In search of ‘surreal’ major
if he takes a break and if he’s fresh, happy to play, motivated ... that’s one of his biggest strengths.”
The day before beating Cilic in the final at the All England Club to claim his eighth Wimbledon championship and 19th at a major overall — both records for a man — Federer sat down with Luthi to discuss preparation for the U.S. Open.
Yes, time marches on, even for Federer, although it doesn’t really seem as if that’s the case at the moment.
“He’s been playing amazing tennis,” said 20-year-old Alexander Zverev, considered the sport’s “Next Big Thing.”
“He pretty much won every single big tournament he played this year,” added Zverev, who defeated Federer in the hard-court final at Montreal this month.
That was the last time Federer was in action; he tweaked his back and withdrew from a tuneup in Ohio the following week.
If his back is problematic at Flushing Meadows, it could stand in Federer’s way. Otherwise, he could be the last man standing there for the first time since winning his last of five consecutive U.S. Open titles in 2008.
That would please Federer, of course. But what he really derives satisfaction from lately is his aggressive style on court.
“I like the way I’m playing. I’m playing going forward. I’m going for it. I’m not holding back. I’m playing the kind of tennis I like to play, personally, myself. And I’m not, like, doing everything only for success. I’m actually letting it fly off my racket. And that makes me happy,” he said.
“People who’ve been waiting for me to come back strong, maybe one more time, I’ve given them even more now by winning a couple of Slams this year. So it’s extremely special times. I’m aware of that. I know it’s just only bonus, whatever is about to come,” Federer continued, with a hint of a smile. “So I hope I can keep this level up and then maybe good things can continue. We’ll see.”