‘Not thinking too much about 100 singles titles’
shanghai — Roger Federer said on Monday he is pinching himself over a resurgent season that has added two more Grand Slams to the Swiss great’s trophy case and put 100 career singles titles within reach.
Following an injury-plagued 2016 in which he failed to lift any hardware, Federer has thrived on a reduced schedule aimed at easing the strain on his 36-year-old bones.
“I couldn’t be happier with this season to be quite honest,” the world number two said as preliminary play in the Shanghai Masters got under way. “I’m just happy being here now and it would be nice to pick up another title and get in training and start again the next year and get more chances then.”
Looming in Shanghai is a potential clash in the final between Federer and Rafael Nadal, whose friendly rivalry has blossomed anew this year as they force the next generation to wait their turn.
The Spaniard comes to Shanghai’s hardcourt having dispatched dangerous 22-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios in straight sets to win the China Open in Beijing on Sunday. The veteran Federer, on the other hand, skipped Beijing to arrive early in Shanghai to practice — and pace himself.
He now has 93 singles titles, just one shy of overtaking Ivan Lendl for second-most in the Open era. Jimmy Connors has 109.
But Federer, who has five singles titles so far this year, is just focused on staying healthy.
“I’m not that far away (from 100 titles) it seems, but there is no point really to think about it on a daily basis. This is something that is either going to happen or not going to happen,” he said. — Printed and Published by Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), P.O. Box 11243, Dubai. Telephone: 3383535/ 3384545. Telefax: 3382238/ 3383676. email: sports@khaleejtimes.com Internet Home Page: www.khaleejtimes.com