Wimbledon? I can be King Roger the eighth
ROGER FEDERER has set his sights on an eighth Wimbledon title this summer after the latest chapter of his remarkable 2017 ended with him winning the Miami Open.
The 35-year-old’s success in Florida, with a straight-sets win over Rafael Nadal, means he has won the biggest three tournaments of the year following titles at the Australian Open and Indian Wells – all after missing the final six months of last season with a knee injury.
Federer will now skip the majority of the clay-court season and not play another tournament until the French Open, which begins on May 22 – and his attention is already on the third Grand Slam of the year five weeks later.
“Wimbledon has to be the biggest goal now,” said Federer, who last won the title in 2012. “As for the French Open, we will see but there is no pressure there really. All the grass-court events are important to me. The second part of the season is a big priority.
“My knee felt strange on the clay last year so maybe being away from it as much as possible is a good thing. My physio and fitness guy think so.”
The Swiss star’s stunning start means he can cherrypick his schedule for the rest of the year. And with more than 4,000 ranking points in the bag and no MIAMI MARVEL: Federer’s on a roll points to defend after Wimbledon, a return to the world No1 spot is a strong possibility. The 6-3, 6-4 win over old rival Nadal was his 19th from 20 matches this season. “The dream goes on,” he said. “What a start to the year, I can’t believe it.” Johanna Konta’s rise to a career-high seventh in the world was confirmed yesterday after her Miami Open triumph, while she also moved to second in the Road to Singapore rankings. But Konta has pulled out of this week’s Volvo Car Open in South Carolina, citing a “slight shoulder injury and sickness”. IN AUGUSTA TOMMY FLEETWOOD once harboured dreams of becoming an actor, so his first appearance on golf’s most iconic stage this week should be made to measure for him.
There will be a few nerves of course as he contemplates his opening tee shot in the shadow of the sprawling oak tree outside the Augusta clubhouse but nothing the 26-year-old from Southport cannot handle.
Some people shrink from the spotlight, others bask in it and Fleetwood is definitely in the second category.
When the curtain rises for the 81st playing of the Masters, he will be ready. “It’s a landmark in your career getting to Augusta
I did drama at school. I like to be in the spotlight
because it’s tournament to Fleetwood.
“I’m not counting on this being my one and only chance, but I’m excited to be here. It’s really cool.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I expect to win but I feel comfortable with a lot of the shots on the course.
“I’ve tried my hardest to take on as much advice as possible. I’ve played a few holes with Mark O’Meara and I’ve spoken to Lee Westwood as well.”
Debutants, as a rule, do not fare well at Augusta. Fuzzy Zoeller – who Fleetwood will play in tomorrow’s Par 3 contest – was the last rookie to win in 1979. So Fleetwood’s thespian tendencies could be of use this week in playing the part of an Augusta old hand.
“People laugh at me about this but I would have loved to have given theatre and some acting a go,” he said. “I did drama at school, got an A-star and was seriously contemplating going to drama school after I left high school but decided to give fulltime golf a proper go instead. It’s the get in hardest to,” said all worked out OK, obviously, but I still like to think about it a bit. I like being in the spotlight.” Fleetwood has enjoyed a flying start to 2017, wining in Abu Dhabi and finishing as runner-up to world No1 Dustin Johnson at the World Golf Championship event in Mexico. That second place was clinched with a spectacular 40-foot birdie putt at the last that triggered one of the worst high-five attempts in golf history with his caddie Ian Finnis – leading to him inadvertently punching himself in the face. These are heady days, though, for the Wigan Warriors nut after losing his game at the 2015 Open. “I shot a good first round and literally the next day had a terrible round and my game never came back for a year. I was properly struggling. I had the odd top-20 but it was mostly missed cuts and firing it all over the golf course,” he said.
“Practice sessions would sometimes go all right but when I got out on the course it was always hard work. My strength has always been my driving and I couldn’t even do that.
“I tried to change my swing to be a world-class player, a top-10, top-five player, and I couldn’t make the changes I thought would do that. At the time, I didn’t realise golfers have a way that they swing it and it’s very hard to change that or go against what you have been born with and been doing for 24 years.”
The road to ruin through well-intentioned tinkering is one well trodden in golf but Fleetwood saw sense in time and a return to his old coach Alan Thompson has taken him to a career-high No32 in the world and delivered his Augusta invitation.
Fleetwood, who came to the Masters as a fan three years ago,
GOLFERS WHO HAVE BEEN SANCTIONED BECAUSE OF EAGLE-EYED TV VIEWERS