By Chris Oddo | Saturday June 25, 2016
A relaxed Roger Federer talked Wimbledon favorites, injuries and professed his love for Wimbledon during his Saturday meeting with reporters.
Photo: Camerasport
Roger Federer hopes that Wimbledon will be the tonic that spruces up his 2016 campaign. The Swiss maestro showed up to the press center for his pre-Wimbledon interview in good spirits (wearing an SW19 t-shirt with a double-decker bus emblazoned between the SW and the 19), saying that he is feeling revitalized to be back on the grounds at the tournament that has been most instrumental in helping him forge his tennis legacy.
More: Who Has a Chance to Knock off Top Dog Djokovic at SW 19?
“I think this is a huge boost for me after pulling out of Paris,” Federer said about his two weeks of grass-court tennis in Stuttgart and Halle, which featured no titles, but more important, no injury setbacks. “That I'm back here at my favorite tournament. With all the success I've had here, this is the motivation I need right now to get back on the big courts, play good matches, enjoy Wimbledon.”
Federer, who will square off with Argentina’s Guido Pella in round one, says his affection for the pristinely manicured grass-courts of the All England Club run deep.
“I love this tournament more than anything,” Federer said. “It's a huge opportunity for me to maybe turn around the season. Who knows? Yeah, then just play some nice tennis, enjoy myself here.”
Given that Federer is a returning finalist at Wimbledon, it certainly isn’t outrageous to think he can find his game and forge through the first week without too much trouble. It was only January, before injuries and illness struck, that Federer was riding a hot stretch that saw him go 17-3 in his last three majors, with two finals and a semifinal.
So, is Federer thinking he can shake off the rust, put on the Superman cape, and knife through the draw at the speed of light?
Maybe not yet.
“Clearly I'm not thinking of the title right away,” he said. “It's too far ahead. It's too far. Regardless if even Novak or Andy would be in the draw, and they are in the draw, they are the big favorites in my opinion. They've had such a great last six months, last few years. To me they are the ones to beat.”
Federer is clearly thinking about getting to Manic Monday here at SW19, and if there was ever a player who knew how to navigate the first week of a Wimbledon, it is the 34-year-old. He owns a 79-10 record that includes ten finals. Only once has he failed to reach the quarterfinals since 2003.
“I need to focus on myself, getting myself into those positions, meaning second week, growing momentum, you know, the whole thing starts rolling then hopefully,” Federer said. “Clearly important is getting there, getting the job done in the first week.”
As far as his ailing back goes, Federer wants the world to know that he’s perfectly fine with his back even if it causes him the occasional heartache.
“Look, this back has won me 88 titles, so I'm okay with that back,” he said. “It's okay if it messes around with me sometimes.”
He added: “It's frustrating because it shakes the whole mechanics of the body, what you can work on. Yeah, maybe if it hits you in bad times, it's not funny. I think particularly difficult has just been looking ahead of what was to come: Paris, Wimbledon, Olympics, US Open… That's why the decision not playing Paris, for instance, was very easy to be taken because it was for Wimbledon, it was for the rest of the season, it was for my life, it was for the rest of my career. That's more important than one or two or three tournaments really.”
And so on the Saturday before the beginning of another Wimbledon fortnight (his 18th!), Federer is here and liking his chances to summon the grass-whispering magic that he has become known for over his illustrious career. He may not be in the best form of his life, but in many ways he’s right where he wants to be.