RF Tennis News 2018

Roger Federer Wins the Australian Open for His 20th Grand Slam Title


By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY - NYTimes.com
JAN. 28, 2018


Roger Federer, right, during the trophy ceremony after he defeated Marin Cilic to win the Australian Open.
“The fairy tale continues, for us, for me,” he said. Credit Michael Dodge/Getty Images

"But Federer has not needed much consolation of late as he glides on at an age by which nearly all of the great men’s players have moved on. He said it helped that his recurring back problems did not affect him here after troubling him post-Wimbledon last season.

“I was a bit worried at the end of the year,” he said. “I was relieved that after vacation, it was better. I think that’s why I was able to win here.”

Federer said that, unusually, he did not take any anti-inflammatory pills during the tournament. “I know guys my age who took one every day,” he said."

Dear Roger Federer:
An apology for ever writing you off




In May 2016, Charlie Eccleshare predicted Roger Federer would never win another grand slam.
He has won three since. - Credit: Getty Images


By Charlie Eccleshare - The Telegraph

30 January 2018


Dear Roger,

I trust you're well. The Australian Open looked like fun, even if the final got a bit hairy in places. I hope you have a safe journey home and that the jet lag isn't too bad. Personally I always find it a little bit easier going east to west so maybe you'll be ok. I guess it's hard to know at this point.

Anyway, I'm writing to offer you an apology. In May 2016 I wrote you off in an article titled 'Why Roger Federer will never win another grand slam'. In my infinite wisdom I wittered that: "The reality is that the exertion of winning 21 sets against the immense physical specimens that populate the ATP Tour will likely prove beyond even this most durable of 34-year-olds."

As it has turned out, my prediction was about as accurate as that time Alan Hansen suggested teams can't win anything with kids. Or when Gordon Brown hailed an end to boom and bust economic cycles.

But enough about Scottish sexagenarians. This is about me, and it's about you, Rog. I would like to say sorry for so hopelessly underestimating you. At the time you see, the world looked very different. You were struggling with a knee injury, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray seemed set to be tennis's defining rivalry for years to come, and Brexit had still not happened to serve as a reminder to us all that anything was possible. (I hope you understand I'm not comparing your recent success to Brexit).

Since I wrote my piece you have proved me wrong not once, not twice, but thrice. You have moved from 17 grand slam titles to a staggering 20, and created further distance between yourself and Rafael Nadal in the battle to end up as the tennis GOAT (greatest of all time).

Every time you hoover up another grand slam, I'm subjected to ridicule on social media, which is fair enough. I deserve it. Though I will say that when I initially wrote the piece, the main response on Twitter was not "you're an idiot" but more "why are you wasting our time by stating the bleeding obvious?"

Blinded by your four-year slam drought, I failed to see a number of things coming. Your reworked backhand - how on earth have you done that so late in your career? The injuries to your rivals (those same people I sagely described as "immense physical specimens" two years ago), and your seemingly insatiable appetite for playing tennis.  

I hope you can forgive me for my failure of imagination and inability to realise that for you, even the passing of time can be swatted aside in straight sets. You owe me nothing of course but you would be really helping me out if you could offer me some sort of tip for the future to help me redeem myself.

You know, things like: When do you reckon you will pack it in? How many slams do you envisage ending up with? Will you ever break sweat in one of your matches?

In the meantime, enjoy the afterglow of Sunday's win. And please send my best to Mirka and the kids.

I assure you I won't be making any sweeping predictions in the coming months. Although, you're not thinking of retiring any ti...no, forget it.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Eccleshare