Federer still the man to beat as season takes off
IF ANYONE thought that Roger Federer’s November semifinal exit at London’s 02 Arena was the precursor to some wider decline they were put in their place last week.
While other members of the five-man group who have dominated the men’s game are either in questionable health — or in Andy Murray’s case absent altogether — the 36 year-old Swiss returned to action at the Hopman Cup in Perth.
He won all his singles matches, and in the final allowed one of his best young challengers, Alex Zverev, just two games in the last two sets after losing the first on the tiebreak. Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka arrived late last week in Australia to prepare, and they were joined on the practice courts yesterday by Novak Djokovic.
But if Federer is to face a serious challenge in the Australian Open next week then it might come from Nick Kyrgios, who yesterday took the Brisbane International title with a 6-4 6-2 victory over American Ryan Harrison.
Another who looks well primed is the man he beat in the high quality Queensland semi-final, ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov.
Kyrgios is one of two home players with exceptional talent. The other is the wayward Bernard Tomic who, having been refused a main draw wildcard, considered entering Australia’s version of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!’ instead of playing this week’s qualifying event. At times it has looked like Kyrgios might go a similar way, but the signs are that he may be taking the game quite seriously, at least at the moment.
Twelve months ago he admitted he had barely done any physical work during the off season bar playing games of basketball, his favourite passion. Last week he reported a more professional approach to keeping himself fit and trying to prevent the injuries that always threaten to flare up. His knee is already sore.
If the men’s event in Melbourne looks an open scrap to unseat Federer, then it is nothing compared to the indications of how unpredictable women’s tournament may be like in Serena Williams’s continued absence.
A startling statistic from the first week of tournament play in 2018; Simona Halep’s victory at the Shenzen WTA event this weekend was the first time that a women’s number one had claimed any kind of title since Williams won Wimbledon in 2016.