Kyrgios the one to derail Fed Express
ROGER Federer has earmarked Nick Kyrgios as a potential grand slam wrecking ball as the defending champion surveys a depleted Australian Open field clouded in fitness doubts.
With Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori sidelined and Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka returning from injury, Kyrgios is one hurdle 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’ 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 hometown tournament ( in Basel) so it’s a great start to his career and there’s a lot 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 favourite to land a record- equalling sixth Open crown.
“Everybody thinks I maybe have a good chance to repeat and other 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.”
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 just about ( being) happy to be in Australia,” he said during an ap- pearance for sponsor JURA Australia.
“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.
“So I feel ready but the year has been long, it’s been a lot of tennis so I feel that. But I’ve played matches, I know where I am, it’s not the unknown like last year.”