The return on sand: Roger Federer looks forward to "the unknown"
Roger Federer is the big unknown on sand this year - in Madrid (from May 5th), the Swiss are back on the red ashes for the first time since 2016. Jörg Allmeroth visited Federer during his preparation in Switzerland.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: May 02, 2019, 10:04 am
It is a cool, gray afternoon this week on which Roger Federer arrives in a nicely located Swiss tennis club for one of his last training sessions before the emergency.
The real thing is the Masters tournament in Madrid. The first clay court appearance in almost three years. A little eternity in tennis. But is it really an emergency, Mr. Federer? The master player is pretty relaxed, sometimes completely away from the "natural nervousness" that he always feels when he walks onto a center court, "nothing has changed" over the past 20 years: "I feel good, I have well trained, I watch what's coming, "says Federer," it may well be that I tear something. In Madrid, maybe also in Paris. "
But Federer knows just as well that "it can be over pretty quickly." After all, he only plays clay court tennis in Spain and France's capitals, at best for three weeks. Or significantly shorter. "My world would certainly not collapse then - despite all the ambition, the will to always want to win," says Federer, "I will do my best, as always."
Federer during training? Nobody gets upset
It is astounding to see Federer in his club of choice for training in this club. The location is supposed to remain discreet, Federer actually only wants to take it back to some extent and to train without any fuss. After sliding into the parking lot in his Mercedes, he shoulders the tennis baggage, briefly assesses the scene, checks whether there are uninvited visitors nearby. They are not. Federer greets a few confidants, acquaintances, friends, also coach Severin Lüthi, it looks like a very normal meeting in a normal tennis club.
And one can be surprised how relaxed the other tennis players are, nobody gets upset because Federer is there. Nobody is bothered by their own game, even the youth training just continues - without shouting, without roaring, without ballyhoo. Only now and then there is a furtive look over to Federer, who has now sat down at a table for discussion.
Federer: "Responsibility decision"
Why is he doing the drudgery in the sand at all, the hours of sliding exercises against the specialists or against the much younger ones? "I felt good in terms of health, and there was no one in the team who was against it," says Federer. He also felt no obligation, felt no pressure, said Federer, “I already know that some have criticized me for allegedly resting in the clay court season in previous years. But it was now solely my own decision, nothing else. "
However: the expectations for the following lawn series are very different, he plays in Halle at the Gerry Weber Open and then in Wimbledon, favorite tournaments for various reasons. He wants to get involved in the front, target the title.
Federer is now looking forward to the games on clay because they bring him the necessary thrill and the variety that he is looking for in this phase of his career: "It is the thrill, the uncertain that excites you," says the 37th -year-old, "It's also the beauty of tennis that it's not so static. That is certainly a secret of success for the Laver Cup, it is an innovative concept. ”
Rock-hard training weeks
The clandestine master of the new Davis Cup, football professional Gerard Pique, had announced that he wanted to speak to Federer again about the remodeled team competition, possibly also about its scheduling, but Federer says rather distantly that he has no date or anything similar. What else would the maestro have to discuss, he will not clear the date of his jointly responsible Laver Cup - and he will not participate in the Davis Cup final tournament in November. Not only because Switzerland is not qualified. But he wishes the Davis Cup and also the ATP Cup (in January 2020) all the best.
Federer has worked with the Englishman Dan Evans and the young Serb Miomir Kecmanovic at various locations in Switzerland in the last, rock-hard training weeks. On this day, shortly before the Madrid Masters, he invited some Swiss juniors. The greeting is not very formal, the teenagers call the maestro a "Hello, Rog '", Federer replies "Hello, z'samme."
Federer on Woods: "Absolutely gigantic"
Before he later went to the court, he treated himself to an espresso from the clubhouse restaurant with Coach Lüthi. There is still a tour d'horizon, there is talk about God and the world and also a little bit about the football situation, in Switzerland, in Germany and in general. “Surprises wherever you look,” says Federer, “a lot of crazy things are happening.” Tiger Woods also comes up: “What a comeback. Absolutely gigantic. ”And then Dirk Nowitzki:“ This career was sensational. 21 years with a club that something like that still exists. "
Federer enjoyed the weeks at home with his wife and four children. “In the end it is always the most beautiful in Switzerland, no doubt,” says Federer, “home then feels different. Even if I feel good around the world, I have friends everywhere. ”The fact that he doesn't stray from home, like some superstars from sports, music or showbiz elsewhere, also has to do with the way the Swiss meet him. In any case, this can be read from the assessment he expresses at the round table in this tennis club: “I'm not standing on a pedestal here. You are nice to me, you leave me alone, you are happy when you see me. But luckily you don't go crazy. "
Federer zu Zverev: "See challenge as opportunity"
Federer has of course watched a lot of tennis recently, he also registered Dominic Thiem's recent victory in Barcelona with appreciation and goodwill: "He is pursuing his career with straightforwardness and deliberation," says Federer about the Austrian, who alongside Rafael Nadal is a top favorite has risen at eye level for the French Open. The maestro could also meet both Thiem and Nadal in Madrid. The sporting crisis of Alexander Zverev meanwhile does not leave Federer cold, but not because Federer would in any way look at the Germans as possible clients for the management company Team 8 (he is a client, also a partner there) - there were corresponding weeks ago Speculation, but Federer had already vigorously rejected it.
Federer says that he likes “Zverev simple”, that he has “given him advice from time to time.” And now, how should Zverev approach this situation? "He has to help himself, it will make him stronger. He has to see it as a challenge, as an opportunity to stand even more on his own two feet, ”says Federer,“ I know what I'm talking about. I too had these moments when I thought: it can't go on. But it went on. "And how.