Passion driving Federer back to the top

A LOOK of anger flashed across Andy Murray’s face on Friday night when somebody had the temerity in his press conference to imply that Roger Federer was “near the end of the road”.

“Who says that?” he snapped. “Who are these people? Journalists?”

The word was spat out almost in disgust, but he had a point. I stand guilty as charged.

Two years ago, having watched Tomas Berdych deny him a place in the final for the first time since 2002, I suggested time was running out for the Wimbledon legend.

“The constant ticking of the biological clock is a relentlessly unkind sound in tennis,” I wrote. “For any player to be in denial of that – especially a Swiss one – is just plain cuckoo.”

Time, I suggested, would tell. And boy, have I been told.

His passion – and belief, more importantly – never diminished. He continued to put in the hard hours, convinced there would be one more finally back in that final. That’s all my goal was, going into the semi-final – not looking ahead trying to prove anything or anything like that.

“I feel like I have played plenty of tennis over the years and had so much success that I don’t really think I really need to do that.”

Federer remains just one victory away from Pete Sampras’s Open-era record of seven Wimbledon crowns and he uses the American as an inspiration in his quest.

“I remember the end of his career and admired how he stuck around, tried to win maybe one more,” Federer said. “For me it was an inspiration to see somebody, while I was coming up, dominating the game and breaking records. I’m sure that inspired me in some ways.”

Sampras never made it beyond the fourth round in his final two Wimbledons and had already graced SW19’s lawns for the final time before Federer’s age.

Since last lifting the trophy in 2009, it is not as though Federer has slipped far. He had a match point to beat Novak Djokovic in the US Open semi-finals last year and lost the two Grand Slam semi-finals this year.

But having overcome that hurdle here, he feels just as much determination as his “local hero” opponent to make his opportunity count. “Of course, there’s a lot on the line for me,” Federer said. “I’m not denying that. I have a lot of pressure as well. I’m looking forward to that.

“That’s what I work hard for. I’ve worked extremely hard since I lost that match point against Novak last year at the US Open. Now I have a chance at world No 1 and the title again, all at once.

“So it’s a big match for me and I hope I can keep my nerve. I am sure I can – and hopefully win the match.”

Again, time will tell.