Speaking on set with Brett Haber and Jon Wertheim of Tennis Channel, two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier expressed his views on what factors might have contributed to Roger Federer’s shock loss to Andreas Seppi on Day 5.
More: Federer Stunned in Third Round by Andreas Seppi
Courier, unlike Martina Navratilova, didn’t believe that Federer’s preparation or possible over playing had anything to do with the loss.
Also See: Navratilova Says Federer's Lack of Off-Season Contributed to Upset
“I don’t think that his preparation was poor at all,” said Courier. “I think he was ready. I just think that overall he had an off day. Everyone is prone to it, maybe as you get older they become a little more pronounced.”
Additionally, Courier believes that Federer took the wrong approach to the contest with Seppi.
“I didn’t like the gameplan," Courier stated. "I’m sorry that’s not a match where he should be attacking as much as he did. He should have been reading the tea leaves. If you’re not having success--when the facts change, you have to change with them and he didn’t do it.”
Federer clearly had difficulty at net, winning only 29 of 50 forays with the Italian tattooing passing shots that eluded Federer’s racquet on many occasions.
“This is a matchup where [Federer is] so much better than Seppi—we know that, he was 10-0 against him. But Seppi’s a guy who likes a target. Federer, we know he’s been trying to get to the net and shorten points. You give Seppi a target and he can beat you. “Federer, I don’t think realized what was happening out there … [he] just didn’t have it physically and I also think he didn’t have it mentally.”