RF Tennis News 2019

Roger Federer Just Ushered In A New Era Of Big Court Style

The GOAT of men's tennis just debuted the shirt you're going to want this summer

By Finlay Renwick - www.esquire.com
April 2, 2019



Getty Images

In 2018 Roger Federer, basking in the late day glow of a superlative career, made the surprise decision to end his contract with Nike after more than 20 years. For as long as fans had watched the Swiss grow from capricious upstart to the cardigan-wearing GOAT of men's tennis, he'd had a swoosh emblazoned on his chest, and shorts, and shoes... and headband. But $300 million from Uniqlo was, well, $300 million from Uniqlo.

But as it turns out, Federer and the Japanese mega retailer have done more than just watch while the cash rolls in. Instead they've quietly been designing some of the smartest outfits in tennis, with a signature new look for the Swiss legend that capitalises on the m0st-enduring spring trend of the last couple of years: the spread collar shirt.



Federer first debuted his new open-collar vibe at the Australian Open in January, but it was last week in Miami - which saw the 37-year-old capture his 101st (One Hundred and First!) title against John Isner on the sun-baked courts of South Florida - when were really shown the full extent of Roger's new minty menswear vision. It was a get-up that would work just as well for a long afternoon of poolside Piña Coladas as did for taking home the trophy at a packed-out Hard Rock Stadium.



The spread collar shirt has been something of a 'thing' for a few seasons now in the wider world of menswear, but this is the first we're seeing of it in the arena of elite sports. The introduction of the gentle pastel palette keeps it both up-to-date for 2019 and spring-appropriate. Sure, we were hoping for a full floral set-up, but mint green is more-than- sharp-enough for a style-resistant circuit which sees the majority of professional players dressed identically, or as permitted by their sponsors.

Speaking to Forbes about his move to Uniqlo last year, Federer said, "I stand for style on the court. I really wanted to make the best apparel, the best looking apparel for a tennis player in recent years, obviously I want to redo that, create the coolest things with Uniqlo. It's something I’m very excited about. And I’m also going beyond that into lifewear."

Just don't expect to Federer in pineapple, mustard lemon or canary any time soon/ "There are certain colours I don’t like to wear," he said in the same interview. "You don’t see me in yellow."

20-Time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer to play in the 2019 Mutua Madrid Open

 Mutua Madrid Open   - 20 February, 2019


Roger Federer will participate in the Mutua Madrid Open, which takes place in the Caja Mágica from 3 to 12 May. After two years without playing the clay swing, the Swiss player will be back in Madrid this season, choosing to play the fourth Masters 1000 of the year as one of his stops in the clay season.

Federer, the second most successful player of all time at the Mutua Madrid Open (three titles), picked up his first trophy (2006) when the tournament was played on indoor hardcourt in October, his second (2009) in the first year in the Caja Mágica and his third three seasons later (2012).

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has a total of 35 wins and eight defeats at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he has played some unforgettable matches. His 2003 semi-final against Juan Carlos Ferrero, his first title match, where he saw off Fernando González, the two finals against Rafael Nadal (2009 and 2010) and the last match he played against Nick Kyrgios in 2015, among others, all now form part of the tournament’s folklore.

“Federer is one of the best players of all time, it’s no secret”, said Feliciano López, the Director of the Mutua Madrid Open. “We are happy because his return to Madrid is a gift to the tournament, but above all the fans will be able to see a unique player in the Caja Mágica. Having the Swiss player back on clay with Djokovic and Nadal is going to be unmissable”.

“Roger’s presence in the Caja Mágica will make this year’s Mutua Madrid Open special”, said Manolo Santana, Honorary President of the tournament. “It doesn’t matter that he’s 37 because he still has that unmistakable class; the innate talent that has made him one of the best of all time. Being able to enjoy his tennis is something that no fan of the sport should miss”.

Federer has tennis-lovers who were planning on making the trip to the tournament rubbing their hands with glee; in May, the Swiss will be back in the Caja Mágica having chosen the Spanish capital.

Roger Federer Returns to His Roots: Clay-Court Tennis




Roger Federer will play in the Madrid Open, which begins Sunday and will be his first tournament on clay since the Italian Open in May 2016. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images


By Christopher Clarey - The New York Times
May 3, 2019


FELSBERG, Switzerland — After a three-year break from clay-court tennis, Roger Federer has not forgotten how to slide.

Nor has he forgotten how to sweep.

After completing a training session here last Tuesday with the Alps for a backdrop, he grabbed a broom and wearily erased the evidence of the day’s labor from the gritty red surface of the practice court.

“Even Roger Federer cleans the clay,” said Toni Poltera, president of Tennis Club Felsberg, one of several facilities in the area where Federer practices.

It is a modest place near the Rhine River with a cozy, rustic clubhouse, a hitting wall and three clay courts, one of them named Roger-Platz in honor of its occasional visitor. Cows low nearby. A ski lift is visible atop a peak in the distance.

But Federer will soon be back in more typical tennis venues as he travels to Spain for the Madrid Open, which begins Sunday and will be his first tournament on clay since the Italian Open in May 2016.

Federer, who is expected to play his opening match on Tuesday or Wednesday, then plans to return to the French Open for the first time since 2015. It is all a gamble of sorts at age 37: clay-court tennis —with its grinding, tactical rallies — can be grueling. Injury is a risk but Federer insists he is both eager and at peace with his choice.



Roger Federer during a training session in Madrid on Friday. He plans to return to the French Open for the first time since 2015. Kiko Huesca/EPA, via Shutterstock


“I feel now I can play pressure free, because what is there to lose? Nothing really,” Federer said over lunch near the club. “I haven’t played on clay for three years so maybe for the first time in 15 years I can go to the French and be like, ‘Let’s just see what happens.’ And maybe that’s exactly what is going to make a beautiful result. And if it’s not, no problem. Then I have more time for the grass, and I still profited from a great buildup, and it made me strong physically, and it’s good for my game.”

The calculus was different in recent seasons. He cut short his 2016 season on clay because of knee and back issues, then skipped the clay circuit altogether in 2017 because of concerns about his postoperative knee and the desire to pace himself after a resurgent but draining first phase of the season. It was a tough decision made after long debate within his team, but he went on to win Wimbledon without dropping a set.

Last year he decided not to change a schedule that had worked so well for him. Above all, he said, he wanted to properly celebrate the 40th birthday of his wife, Mirka.  

So Federer relaxed on the Spanish island of Ibiza with about 40 friends while longtime rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and new-age contenders like Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev scrapped and skidded in Madrid, Rome and elsewhere in 2018. He said he watched the final in Rome between Zverev and Nadal at a beach club.

It was a glimpse of how life after professional tennis might look for a couple with two sets of twins: 9-year-old daughters Charlene and Myla and 4-year-old sons Leo and Lenny. But the Federers are not quite ready for retirement, and Federer was not in the mood for another extended, midseason hiatus from the circuit in 2019.

He senses that too much time spent on grass can actually dull his grass-court game (Wimbledon, where he lost in the quarterfinals last year, remains top of mind). “When you play too much on grass I feel you start guiding the ball whereas on clay you go with full swings,” he said.

Still, this is a return to Federer’s roots. He grew up in Basel playing primarily outdoors on clay or on clay courts covered by a heated bubble during the winter months. There are relatively few outdoor hard courts in Switzerland.

Roger Federer tapped the clay off his shoes in the 2009 French Open. He grew up in Basel playing primarily on clay. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“My first challenger was on clay, my first satellite was on clay, my first player I beat was on clay,” he said, referring to tennis’s minor-league professional circuits. “So clay came first.”

But he also lost his first 11 singles matches on clay on the main ATP Tour before finally winning three rounds at the 2000 French Open. Winning the French Open would have to wait until 2009, when Nadal, the most successful clay-courter in history, was for once out of the frame after a fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling.

Federer puts that 2009 victory in his top three with his first Wimbledon title, in 2003, and his unexpected victory at the 2017 Australian Open. But the French Open generates mixed emotions.

“I had to come to love it and had to come to embrace it,” Federer said.

“It didn’t come like, hey, French Open this is it,” he said, snapping his fingers. “That was always going to be Wimbledon. I remember seeing Becker, Edberg and Sampras all holding up that trophy, and all three of those guys didn’t do that at the French. So my heroes did it at Wimbledon, so naturally Wimbledon was always going to be my No. 1.”

Federer has won eight Wimbledons, six Australian Opens, five United States Opens and just the one French Open. His career winning percentage on grass is 87 percent; on hard courts it’s 83 percent and on clay 76 percent. Federer’s winning percentage on clay still ranks behind only Nadal’s and Novak Djokovic’s among active players with at least 50 clay-court victories.

“It is probably Roger’s weakest surface, but the guy is a fantastic clay-court player,” said Brad Gilbert, the coach and ESPN analyst. “He’s not like a California guy who didn’t grow up playing on it.”

Federer is excited to see how his aggressive tactics and fine form translate to the surface at this stage. He will be ranked No. 3 next week. In his last three tournaments, all on hard courts, he won in Dubai, reached the final in Indian Wells, Calif., and won in Miami.



Roger Federer won the French Open on clay in 2009. It remains his only title there. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images


He has picked his first clay target carefully. Conditions are quick at the Madrid Open, which lies at an altitude of about 650 meters, or around 2,100 feet. That helps explain why Federer chose to train last week in Felsberg and nearby Chur despite the occasional chill and often-gusting winds. Felsberg is at an altitude of 572 meters, about 1,900 feet, and is also a short drive from his main residence near the mountain resort of Lenzerheide. Federer returned to Zurich, at lower altitude, this week before flying to Madrid on Friday.

“The thing is he now has the altitude hit in his system,” said Ivan Ljubicic, Federer’s co-coach. So once he goes back to altitude in Madrid, he’s going to get it back in no time. If you don’t play at altitude for a long time, it takes like three or four days to figure it out.”

Federer joked in Miami that he had forgotten how to slide, and when he arrived at the Felsberg club at 10 a.m. with Ljubicic and his other coach, Severin Lüthi, one of his first moves was to practice sliding into the corners, first without a racket. As he rallied with the British player Dan Evans, in for the week to serve as a hitting partner, Federer would slide plenty more, seeming hesitant only when pushing forward to pursue drop shots.

“Sometimes the challenge for me is not to slide just to slide,” Federer said. “I think that’s where Rafa and the top clay-courters do so well. They only slide if they really have to. Because naturally you think, oh sliding is fun, and you start having almost too much fun. You get sucked in.”

His longtime fitness trainer Pierre Paganini expressed concern in 2017 that sliding on clay posed a threat to Federer’s left knee. “But now it’s honestly been such a long time since I had a knee problem,” Federer said.

He looked at ease exchanging one-handed backhands and quips with Evans as a steadily increasing number of club members observed from nearby benches, taking photos with their phones.

“I joined the club, so I could watch,” Anita Ott, 52, said.

The crowd, not much of one by Federer standards, remained close to library silent, only applauding when the afternoon practice session finally ended shortly before 5 p.m.

There will be much more commotion and anticipation in the near future.

“We saw an increase in ticket sales as soon as we announced he was coming,” said Gerard Tsobanian, chief executive of the Madrid Open. “It’s a superstar coming to play but also the fear that it might be his last tournament in this city, so people didn’t want to let the opportunity pass.”

Why There Is Good News For Roger Federer

The Swiss has a firm hold of the No. 3 ATP Ranking

ATP Staff - ATP Tour
May 17, 2019

Roger Federer might have been forced to withdraw from his Internazionali BNL d’Italia quarter-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas due to a right leg injury, but it’s not all bad news for the Swiss star.

Federer is still firmly in control of the No. 3 ATP Ranking, and leaving Italy with 5,950 points, he is guaranteed to be seeded third at Roland Garros, where he will compete for the first time since 2015.

“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete today. I am not 100 per cent physically and after consultation with my team, it was determined that I not play. Rome has always been one of my favourite cities to visit, and I hope to be back next year,” Federer said in a statement.

Regardless of anyone else’s results at the Foro Italico, Federer will take a 1,105-point lead over World No. 4 Dominic Thiem into the second Grand Slam championship of the season. The last time the 2009 champion competed on Paris’ terre battue, Federer was seeded second and reached the quarter-finals.

Federer will be in good position to maintain his spot in the ATP Rankings through Roland Garros, too. Since Thiem reached the final last year to earn 1,200 points, the most the Austrian could gain by lifting the trophy is an additional 800 points, which would not be enough to pass Federer.

Depending on Stefanos Tsitsipas’ results in Rome, the #NextGenATP Greek could still have a small chance at surpassing Federer in Paris. But the Swiss holds a firm grasp of World No. 3, and since he did not play the tournament last year, he is not defending any points.

Furthermore, Federer will have a chance at returning to the No. 2 spot. If Rafael Nadal lifts his ninth trophy in Rome, the Spaniard will enter Roland Garros with 7,945 points. But Nadal is the defending Roland Garros champion, so he will drop 2,000 points. Therefore, if Federer outperforms Nadal in Paris, the Swiss will earn World No. 2.

Federer has shown signs of good form during his return to clay this year. At the Mutua Madrid Open, he reached the quarter-finals and held two match points against Thiem before succumbing in three sets. Federer saved two match points Thursday evening in Rome against Borna Coric to reach the last eight before withdrawing.

Steady as He Goes: Roger Federer on Success, Staying Power and 20 Years at the French Open

Roger Federer practicing at Philippe Chatrier Court as he prepares to compete in the French Open for the first time since 2015. CreditCreditPete Kiehart for The New York Times

By Christopher Clarey - The New York Times
May 24, 2019

CHUR, Switzerland — Roger Federer had just finished his soup and was dubious.

“Come on!” he said. “Nobody else left?”

No, not a soul.

Of the 128 players who took part in the 1999 French Open singles tournament, Federer is the last one still playing singles on tour.

That French Open was Federer’s first Grand Slam event. He was 17 years old, wore a ball cap backward on court and still had difficulty keeping his temper in check. Even though he was Swiss, not French, and had lost in the first round of the junior event the year before, the French tournament officials had decided, after considerable debate, to give him a precious wild card into the main draw based on his clear potential.

His opponent on May 25, 1999, was Patrick Rafter, the net-rushing Australian then ranked No. 3 in the world. Though Federer did come out swinging and win the first set, he struggled to win games after that, losing, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2, in the sunshine on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

“After the first set, he got the hang of how I play and he, like, sliced and diced me,” Federer said in an interview last month.

Roger Federer during his debut at the French Open in 1999, when he lost to Patrick Rafter as a 17-year-old wild card. CreditClive Brunskill/Allsport

I was one of about 10,000 in attendance that afternoon 20 years ago, and though many of the courts used in 1999 at the French Open no longer exist, Lenglen still stands.

So does Federer, now ranked No. 3 at age 37 and ready to return to the French Open for the first time since 2015.

Logically, there has been speculation that this is a farewell visit, one more chance to commune with the unpredictable Roland Garros public that has treated him much better than it has treated most through the decades.

But Federer, who won his lone French title  in 2009, is quick to quash that line of thinking.

“I usually go one year at a time, and the other day I just spoke with my team about the clay-court season next year,” he said. “I was asking, ‘Anybody have any ideas yet?’”

Knowing Federer’s orderly ways, it is difficult to imagine that he has not planned his retirement down to the last gold watch. But he insisted that he was handling the process as he would an extended rally: trusting his instincts.

“I heard rumors that people said I definitely wanted to play the Tokyo Olympics next year, and that’s when I’m going to retire, but I never said anything like that,” he said. “I really don’t know. I always said, ‘The more I think about retirement, the more I am already retired.’ People ask me, what are you going to do next? And I say, ‘Well, in a way I’m not quite sure, because I feel if I plan everything for my post-career, I feel like I’m halfway there.’ I think it would not affect my performance per se, but maybe my overall desire to want to do well.”

Performance has not been a problem for Federer in 2019; he has won titles in Dubai and Miami and reached the final in Indian Wells, Calif. His return to clay-court tennis has been encouraging if not yet triumphant. He lost in three sets to the clay-court terror Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open and then withdrew from the Italian Open with a sore leg after saving two match points in his round-of-16 victory over Borna Coric.

Federer’s goal was to protect his chances of playing in Paris, and after several days of practice at Roland Garros, he appears ready to slide in earnest on the red clay that he finds closer to “powder” than the grittier clay used elsewhere on tour.

His last match in Paris was a straight-set quarterfinal defeat to his Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka in 2015. He actually came back to Roland Garros in 2016, but withdrew before the tournament with knee and back problems. He skipped the 2017 and 2018 events to focus on other priorities.

But he is now back where his Grand Slam journey began. Other players his age are still on tour, including his fellow 37-year-old Feliciano López, who will play in his 69th straight Grand Slam singles tournament in Paris. But Federer’s wild card put him ahead of the curve in 1999, and to rewatch his match with Rafter — when human net-cord judges were still deployed instead of electronic sensors — is to remember how far he has come.

Video of the first-round match between Roger Federer and Patrick Rafter at the 1999 French Open. Credit: Video by Ngoc Huyen

The easy power, variety and fluidity already were evident, as was his signature penchant for letting his gaze linger on the point of contact after striking the ball. But if the manner looks familiar, the manners do not. He was volatile and occasionally volcanic then: yelling “Come on!” to berate himself rather than encourage himself and even chucking his racket after getting passed by Rafter early in the third set.

“And this was probably very controlled me in that ’99 match,” Federer said. “Imagine me not against Rafter, not on Lenglen and on some outside court. I was probably much more explosive because the respect for the place wouldn’t be the same. There, I knew it was like live TV, 12,000 people. So it was: ‘O.K., keep it together Roger. Keep it together.’ So I was on my best behavior in that match!”

Federer was working with the Switzerland-based sports psychologist Chris Marcolli to manage his emotions.

“I started to feel uncomfortable after a while when you are on TV like this, and I’d see the highlights,” Federer said. “You throw the racket in the corner and you are so frustrated and disappointed, and it’s just a bad look. And I said: ‘It just looks stupid and silly. Let’s get your act together a little bit.’ It took me a long time, but it was interesting.”

Federer also realized that his emotional displays were draining his energy, but even so, he said that he still likes seeing today’s youngsters lose control from time to time.

“Instead of telling them, ‘Buddy, clean it up!’ I’m happy the guy shows it,” Federer said. “I don’t want to see robots all around. I don’t want to see the 18-year-old guy like super, super composed already. When you have a guy who is finally a little lively, let him be and then eventually he will channel it anyway.”

Federer undeniably found his groove, winning a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles and 81 other singles titles. He surely would have won more than once at Roland Garros if not for the emergence of Rafael Nadal. Five years his junior, Nadal is 5-0 against Federer at the French Open, which Nadal has won a record 11 times.

“The problem was Rafa came alive, and Rafa was Rafa,” Federer said, as if he were describing climate change, or the tides.

Federer at the Italian Open last week. “I always said, ‘The more I think about retirement, the more I am already retired,’” he said last month.CreditTiziana Fabi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Though another French Open title for Federer remains unlikely, he takes pride in being back in the arena. Of the 127 other men who played singles in 1999, his former rival Lleyton Hewitt is the only one who is still playing occasionally on tour, and that is only in doubles. While the Norwegian Christian Ruud was in the draw with Federer in 1999, the only Ruud in the draw this year is Christian’s 20-year-old son, Casper.

Why has Federer endured when so many others have not? He credits his long-term plan with the fitness coach Pierre Paganini to “protect longevity” by “not chasing all the appearance fees and not going to all the smaller events” and by committing to two extended training blocks during the year.

“Already back in 2004, when I became world No. 1, that was my mind-set,” Federer said. “I made the decision early, and I think that’s why I am still here today. I never fell out of love with the sport.”

His natural talent and body type also played a role in extending his career.

“Maybe where my talent has helped me a little bit is to shape and get the technique I have today that puts maybe less wear and tear on me,” he said. “But I think I’ve earned it with my schedule and my buildup and maybe my mental side of the game as well.

“As much as I take things very serious, I am very laid back, so I can really let go very quickly. I truly believe this is a secret for a lot of the players and for the young guys is to be able, when you leave the site, to say: ‘O.K., I’m going to leave it behind. I still know I’m a professional tennis player, but I’m relaxing. I’m doing it my way, whatever helps me decompress.’”

Federer stopped for a moment and clenched his left fist tightly across the table.

“Because if you are constantly like this,” he said, showing the fist. “That’s when you burn out.”