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 Roger Federer. Remember him? Coming in, he was the most towering figure in the tournament, the four-time champion going for a landmark fifth title. But after playing just 38 minutes in the last six days, he’d become the event’s invisible man – present, but nowhere to be seen.
Today was Federer’s first extended workout in a week, a stroll and a hiccup against Juan Carlos Ferrero which he won 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 23 minutes.
So what did you do with all that time off, Roger?
“Not much, really,” he said. “Waiting like all the other guys, but instead of the locker room I was at home, which was a bit more cozy. I went to the city once or twice, went to the hairdresser, watched movies, played cards. Hanged out.”
Unwilling to practice indoors, he also managed to get in an hour’s hit on the grass every day and did a TV interview or two on the grounds – sightings that helped quash a brief rumour that he’d flown to his base in Dubai for a few days.
But one thing Federer told Swiss reporters he did do is watch the final race of the America’s Cup, where the Swiss boat Alinghi defeated the ambigiously-affiliated Emirates Team New Zealand (Emirates is the sponsor, New Zealand the country). Federer said was “on his knees” watching the topsy-turvy race, and was hoping to be able to phone the team president to congratulate him.
Someone who did take a trip was his mother, who is making one of her few tournament appearances of the year at Wimbledon. “She actually went back after the [Marat] Safin match, came back on Wednesday. she didn’t miss anything, which is good,” he said.
Clearly, Federer was also keeping an eye on the tennis – he was able to give a detailed, off-the-cuff breakdown of Nadal’s week. “He had a really difficult match with Soderling. He got unlucky he missed that forehand wide on match point. He could have then rested, but he had to come back day after day. It was hard on him.”
“Then he got maybe a bit lucky against Youzhny, but my God, he came back very, very strong. So that was impressive stuff again.
And then today in the gusty winds to beat [Tomas] Berdych, who has been a tough opponent – he’s beaten three very strong players. I would take him as a finalist pick on the other side of the draw.”
Sounds like some of that spare time could have been well spent in the commentary box.
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