THIRTY-FIVE YEARS YOUNG, ROGER FEDERER PLAYING WIMBLEDON 2017 WITH PASSION AND A GREAT LOVE OF TENNIS AND THE A.E.L.T.C. CENTER COURT

Written by: on 14th July 2017
Wimbledon Championships
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS YOUNG, ROGER FEDERER PLAYING WIMBLEDON 2017 WITH PASSION AND A GREAT LOVE OF TENNIS AND THE A.E.L.T.C. CENTER COURT

epa06088004 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his win over Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in their semi final match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 14 July 2017. EPA/NIC BOTHMA EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO COMMERCIAL SALES  |

Thirty-five years young, Federer playing some of the best tennis of his career at Wimbledon

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Roger Federer as booked his spot in the Wimbledon final without dropping a single set. It is a feat he thought he had never previously accomplished, as he discussed in his post-match press conference after beating Tomas Berdych in the semifinals on Friday. In actuality, Federer had twice before played his way into championship Sunday at the All-England Club without surrendering a set.

 

If what has been on display this fortnight has not been Federer’s absolute best tennis of his career, it’s right up there–even with 2006 (perfect in sets before beating Rafael Nadal in a four-set final) and 2008 (perfect in sets before losing to Nadal in five). And it’s certainly up there with 2014 and 2015, when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic.

 

But the 35-year-old is not letting himself get carried away.

 

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their semi final match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 14 July 2017. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

“I don’t see myself playing better than a few years ago,” he commented. “But I always hope to improve every year. (I) think it’s definitely different ever since my (knee) injury–if I’m playing better this year than I have in ’14, ’15 when I had great runs at Wimbledon here. I just ran into Novak, who was red hot. Honestly, (it) was difficult to come past him for anybody–especially in the big matches.

 

“I’m just very happy that I’m still doing so well. Am I surprised? Maybe a little bit. But the plan was always to hopefully be strong later on in my career.”

 

Strong? Federer has been an absolute machine in 2017.

 

He is sporting a 30-2 record with four titles, including the Australian Open and at back-to-back Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. The Swiss is on a current 11-match run that features a triumph on the grass courts of Halle and six straight-set Wimbledon victories.

 

The latest victim was Tomas Berdych, who went down by a respectable 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 6-4 scoreline in Friday’s semifinals.

 

“I mean, I don’t see anything that would indicate really Roger is getting older or anything like that,” Berdych commented. “I think he’s just proving his greatness in our sport. So I think that’s all I can say about that. That’s very simple.”

 

And that’s bad news for Marin Cilic, who will be Federer’s final opponent on Sunday. It is a rematch of last year’s quarters, in which the Croat led by two sets to love only to fall in five. And that was with Federer playing on a balky knee.

 

“It’s a big mountain to climb,” Cilic, after beating Sam Querrey on Friday, said of Federer. “Roger is playing maybe one of his best tennis of his career at the moment, having a great season. So I know it’s going to be a huge challenge.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

 

Topics: , , , , , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.