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SPORTS Wednesday 31 January 2018

Fendrich on Tennis: Years later, Roger Federer still on top

By HOWARD FENDRICH Take a look at the way
AP Tennis Writer Federer earned his sixth
Used to be that Roger Fe- Australian Open champi-
derer simply could not win onship, tying the men’s re-
a match, let alone a cham- cord for most in history, to
pionship, at major tourna- go along with his unprece-
ments. dented eight Wimbledons,
That might be hard to five U.S. Opens (tied for the
imagine now that Federer most in the professional
owns 20 Grand Slam tro- era) and one French Open.
phies. But you can look it After letting a lead slip
up: He lost in the first round away and getting out-
on three of his first four trips played by Cilic the fourth
to Wimbledon, and three set, Federer faced some
of his first five appearances danger in the opening
at the French Open. game of the decider in the
So let’s recall what Federer form of two break points.
said at the All England Club “Momentum,” Cilic would
on the day he collected his say later, “was on my side.”
very first Grand Slam title, all Right when nerves would
the way back in July 2003. figure to be most frayed,
“I hope,” Federer said, “it’s Federer was steadier. On
not going to be my last.” the initial break chance
Seems silly nowadays, there,
doesn’t it? Cilic got a look at a 104
Because there he was, mph second serve and
nearly 15 full years later, dumped a forehand return
tears dotting his cheeks into the net. On the next,
as he spoke to an adoring Switzerland’s Roger Federer poses with his trophy, the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after Cilic pushed a forehand
Australian Open crowd af- winning the men’s singles final against Croatia’s Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis return wide off a 119 mph
ter beating 2014 U.S. Open championships in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 29, 2018. first serve up the “T,” and
champion Marin Cilic 6-2, Associated Press Federer yelled out in Swiss
6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in Sun- has won exactly 10 per- sive in light of the recent ber,” he said Sunday. “But German.
day’s final in Melbourne. cent of the 200 major tour- injury woes for the younger I need to be very careful in Two points later, Federer
Holding his most recent naments contested in the members of tennis’ elite: my planning, really decide conjured up a cross-court
prize, Federer declared, professional era. Before Fe- Nadal, Novak Djokovic, beforehand what are my backhand winner that
“The fairy tale continues.” derer started collecting his Andy Murray and Stan goals, what are my priori- clipped the outside of a
It’s hard to decide what is 20, the most any man man- Wawrinka. ties. line to cap a 15-stroke ex-
most remarkable about Fe- aged to accumulate was At 36½, Federer is now the I think that’s what’s going change and grab that
derer’s career. the 14 for Pete Sampras; he second-oldest man to win to dictate how successful I game.
Cilic’s take? now stands No. 3, behind a Grand Slam title in the will be.” In the next, Cilic double-
“The passion to compete, Federer and Rafael Nadal Open era — Ken Roswell Federer was asked how faulted twice and Federer
season after season, espe- with 16. won Australia in 1972 at 37. long he thinks he can con- took advantage, breaking
cially at this high level,” said There’s also that constant And after going more than tinue playing at this level. en route to a 3-0 lead. And
the man who has lost two work to evolve and im- four years without a trophy, “No idea. Honest, I don’t that was pretty much that.
of the last three Grand Slam prove, most notably dur- he’s added three in the know. Federer was on his way, just
finals to the Swiss maestro. ing his recent renaissance span of four appearances I have no idea. I’ve won like so many times before.
“Also, being able to chal- by adding versatility to his at majors (he skipped last three Slams now in 12 “It’s always very, very chal-
lenge himself, first physically backhand side with a flat- year’s French Open and months. I can’t believe it lenging to play him,” Cilic
and then mentally, as well, ter, more powerful shot sounds like someone con- myself,” he said. observed.
to be at the top almost ev- than his long-preferred templating doing so again “I just got to keep a good Wasn’t always that way at
ery single week.” slice. in a few months’ time). schedule, stay hungry, then the very beginning, actu-
The sheer volume of it all And there’s the longevity, “I don’t think age is an is- maybe good things can ally. Yet it very much is, all
does stand out. Federer which is particularly impres- sue, per se. It’s just a num- happen.” these years later.q