Tennis: Federer follows in footsteps of Borg

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Defending champion Roger Federer holds the winners trophy after his 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 victory over Spain's Rafael Nadal in the Men's Singles final on the Centre Court at Wimbledon

Friday, June 22, 2007

By Paul Newman

When you are Wimbledon champion four times over there are not many players who can excite you as potential hitting partners. Roger Federer, however, still glows at the memory of a practice session in Dubai last year.

"I was in transit, just spending a couple of days there before going to Shanghai," Federer said yesterday. "I knew Bjorn Borg was in town for a seniors match against John McEnroe and I had this fantastic idea of calling him up and saying: 'Do you want a hit?' He said 10 the next morning would be fine.

"It was a dream come true. We were warming up and I was laughing on the inside, thinking: 'Look, the backhand is still the same.' It was also a great chance to talk to him. I hear a lot through the media about really nice things that he has said about me. I've always been happy to hear that because he's a huge hero of mine."

Federer was talking after a practice session yesterday at the All England Club, where he will begin his quest on Monday to emulate Borg's feat of winning Wimbledon five years in a row. The world No 1 was born a year after Borg won his last title there in 1980.

There have been suggestions that Borg might present Federer with the winner's trophy if he matches his five successive titles, but the Swiss player said: "I don't think that would be a good idea. Tradition is tradition. The French Open gets people like Edberg and Kuerten out on the court to present the trophy, but Wimbledon has always been different. It's always been royalty here."

Federer will be 26 in August, the age at which Borg retired. Had he asked the Swede why he quit so young?

"I haven't, but I think everybody would like to know," Federer said. "His career was like some of the women's. Martina Hingis started at 16 and was incredibly strong. But then you get to 26 after 10 strong years and you've had enough of it. In a way it's a pity, but at the same time it makes him unique."

Although he has set his sights on winning the 2012 Olympic tournament at Wimbledon, Federer has started to contemplate life after retirement.

"I'm definitely thinking more about other things like having a family," he said. "The Roger Federer Foundation [which supports disadvantaged children in South Africa] is also becoming much more important. I'd like to settle down in Switzerland."

For the moment, however, his focus is on the next fortnight. After losing the French Open final Federer pulled out of last week's Halle tournament in Germany, which he won before each of his previous four Wimbledon triumphs.

"The last two years I've played in Halle after doing really well in Paris and each time I was very sore when I played at Wimbledon," he said. "I was so tired when I came here that I couldn't really practise much. This year I decided to do it differently. I'm sure it was the right decision."

Was he concerned at going into Wimbledon without any competitive grass-court preparation? "I can only really answer that once I'm past the first round. But on grass I always feel at home very quickly, with points played the way I like them to be played. My movement is excellent on grass, so I feel that everything works for me automatically here."

Last week's break gave Federer the chance to stay in his new flat in Zurich. He spent five days there, enjoying dinners and barbecues with friends, shopping, playing cards and visiting his parents. "I feel good now, relaxed and mentally fresh," he said. "To me that's more important than having played matches."

Federer sympathised with Andy Murray's fitness problems following the wrist injury that may yet force the Scot to withdraw from Wimbledon.

He said: "When you have a young career like Andy's and you know there's a risk that the wrist won't hold, you definitely don't want to jeopardise your entire career over one tournament, even though it's Wimbledon."

The Swiss player was asked whether he had a new outfit to replace the cream jacket he wore at the All England Club 12 months ago. "There's a jacket again," he said. "I still have to figure out what I am doing with it. The jacket is white, staying with the colours of Wimbledon.

"Last year was only the jacket, this year it's the whole outfit. I have a bag as well. There's no hat or tie. Maybe some white trousers. There's something on the pocket, a crest. The shoes will be special, too," Federer promised.

Record at Wimbledon

1999 Lost in first round to Jiri Novak 3-6 6-3 7-6 6-7 6-4

2000 Lost in third round to Yevgeny Kafelnikov 5-7 5-7 6-7

2001 Lost in quarter-final to Tim Henman 5-7 6-7 6-2 6-7

2002 Lost in second round to Mario Ancic 3-6 6-7 3-6

2003Beat Mark Philippoussis in final 7-5 6-2 7-6

2004 Beat Andy Roddick in final 4-6 7-5 7-6 6-4

2005 Beat Andy Roddick in final 6-2 7-6 6-4

2006 Beat Rafael Nadal in final 6-0 7-6 6-7 6-3