Roger wary of Kyrgios in depleted Open field
Roger Federer has earmarked Nick Kyrgios as a potential grand slam wrecking ball as the defending champion surveys a depleted Australian Open field clouded by fitness doubts.
With Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori sidelined and Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka returning from long injury breaks, Kyrgios is one of the hurdles Federer might have to overcome next week.
Federer and Kyrgios played one of the matches of the ATP season last March in Miami, with the Swiss admitting Kyrgios’s recent title success in Brisbane had not gone unnoticed.
“He’s (Kyrgios) going through his things, whatever he needs to go through,” Federer said. “But when he’s on, he’s on and he’s really difficult to beat.
“It seems like he’s doing the right things, otherwise he wouldn’t be winning tournaments, especially not in Brisbane because being able to cope with the pressure at home is not a simple thing.
“It took me a long time to win my home-town tournament (in Basel), so it’s a great start to his career and there’s more to come.
“Similar to my challenge, for him it’s day to day and then week by week, can you keep it up?
“For me, it’s because of me getting older. For him it’s maybe in his mind and his body because he still needs to work much more than he currently is.
“I think he’s incredibly talented. We had a great match in Miami this last year and also at the Laver Cup.”
Federer, 36, will chase a 20th major at Melbourne Park next week – and is a clear-cut favourite to land a recordequalling sixth Open crown.
“Everybody thinks I maybe have a good chance to repeat and others guys are maybe a bit hurt,” he said.
“These things all play into it, but, at the end of the day, I’ve been in this position thankfully many times before.
“I think defending the title the very first time is the hard part when you’re thinking about defending 2000 points, what it could do to the ranking, because if you don’t win, it’s all dramatic.
“Later on in life, you take it as it comes. You try your best and it if works out, great. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
“I know I’m well prepared, I’m playing well and now it’s just about getting through the matches at the beginning part of the tournament.”
In contrast to last season when he returned from a six-month lay-off because of knee issues, Federer said he was now “definitely in a safer place”.
“Last year expectations were not there. It was just about (being) happy to be in Australia,” he said.
“I said it before the tournament any result is a good one as long as I don’t get hurt. If I can leave Australia again without being hurt, that would be a win already.
“And it ended up being this fairytale run of winning the entire thing. The good thing last year was that I had six months of preparation. The last six weeks I was actually playing full tennis.
“This year is different. It’s only 25 days to get ready, which is a normal way to get ready.”