RF Tennis News 2017

But Federer feels like 2017 is his best year ever. “It does [feel that way], because it came as a surprise,” he said in an interview Tuesday night. “I didn’t expect a year like this, especially after the difficulties I had last year with my knee and my back—everything was bad, really, last year.” (We feel you, Federer.) “And here I am, fighting for world No. 1, won two Slams already this year, another five titles—I mean, it’s something super special, so in some ways, it feels like the best season of my life.”

True to his word, he had a very laid-back response as to whether he’d win the U.S. Open: “No, I think it’s going to be difficult, you know?” he said. “I know everybody says that, but I just don’t see myself winning three Slams this year. If I would have told people, ‘I will win one more Grand Slam,’ there would have been a 50-50 thing, where people would have said ‘no’ or ‘yes’—and here I have two already. Three would almost be too much to be true, you know?

“But I’m in good shape, I’m ready to go, and I’m very excited for the U.S. Open,” he continued.” And it’s been an unbelievable year, so why not play one more amazing tournament? For sure!”

“I don’t think so,’’ Federer said when asked if his back will be a factor. “I’m already playing points (Wednesday and Thursday). I am where I want to be. I took it slow because I could. I wasn’t in a rush. I didn’t have to play points or matches within a few days after Montreal. I was really good taking my time, follow a schedule and not force it. I’m better off following that schedule. I still have four, five days. So it’s all good.

“Other than the back issue, I’m coming in as good as I can possibly feel. I’m playing extremely well. I’ve had as much motivation as I ever had. I rested the clay-court season, hoping it would pay off for the grass-court and it did. It was good saving the body and mind. I’m really excited to be here. I’m making sure I’m 100-percent ready for New York. I’m feeling a lot better than a week ago. That’s very encouraging. I love playing here – the courts suit me well.”

Rod Laver told The Post that Federer’s biggest change this year is hitting his backhand more flat and powerful, playing more patiently at the net and not obsessing over the sport.

“He’s not always thinking tennis off the court,’’ said Laver, the last men’s player to win a Grand Slam. “He’s got his two sets of twins. If they’re in Orlando for a tournament and they want to go to Disney World, he goes with them.”

"This is more gratifying," Federer said. "When you're young, it's all a mind thing -- can you cope with the attention, with the pressure? Now it feels like everything has to click. You have to line it up a perfect way. Fitness, tennis, how you sleep -- all these things matter. You can't play as much when you're 20. You have to pick your moments, and when you do succeed, it's an incredible feeling, almost a deeper satisfaction."

"The long break last year really helped him. He [went] a little bit away and looked at everything from the outside again. It gives you a little bit of distance," said Severin Luthi, one of Federer's coaches. "In general, I know with him that if he takes a break and if he's fresh, happy to play, motivated ... that's one of his biggest strengths."

"I like the way I'm playing. I'm playing going forward. I'm going for it. I'm not holding back. I'm playing the kind of tennis I like to play, personally, myself. And I'm not, like, doing everything only for success. I'm actually letting it fly off my racket. And that makes me happy," he said.

"People who've been waiting for me to come back strong, maybe one more time, I've given them even more now by winning a couple of Slams this year. So it's extremely special times. I'm aware of that. I know it's just only bonus, whatever is about to come," Federer continued, with a hint of a smile. "So I hope I can keep this level up and then maybe good things can continue. We'll see."

Roger Federer has the best winning perfecentage in the FedEx ATP Performance Zone hard-court win-loss index this year.  -  © Getty Images/ATP

FedEx Performance Zone: 2017 Hard-Court Records

ATP Staff | Aug. 23, 2017

ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at who has had the most success on hard courts this year, using the FedEx ATP Performance Zone


On the most demanding of surfaces, Roger Federer has been pre-eminent this year. The World No. 3 leads the year-to-date Win-Loss Index with the best winning percentage on cement with a 23-2 (.920) record ahead of the US Open, the final Grand Slam championship of the year. His two losses have come at the hands of Russian Evgeny Donskoy at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February and #NextGenATP German Alexander Zverev at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal earlier this month.

The Swiss, just like second-placed Grigor Dimitrov – with an ATP World Tour-best 24-6 mark (.800) on hard courts – has won three titles on the surface this year. While 63 of Federer’s 93 career crowns have come on hard courts, Dimitrov has captured five of his seven trophies on cement. The Bulgarian is 34-14 overall (.708) in 2017.

Federer’s form suggests that he enters the US Open, the final Grand Slam championship of the year, as the favourite to add to his 2004-2008 crowns. He has a 35-3 match record this season (.921), including five titles (two majors) from six finals.

Andy Murray is 12-3 (.800) on hard courts, matching the 2017 mark of the sidelined Novak Djokovic. Nick Kyrgios, who finished runner-up to Dimitrov in the recent Western & Southern Open final in Cincinnati, is 26-12 on the season (.684) – predominantly made up of a 23-7 record (.767) on hard courts.

Milos Raonic, who reached the US Open fourth round in 2012-14, is 13-4 (.765) on hard courts in 2017, while World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, the ATP World Tour match wins leader this year with a 49-9 mark (.845), is 22-7 (.759) on cement. The 2010 and 2013 US Open champion has won 16 of his 73 career trophies on hard courts.

The 20-year-old Zverev will be looking to improve upon his second-round exit in New York City last year, boosted by his solid form in 2017 that has reaped five titles and a 46-14 match record. He is 21-7 (.750) on hard courts this year, with four of his six career titles won on the surface.

Here's a detailed look at the Top 10 hard-court match wins’ leaders in 2017 (as of 23 August):

Player	Hard-Court W-L	Winning %	Titles
1) Grigor Dimitrov	24-6	.800	3
2) Roger Federer	23-2	.920	3
3) Nick Kyrgios	23-7	.767	-
4) Jack Sock	23-9	.719	2
5) Rafael Nadal	22-7	.759	-
6) Alexander Zverev	21-7	.750	3
7) David Goffin	20-9	.690	-
8. Roberto Bautista Agut	19-6	.760	1
9) Sam Querrey	18-9	.667	2
10) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	17-6	.739	2

Roger Federer declares himself fit for US Open


www.irishexaminer.com | Saturday, August 26, 2017 - 08:07 pm


Roger Federer reported himself fit for a tilt at a third grand slam title of the year at the US Open.

The 36-year-old sparked alarm when he pulled out of the Masters event in Cincinnati after suffering a back problem during a final loss to Alexander Zverev at the Rogers Cup in Montreal two weeks ago.

Federer said: "Two weeks after the final is a long time, so because you've got two weeks you can take your time.

"The first week was really just trying to feel better, get better, get back on the court at some stage. I have been on the practice courts since last week.

"I have been playing sets the last few days, and I'm really happy how I'm feeling."

Tournament organisers must have been tempted to wrap Federer in cotton wool, with injuries having already cut a swathe through the top 10.

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka and 2015 champion Novak Djokovic have both called an early end to their seasons along with 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori, while Milos Raonic is another big name missing.

Andy Murray, meanwhile, looks set to play in New York but it remains to be seen how close to 100% he is following the hip injury that dogged him at Wimbledon.





There have been calls for the length of the season to be reduced and for men to play best of three sets at grand slams in a bid to address the problem but Federer thinks that would be over-reacting.

He said: "You can cut down the season by half, and then, if there is an injury, we cut it down in half again, and at the end we play two months of the year, and we'll still be injured because now we're not playing enough.

"I believe it's just that the guys who are hurt lately, it's mostly because they are 30-plus. Wear and tear just takes its toll."

What the spate of injuries has done is make this the most open men's grand slam tournament in years - albeit with Federer and Rafael Nadal as favourites.

The pair have won the opening three grand slams of the season for the first time since 2010 having failed to win one between them for two and a half years.

But there must be question marks over how Federer's body will stand up to seven best-of-five-sets matches, while Nadal, despite taking over from Murray as world number one this week, has suffered some unexpected losses since winning a 10th French Open.

Federer, who plays young American Frances Tiafoe in round one, said: "It opens the draw, like we saw in Montreal and Cincinnati. There will be certain sections that, if the seed loses, anything can happen. So I think it's a huge opportunity for guys ranked outside of the top 10."

He added of his and Nadal's success: "I didn't foresee that the defending champion and the finalist wouldn't be here. And that Andy was going to struggle this year.

"You could foresee that maybe Rafa and me would be back at some stage in some shape or form but maybe not quite like this. So I think we're all a bit surprised.

"Rafa's year has been exceptional. People didn't think he was going to win the French Open again. For me, only once he retires I believe he won't win any more. Being back at world number one after all these years is really exceptional."

One of the quirks of their great rivalry is that Federer and Nadal have never met at the US Open.

Were that to happen this year, it would come in the semi-finals, with both men in the top half of the draw.

Federer would welcome a clash, saying: "I'd be happy to play him here. I think that would be fun for everybody involved.

"There are 60-plus players in between us that don't agree in our section that we should make it to the semis. We have our work cut out there."

Nadal has a different attitude to the possible match-up, favouring his title chances over a piece of personal history.

"If I am in semi-finals, I prefer to play against another one," he said with a smile.
"It's obvious, no?   I am not that way. It sounds very good, but the real thing, I prefer to play against another player, an easier one if it's possible."