whose run of five consecutive Wimbledon titles ended with a heart-stopping five-set loss to Nadal in last year's final.

"Once you arrive in London, you start getting into the frame of mind and it's like 'let's go again', I know what it takes. It only takes a couple of hours to feel at home.

"With no disrespect to the other players ... I feel like I've got the game, I've got the mental approach and I've got the experience to win at Wimbledon many more times."

Reuters

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  1. So Federer is confident and feels better than ever,SO­ WHAT ! what did you people expect ? he has a right to­ feel like this does he not ? And what is wrong with­ being self confident and showing a little arrogance ?­ He may or may not win Wimbledon,but he has earned the­ right to feel like he is the favorite,and when he says­ it ,he truly believes it.

    From carlos480bc, on Wed 17 Jun 8:17PM

  2. herve i cant agree with the last wimbledon being won by­ the one who wanted it more, surely to break borgs­ record was motivation enough, and the year before it­ will always remain debatable but it could easily have­ gone rafas way. now to the rest of your post about­ being excited about their next meet and hoping that­ nadal gets fit again i agree with u totally. all the­ best got to retire now.

    From ralph, on Wed 17 Jun 7:54PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    federer is gay

    From gilakaka77, on Wed 17 Jun 7:49PM

  4. @ no 128: your comment is 100 % spot on. I see that­ lots of people here say that Fed is arrogant, that he­ brags too much etc.... His career gives him the right­ to do that, and to behave that way, which btw. he­ doesn't at all. I think, considering the­ circumstances, and the career he's had so far, he­ is behaving really modest,and has a lot of respect for­ all of his opponents. Some people didn't like what­ he said about Murray last year in Dubai. But he was­ just being honest, really. Murray played exactly the­ way Fed described him; he was 10 feet behind the­ baseline, just putting the ball in play , and waiting­ for Fed's error. Yes, he has changed his game a lot­ since, but for me his game is not even half as­ entertaining as Roger's is......

    From Luka P, on Wed 17 Jun 7:42PM

  5. siskra83
    I can explain: rafa is not 100% fit and I want­ him out because I don't support him. To be afraid­ of him winning against Federer is not true. on the­ contrary, u know u r afraid Federer beats him,­ aren't u?

    From Pooks, on Wed 17 Jun 7:32PM

  6. go ahead and live in your fantasy world... who are u?­ federer's secretary??

    From gilakaka77, on Wed 17 Jun 7:14PM

  7. Federer trains in Dubai for a reason don't you­ think? Tell me who else quit because of the heat? If­ you quit once or twice maybe people understand, but­ when quiting becomes an habit that is not because of­ some secret med conditions, it's because of the­ personality you have. Sampras was throwing up in the­ semis against Corretja and went on to finish the match­ and even win it. So we should accept his excuses about­ this med conditions (sore throat yeah it's a very­ serious condition) but when it comes to Federer's­ last year health problems that's unacceptable,­ right? Novak should consider himself lucky that he got­ that AO because at least he got one and that's all­ he'll have, that's all he is a one time wonder.­ Next year he won't even be number 4 anymore as i­ see Del Potro surpassing him. He doesn't have the­ mentality of a champion, he has the mentality of a­ looser. Federer has all the rights to flaunt of brag or­ do whatever he wants to do, his resaults give him that­ right. As for the others that were not in the final of­ RG, whose fault is it? Oh yes, i forgot it's­ Kohlschreiber's fault who gave "miss­ fragile" a lesson on how the tennis should be­ played.

    From Ilda S, on Wed 17 Jun 6:58PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    miss fragile? oh please...federer conviniently had­ mononucleusis for AO last yr wen novak whalloped his­ arse!!! Novak has a series of med conditions and the­ heat affected him severely! other players were also­ affected.. and BTW; it was also so convenient that all­ federer's games were played in the afternoon. he­ didnt have to face the blazing sun at 12 o clock..­ novak and rafa suffered thru it all...
    federer is­ flaunting is RG success! NONSENSE--he didnt have any­ top seeds to face...he was gifted that RG...

    From gilakaka77, on Wed 17 Jun 6:38PM

  9. gilakaka,
    are you talking about "miss­ fragile",­ "i-quit-because-i'm-loosing", the one who­ hired Thomas Muster's fitness trainer to be an iron­ man and turned into a coper man? Well, we'll see­ what he'll come up in Wimbledon since the sun is­ not soo hut there. You're so pathetic.

    From Ilda S, on Wed 17 Jun 6:33PM

  10. Novak is under rated..he deserves number 2 or 3 spot...­ Murray is @#$%....en espanol....MIERDA!

    From gilakaka77, on Wed 17 Jun 6:27PM

  11. nice to see u too boow , hmmm well being unable to tell­ the extent of the knee injury and how it has healed­ (and i know fed fans will scream that its always­ excuses) it is hard for me to say how far he will go at­ wimbledon, maybe u r right and he wont even make it to­ the semis, two things are sure though 1 he will­ desperately try to go as far as he can points wise­ probably shot full of cortisone and secondly and this­ is with reference to your wish for him to meet­ soderling well i hope he does so fit if he does because­ i still maintain a 100 pct nadal is still the best­ pound for pound tennis player today. i reiterate nadal­ has to be 100pct fit if not he is a shadow of the­ player he can be as we all know. lets see how fit he­ is.

    From ralph, on Wed 17 Jun 6:26PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    NOVAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK DJOKOVICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC­
    FEDERER IS A COMEDIAN OF A TENNIS PLAYER....

    From gilakaka77, on Wed 17 Jun 6:22PM

  13. have to agree once again with u stewart, well put and­ time will deliver all the answers.

    From ralph, on Wed 17 Jun 6:18PM

  14. @120boow....Can you explain us all why do you wish Rafa­ out of W?Are you afraid of Rafa beating Federer again­ or simply you hate Rafa and if, why? Thank you.

    From siskra83, on Wed 17 Jun 5:51PM

  15. ralph r
    Me again, u remember? I missed you, as I wanted­ to ask you if you finally got the world peace you were­ praying for, as Federer won! I hope you did. Next, my­ prediction is that Nadal will be out before the Semis­ and I would like him to play Soderling again, so that­ he receives the same treatment! He (rafa) needs rest­ and the earlier he is aware of it, as well as his­ entourage, the better. Federer to win this championship­ again and by so regaining his No1 Spot. You?

    From Pooks, on Wed 17 Jun 5:35PM

  16. berty19uk
    You ain't yet seen nothing! Say what you­ want as u r free to. Am glad his words still shock some­ of you! He is very humble even, unlike those who­ condemn him wrongly.

    From Pooks, on Wed 17 Jun 5:30PM

  17. allow the young man to say what he wants. Call him­ big-headed but it changes nothing. He is a worthy­ champion and say what you like, you jealous, he is­ simply the best of best. Go spew your poison far off.­ The boy is on top of the world and if he didn't say­ it, it would have been unfair to his fans. Federer is­ the best. He is the undeniable favorite to win­ wimbledon and even the haters know it but simply are­ too ashamed to admit it.

    From Pooks, on Wed 17 Jun 5:28PM

  18. Is that a plane? a giant bird? an asteroid? a @#$%? No.­ it's Super Federer to the rescue. Get ready to­ witness history in the making two weeks from now in­ sunny sunny dry wimbledon

    From antoniomesquita50, on Wed 17 Jun 5:17PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    wow ..ever since he won RG all of a sudden he's­ become so big headed
    yes you've won 14 slams on all­ surfaces but come on .. keep your arrogant comments to­ yourself.. there are other players capable of winning­ slams now.,.. not just federer

    From alberto, on Wed 17 Jun 5:15PM

  20. I am wondering why most of Federer's fans listening­ N from Nadal' name react like bull on red, as­ they were in corida?because of 13:7 record, because of­ lack of confidence....or?..Both Federer and Nadal are­ great players and I wish Rafa were 100% healthy , just­ to see an other dream final. Yes, they are different on­ and of the court and it is all about preferences,­ elegance or passion ......And W. like RG is not­ Roger's or Rafa's property......there are a lot­ of high quality tennis players who can surprise us­ all.

    From siskra83, on Wed 17 Jun 5:09PM
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