<i>Miles to go before he sleeps</i>
Swiss star and US Open champion Roger Federer displays his trophy during a photo-shoot on top of the Empire State Building in New York on Tuesday. Federer won his 13th career title on Monday and is just one shy of Pete Sampras' record of 14.Photo: AFP
Roger Federer's rivals weren't exactly writing him off. Not publicly, anyway.
Still, plenty of people were, and he heard them. Federer delivered a response with his fifth consecutive U.S. Open championship and his 13th career Grand Slam title, moving within one of Pete Sampras' record of 14.
The response amounted to this:
Don't for a minute think I'm done.
Don't for a minute think I'm going away.
Don't for a minute think I won't be collecting more of these titles.
His play delivered that message at Flushing Meadowsparticularly in one-sided victories over Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Andy Murray in the final. Then Federer went ahead and articulated it Tuesday when asked how long he can continue to win major tournaments.
“I have the belief right now that I can do it as long as I'm healthy, really. That's the way I feel. I'm going to believe till the end of my tennis days that I probably can win a Grand Slam,” he told a small group of reporters at the Empire State Building. “And if it's not the case, or I don't believe in it anymore, then I'll probably retire.”
Here's the really bad news for men with designs on winning Grand Slam events: Federer is healthier than ever.
Not only is his bout with mononucleosis a distant memory, but his extra dedication to taking care of his body is paying dividends.
“What I'm striving for is longevity. … I feel so much better physically today than I ever have. I mean, like, maybe this year was difficult, but right now, the day after the U.S. Open, I feel like, 'My God, I'm fresh,”' Federer said. “I don't have these niggling injuries any more like I used to have when I was younger. I remember I had a sore arm every day when I was 20, 21. I had muscle pain all over my body after, like, a four-setter.”
He mentioned, as he has in the past, that he intends to compete at the 2012 London Olympicstennis will be contested at his beloved All England Cluband beyond.
And why not?
He's still only 27, and unlike U.S. Open women's champion Serena Williams, who doesn't hide her interests in fashion and acting, Federer can be heard to say, “I live and breathe tennis,” as he did Tuesday.
“I feel, for a very long time, that I'll always be able to win Wimbledon, always going to be able to win the U.S. Open,” Federer said, his latest silver trophy sitting inches away on a table. “The first thing that's probably going to go is the French Open, even though I think that should also not be a problem, you knowhaving a shot therebecause I'm such a good all-arounder and I've proven myself so much over the years there.”
Ah, the French Open.
It's the one real gap on his resume, although he also listed leading Switzerland to a Davis Cup title and winning an Olympic gold medal in singles among his “many dreams” as yet unfulfilled.
Unlike Sampras, who only once made the semifinals at Roland Garros, Federer reached the past three finals there, losing each time to four-time champion Rafael Nadal. Nadal, of course, also stopped Federer's reign at Wimbledon and recently ended his 4 1/2 -year stay at No. 1 in the rankings.
At least Federer can joke about his French Open history.
As he and Murray posed for postmatch pictures Monday night, one with the champion's prize and the other with his runner-up dish, first-time Grand Slam finalist Murray asked whether Federer gets to keep the trophy.
So Federer explained that the U.S. Open replica trophy is the best of the lot because it's the same size as the original. What they give you at Wimbledon is only 75 per cent as big as the real one, he pointed out, and the one at the Australian Open is quite small.
But, Federer recounted, smiling at his own punchline, “I told him, 'I don't know about the French Open.”'
Later, Murray said he figured Federer probably has at least four years left “right at the top.”
“It depends how much everybody else improves, I guess,” Murray said. “He's still playing great tennis, but, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he did overtake Sampras.”
If Federer wins the Australian Open for No. 14, the pursuit of record-breaking No. 15 would begin at the French Open, of all places.
But instead of looking ahead to that, let's look back for a moment.
Until Monday night, everyone seemed concerned about Federer. About his game, about his health, about his mental state.
Everyone, that is, save Federer himself.
“I never really had any moment where I was like, 'Things are just not working out for me,”' he said, “because at the big tournaments, I actually did play very well.”
That certainly is true: He reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon.
And yet, Federer acknowledged Tuesday, he did feel a need to win this particular U.S. Open. Not because he harbored doubts about whether he could. But because, rather, he wondered whether he approached this trying year properly.
“Maybe I proved to myself that I was doing the right things, and that the season was difficult and tough for me and that I maybe did pick the right schedule,” he said. “I have energy left at the end of the trip. I definitely came out here fresh. I'm still fresh today. I'm very happy with what my decision-making was.”
He also is pleased to be heading into 2009 on a positive note.
No more “What's wrong with Roger?” questions.
“It's the end of the year, it's the last Grand Slam. He didn't have a bad year, but for his standards, not as good as he would have liked,” Federer's part-time coach, Jose Higueras, said outside the locker room after Monday night's champagne celebration. “It's a great thing going into next year. It gives him a lot of hope to get ready for next season, and I think it's a great feeling for him.”
Might not be the greatest feeling for the rest of the tour, though.
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