When Will Roger Federer Be Back?! – Shubert Blog

Written by: Staff on 8th October 2011

When Will Roger Federer Be Back?! - Shubert Blog

Switzerland's Roger Federer in action against Australia's Bernard Tomic during their Davis Cup world group play-off in Sydney, Australia, on 18 September 2011. EPA/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

When Will Roger Federer Be Back?!

A few months have passed since we all had Fed-hangovers at the US Open, but now I’m getting that itch again… When are we going to see Roger Federer grace the court again? While he did share a Davis Cup victory with his compatriots in early September, his next event is the Swiss Indoors event later this month. I believe this Swiss Indoors tournament is more of “gearing up” event for him as he prepares for the task of trying to win the BNP Parisbas Masters event and then the Barclays World Tour Finals. But what I really mean by my previously stated question is: “When are we going to see the true Fed out there? The one that is patient, silently waiting to strike, who can raise his level wayyyy above his opponent in times of need.” I’m tired of seeing Djokovic on top already, granted he’s had an unbelievable life story and is playing great tennis. As a fan, I want to see Fed dominate, it gives me hope in my all-court one-handed-backhand game, and surely inspires the other millions of athletes and fans around the world too! For whatever reason, Fed just looks better when he’s winning and the other guy across the net is losing, the world seems to make more sense.

Reasons possibly why Fed didn’t win a Slam in 2011? His game to me has become more of a gamble over the years in comparison to the steady grinding and physical play of the likes of Djokovic, Nadal, Murray. Fed always relied on his supremely fit body and better strokes (frankly). So what has changed? Has Fed started to gamble on certain shots, going for the winner earlier? Are the players forcing him to hit more balls than before, trying to rattle Fed into going for too much? Tennis can be such a complicated and simple game at the same time. You make your shot more times than your opponent, you win. You hit a winner, the point is over. At the level that Fed and those guys play at, what’s truly the difference when everyone is capable of these simple strategies? I think that these days, it’s not about power, but rather movement and the mentality to keep going. Fed has always had the movement, so I think it’s his mentality that held him back in the Slams. Mentally, Federer looked like he checked out against Djokovic in the Aussie Open semi to start the year. He should’ve won the French Open, he had so many chances against Nadal in the final. He obviously had one of those freak-once-in-a-career moments at Wimbledon where he was up 2 sets to Tsonga, a player he’s always dominated, and lost looking very passive. And then of course the repeat at the Open, being up multiple match points on Djokovic in the semis for the 2nd year in a row (I personally believe Federer would’ve beaten Nadal in the final after watching how Djokovic beat Nadal. Nadal looked spent physically in that match). When you look at it that way, it was Fed’s year to be but mentally he didn’t make it happen. I want to see Fed hungrier than ever at the BNP Paribas Masters and the Barclays World Tour Finals. I don’t want to see the CVAC Machine-using Djokovic dominate anymore this year. I want to see Fed unleash his forehand upon the tour with the kind of “out of this world” ferocity that withstands the defenses of Nadal/Djokovic/Murray. I want to see more serve and volley attacks with Fed sticking volleys deep and covering the net like Pete would, leading to even more pressure on his opponents instead of upon himself. Thus, freeing up the return games so Fed can hit over the backhand and the forehand, pin pointing the corners and hitting those beautiful return winners. Matches that Fed plays in are essentially up to him whether he wins or loses. No other player can truly say that about themselves when it comes to the guys inside the top 10. That is why Fed has always been a cut above. Fed, if you can lift your head up, your game will follow – Don’t hang around rubbing shoulders with Djok and Rafa, rise above them, as the saying goes “head and shoulders”. The world is waiting. . .