Roger’s pride at Wooldridge Award
ON THE eve of his Australian Open title defence Roger Federer was delighted to be presented with our Ian Wooldridge Award, in recognition of his remarkable feats of 2017. Named after our much-missed former chief sportswriter, the Wooldridge Award is voted for by our readers. It is an accolade not just for sporting achievements, but also for carrying them off in the style and spirit Ian held dear. Federer delivered on both fronts last year. At the age of 35 and coming off a long injury break, the Swiss stunned the tennis world by winning seven titles. These included the Australian Open, which saw him win a five-set final against Rafael Nadal, and Wimbledon, where he went the whole fortnight without losing a set. He amassed a 52-5 overall winloss record for the season, all with the flair that has made him such a fan favourite. Receiving the award at Melbourne Park yesterday, Federer said: ‘I’m honoured to receive an award named after such a respected journalist and I would like to thank all the readers who voted for me. I really appreciate the support I get when I play at Wimbledon or the O2. 2017 was special for me and hopefully there will be more good moments in 2018.’