Federer plays it cool
It is rare Roger Federer is caught on the back foot.
No player sits through more interviews, responding to all manner of curly queries in more languages. So when a diversionary comment is suddenly thrown from leftfield, it is not entirely surprising the Swiss great would struggle to contain his laughter.
Speaking ahead of his bid for a record-extending ninth Wimbledon title and looking as though he’d just stepped off set filming a Rolex commercial, in charcoal tweed jacket and open-neck white shirt, discussion is suddenly side-tracked from praise for Serena Williams as an interviewer tells Federer he looks even more handsome than last year.
“OK, thank you. I feel great now,” he laughs. “I feel red.”
Managing to reel in his laughter, the 36-year-old elaborates. “I mean, I look good, I feel good, so it's all good,” he smiles. “Honestly, I'm feeling good. I was tired at the beginning of the week because of the nine matches I played in 12 days in Stuttgart and Halle.
“I think the three months did me again a world of good, that I didn't play during the clay court season. We had a great time, vacation, family time, practice, fitness, tennis. Everything worked very well.
“This week was very much for me just to recover, come in fresh for tomorrow.
“I’m confident, I guess, to some extent because I played all the grass court matches I was hoping to play. Thank you for the compliment. I feel even better now.”
Federer returned from his extended break to claim the Stuttgart Open title and stretched his winning streak on grass to 20 matches, before Borna Coric sprung the upset in the Halle final.
He begins his campaign as the top seed for the first time since 2010 and as defending champion will open play on Centre Court on the opening day of the Championships. Serb Dusan Lajovic is his opponent.
“It feels like walking out for a final, it really does,” Federer said. “It's maybe more nerve-racking because you're not acclimatised to the court yet. I think that might help me, the big-time match play that I've had over the course of my career.”
A shrewd historian of the sport, Federer can reel off memories from all of his eight Wimbledon triumphs at will.
Defeats at the All England Club, too, leave an indelible imprint. Adept at putting those more painful memories behind him, the Swiss is not caught on the back foot a second time as talk of his Wimbledon 2008 final defeat to Rafael Nadal is naturally raised, given the 10-year anniversary.
“I think it was one of the hardest losses I ever had, no doubt about it,” Federer said. “I was so close to making it six in a row. The initial reaction was, OK, got to win it again next year, '09, and I did, in an epic one against [Andy] Roddick. That was beautiful after the heartbreak in '08.
“It was a great match for many reasons. It also made me more human potentially, the loss under the circumstances. But it was a great match to be part of.
“We go back in time with Rafa. I'm sure that we'll talk about it when we're older in the rocking chair.”
I think it was one of the hardest losses I ever had, no doubt about it