AB84E318-033A-4989-BB6A-65AB44E0E603
By Alberto Amalfi
© Tony Chang/Chang Photography
© Tennis Canada
(August 10, 2010) Aiming to retool his game and regain his winning ways, Roger Federer wasn't interested in playing catch-up in his return to tournament tennis in Toronto tonight. Taking the court in a power pink polo shirt, Federer delivered a dose of forward thinking to the court. Stepping inside the baseline, serving-and-volleying at times and driving his forehand down the line, Federer adopted an aggressive posture in defeating Juan Ignacio Chela, 7-6(7), 6-3 in an entertaining Rogers Cup match played before a near-capacity crowd at the Rexall Centre.
It was Federer's first match since he lost to Tomas Berdych in the Wimbledon quarterfinals more than five weeks ago.
"It's always nice to come back after six weeks and get the win," said Federer. "It's normal that you're a bit rusty after six weeks. You have to work your way into playing matches again."
Playing his first tournament with new coach Paul Annacone at his side, Federer tried to impose his agility and athleticism with aggressive court positioning that saw him take the ball on the rise and try to take Chela's response time away.
Long Island native Annacone played a relentless serve-and-volley style, attacking net on both first and second serves during his playing days on the ATP Tour and his influence on the aggressive brand of tennis Federer brought to court tonight was clear.
"I've always questioned myself in the best of times and in the worst of times, even though there were not many bad moments the last seven years or so," Federer said. "But I always look at new ways I can improve. Paul, I think, with his experience can bring something to our team and that's what we're exploring right now."
The third-seeded Swiss benefited from a tailor-made test-case opponent in Chela, who stands 6-foot-3, but plays a smaller man's brand of tennis prefering to counter-punch from behind the baseline.
The Federer serve was a key stroke in the match. Serving with more variety, Federer connected on 69 percent of his first serves, hit nine aces and won 33 of 38 points played on his first serve.