Federer “Camped Out” @ home in Dubai With Mirka And The Twins And His Folks

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 25th February 2014

Federer "Camped Out" @ home in Dubai With Mirka And The Twins And His Folks

epa04099222 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after winning the match against Benjamin Becker of Germany during their first round match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2014. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

Roger Federer might appear to be in very familiar territory this week at the Dubai Duty Free Championships. He has won the title five times in an 11 year span dating back to 2003 and has a home in the Emirate but he’s going about things a little differently at this year’s event.

For a start he’s using the new racket, a specially manufactured and enlarged Wilson ProStaff with a 98 square inch hitting zone that to the everyday player offers a larger sweet spot, giving the player a higher margin for error. However to somebody with a record 17 Grand Slam singles titles, there’s got to be a lot more to making a change after more than ten years.

Dubai might be only Federer’s second tournament with his new weapon but the weeks of practice, following the Australian Open and the Davis Cup win over Serbia, has clearly built up a confident familiarity and the current world no.8’s assurance was perfectly demonstrated by an outlandish ‘tweener lob’ shot in his opening win over German Benjamin Becker.

An impressive first night near sellout crowd was left roaring with delight and Federer has a look of total contentment on his face after being drawn into the net by a short slice from Becker and then had to scurrying back to chase down a lob. He then hit a perfect lob between his legs with enormous topspin that meant Becker could only get back a soft backhand reply. A relaxed Federer volley into an open court finished off the point.

“He was coming in already and I thought maybe he was going to be pretty close to the net so that let me try the lob instead of how I usually play the shot,” said Federer who went on to win the match 6-1,6-4. “It worked perfectly, so I’m happy.

“It’s rare for me to win that point with the lob in that circumstance. I know I can hit it, but it’s always exciting, it’s so rare to get that opportunity to line it up because it’s a safe shot for me almost to a degree. It was exciting, and the fans enjoyed it, which is almost as important as a winning point.”

Federer admitted he wouldn’t have tried the shot in public if he wasn’t so content with his new racket. “You’ve got to be able to play accurate, very accurate, because the closer you can hit it to the lines, the more your opponent is not sure if it’s going to go in or out, “ he said. “So when you can hit winners or keep your opponent guessing it’s good.

“I did have times where maybe I didn’t serve so well or I struggled with my backhand, with the timing and so forth. Now I feel like even on a bad day, I have the power on the serve, and I do hit my backhand easier. It’s just important that I can do it consistently at the most important stages of the match in the biggest matches and that my forehand is clutch when I need it. I think that’s really what I expect from the racquet, and so far it’s been very good.”

Thus far Federer has used the new racket in quick conditions, and it’s reacted well, but he said: “I’m looking forward to see how the racquet is going to react a little bit when it’s slower like in Indian Wells.”

Federer has also taken the decision to stay in his Dubai residence, with his expectant wife Mirka, twin daughters and parents, rather than check into a hotel for the duration of the tournament. “Normally I’m in a hotel and that puts me in the right mindset,” he said. “I even do the same in my hometown tournament of Basel.

“I’ve just got to make sure I know I’m playing a tournament when I’m staying at home, because normally I’m not. The kids love it at home right now, so let’s enjoy that. This year I just felt like if I check into the hotel, it just feels like I’m leaving Dubai already almost, in some crazy way.

“But I have to try to make sure I do get a little bit sort of alone time. Today it was not so much. It was 15 minutes. But it’s okay, you know.”

Topics: 10sballs, Benjamin Becker, Dubai, Mika Federer, Roger Federer, Tennis, Tennis News, Wilson

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10sBalls_com says:

February 25, 2014 at 8:45 am

Federer “Camped Out” @ home in Dubai With Mirka And The Twins And His Folks- http://t.co/gp7m04h8iu @rogerfederer #Dubai #Mirka #tennis