Roger Federer in Melbourne for the 21st time: "The last one left"
Roger Federer celebrated his 21st opening win at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Despite the strong appearance, he does not see himself as a top favorite for the tournament victory.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jan 20, 2020, 12:40 pm
When Roger Federer marched onto the field for the first time at the Australian Open 20 years and four days ago, he was opposed by a small, large player. A man who had a name in the tennis world. Unlike Federer, at that time number 62 in the world rankings. But it was also a duel of yesterday against the present, Federer's match against the legendary American Michael Chang. Federer won the game in three sets, then later eliminated in the third round against Frenchman Arnaud Clement. Chang, Clement and all the others, they have long since retired, Federer still meets them today, but the others are either coaches of opponents. Or player advisors and officials. "I'm the last one left over from this time," says Federer himself, shaking his head.
Indeed: Federer is still there. Over and over again in an incomparable marathon career. He became the lonely tennis regent, the iron number one, the most relentless spoiler for entire generations, he won 20 majors. He had to share his power, first with Rafael Nadal, then with Novak Djokovic. But he set all possible and impossible records, and now, at the Australian Open 2020, he's just got another record. No one has played in Melbourne more often than Federer, 21 times now, 21 times in a row, and also 21 times as the winner of the delicate opening match. Federer had failed any compulsory match before the Grand Slam spectacle, he preferred to stay in Dubai for hard training weeks - and yet he performed again on Monday in the parade role of the age-old and timeless maestro.
Federer: "Lighter than I expected"
The American Steve Johnson, truly not a man without class or ambitions, had lost the game against the 38-year-old Swiss with 3: 6, 2: 6 and 2: 6 before he had sorted himself properly and struggled. “A wonderful start. Certainly easier than I expected it to be, ”said Federer, whose first game in the“ twenties ”included the entire family: Ms. Mirka and the twin daughters and sons. Full house, under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena. Outside, rain flash floods pelted down, the game was also interrupted in the course of the early evening, but Federer, who fought hard for his privileges over two decades, had a relaxed start. Without annoying waiting, without delay, without postponing matches.
"Must not and does not want to break every record"
Of course: In Melbourne and elsewhere there will always be a question this year, the question of the end of this exceptional career. The question: How long, Roger Federer? Federer gives the impression that he doesn't really know it himself. "I work in a way that continues," says Federer, "there is no date that I have in my head." But Federer astrologers are booming, every word, every decision is weighed up for signs of what could happen. So Federer's very lavish schedule for 2020 invited people to speculate again, to think that Federer would at least take a look at all these locations - and then retire well deserved. At the age of 39 and well over a thousand tour matches under her belt. When Federer crossed the magical line last year and celebrated his 100th tournament title in Dubai, he was holding the next, always on enthusiast among his own supporters, the stop sign in front of his face. "I have to and I don't want to break every record out there," said Federer, "I said goodbye to that a long time ago. That was never the big goal.
Federer took the perhaps most unexpected triumph of his career - the 2017 Melbourne Cup - three years ago, right after the longest injury break in his career. To this day, he cannot believe “I managed this thing. It's still completely unreal. ”But the time has progressed, a hungry, lurking generation of aspiring rivals is pressing the top people, including him, the eternal maestro. At the age of 38, how could he automatically call himself one of the top favorites for a tournament like in Melbourne, Federer says: “A Grand Slam is too hard for that. And much harder today than ten or twenty years ago. ”In another time when Federer was already there.