Roger Federer will be the top favourite in the European Championships on 15. January Australian Open. At the unofficial Mixed World Championships in Perth, the “Maestro” presented itself in impressive early form.
When Roger Federer won the Hopman Cup 17 years ago, many things were different. At that time, it was played in the Burswood Superdome, just outside the gates of the Western Australian city, and Federer was the ambitious junior partner of a certain Martina Hingis. In the end, Team Suisse, Hingis, the former world number one, shone brightly. And her younger companion Federer, who took possession of his first ever career trophy, albeit only at this unofficial world championship of mixed doubles.
And now he is still in full force again and again – this indestructible Maestro, who remains at the forefront of professional tennis with his 36 years of life. Teamsenior he was now, at the Hopman Cup edition of 2018, the gentle leader in the tournament week, which ended with a 2-1 final victory over the strong German team (Angelique Kerber/Alexander Zverev). Bencic (20), who regained strength, recovered from injury and comeback worries, convinced almost continuously in the Perth Arena, only suffered a setback in the two-set defeat in the final against Kerber.
But just like Federer, she could look forward to the test of courage at the Australian Open, which starts next Monday: Federer is the clear favourite there one year after his sensational performance with the title “Gold-plated”.
The oldest artist from the narrowest peak of the travelling circus underpinned his ambitions for the 20th century. Grand Slam title with thrilling appearances in Perth, in the final the Maestro clinched the fourth victory in the fourth singles match against the strongest representative of the new tennis generation, the lanky giant Zverev (6:7,6:0,6:2),”You can’t want more than that and expect at the start of the season,” Federer said after the overall victory at the Hopman Cup,”I am also particularly pleased for Bel.
Whoever looked at the large-format pictures of the Hopman Cup winner Federer from 2001 in the Perth Arena, at the still-tennis apprentice depicted alongside Hingis, had to be surprised at first by the way he has gone in the last more than one and a half decades – to become the most successful tennis player of this epoch, to become a universal sports hero, to be a popular figure beyond all national, national and international tennis players.
And on current occasions, it was once again astounding to see the enthusiasm and physical strength with which this feather is unbreakable at the start – all the more so against the current backdrop of the enormous injury tragedy in international men’s tennis. One almost had the impression that the four-time family father Federer was currently the only one of the superstar squad who is pulling his paths in the touring business in an upright and confident manner on both legs.
Wherever else in the summit region one looked, there were doubts, worries and bad news: Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori have already cancelled their participation in the Grand Slam spectacle in Melbourne, and the chances of Stan Wawrinka, the second Swiss at the top of men’s tennis, are almost zero.
Wawrinka has not yet contested a major competition since the Wimbledon tournament in 2017, and most recently he even gave some gloomy thoughts about a possible resignation. Rafael Nadal from the former Big Four is most likely to have a reasonably promising Melbourne start.
With Novak Djokovic the perspective is moderate and unclear, his elbow injury proves to be much more complex and protracted than expected. The Serbian wants to start at a show in Melbourne this week, but an intervention in the Australian Open title fight seems unrealistic. A similar exploit to Federer’s 12 months ago would now be an even bigger miracle.