Federer relishing a ‘family’ reunion at the Melbourne Park
Swiss master admits missing the fraternity during his six months injury layoff
The ‘extended family’ of tennis, the thrust of competition and that winning feeling. Roger Federer missed them all during his six months away from the circuit and is relishing the prospect of rediscovering them again at the Australian Open.
The Swiss master had itchy feet during his layoff to rehabilitate a troubled knee, his longest break in a career blessed with few serious injuries.
He kept busy as a tennis statesman, cheering old rivals from the sidelines on social media while helping his greatest, Spaniard Rafa Nadal, launch his tennis academy in Mallorca.
He took hikes through the Swiss Alps and attended his first Formula One motor race in Abu Dhabi before returning to the court for the Hopman Cup in Perth at the start of the month.
But an exhibition tournament is no substitute for the real thing and there was a twinkle in Federer’s eye as he pictured himself walking onto the Rod Laver Arena tomorrow. “I guess you do miss the matches at some point. You miss the feeling of winning, walking onto a stadium, seeing the guys. You know, it’s like an extended family to some extent anyway,” he told reporters at the venue yesterday.
“It’s just nice to see everybody again. Plus I have a lot of friends on the tour, you know, because I’m the returning guest for like 20 years everywhere I go.
“It feels good to see those familiar faces every single year. It’s something I couldn’t quite enjoy the last six months. That’s probably what I missed the most.” The feelings are mutual from the tennis-loving public, as witnessed by the 6,000 fans who packed into the Perth Arena just to watch Federer train at the Hopman Cup.
Federer’s last main Tour match was a semi-final defeat at Wimbledon to big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic and the extended break has saddled him with the 17th seeding in Melbourne. But his standing in the game will virtually assure him the prestige of centre court for every match he plays.
He will play a qualifier in the first round but hard-hitting Czech Tomas Berdych, seeded 10th, looms as a likely third Big-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic is counting on serve and volley specialist Richard Krajicek to be the ace up his sleeve as he pursues the first major title of his career at the Australian Open this month.
The world No. 3 added former Wimbledon champion Krajicek to his coaching staff last month in an attempt to gain a greater level of consistency and comfort with coming to the net.
Seeded third in Melbourne, behind Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, the 26-year-old Raonic said he did not see himself outplaying either of the world’s top two from behind the baseline, which is why he had opted for a change of direction.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to be the best guy from the baseline by any means, especially not against them,” Raonic, who lost to Murray in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2016, told reporters yesterday.
“If I’m going to take it to them, it’s by coming forward. So I wanted to improve in that aspect.” round opponent before a potential last 16 clash against fifth seed Kei Nishikori. Federer’s first match will be in the prime-time evening session at Rod Laver Arena on Monday, sparing him from the heat of a day tipped to exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
At 35, and with no Tour matches banked in his legs, however, Federer said his ability to withstand four and five-set slogs at his comeback grand slam remained “an unknown.” He was comfortable being tagged an underdog, a term rarely used for the 17-times grand slam champion.