Roger Federer starts his holiday with a bitter defeat. After the end in London against Alexander Zverev he nevertheless drew a positive balance for the season and is looking forward to the coming year.
Roger Federer had certainly imagined the end of his 21st professional season differently. The whistles of the spectators were for Alexander Zverev, but they still reverberated when the Swiss left for his well-deserved holidays. “I’ve never liked it when someone booes,” Federer said after his semi-final defeat in London: “It happens all the time in other sports, but it’s rare in tennis.”
The displeasure of the Federer fans over Zverev’s complaint in the decisive phase of 5:7, 6:7 (5:7) was mixed with disappointment and concern about the unthinkable. What if they never saw their favorite at the ATP season finals again? A tricky situation, which Federer solved once again with flying colours.
He spoke to Zverev, the unfortunate ball boy who had caused the confusion in the tie-break when he dropped a ball in the middle of a rally, and to the angry crowd free of any guilt. It was a difficult situation for everyone involved, Federer said, before announcing to the relief of his supporters: “I am looking forward to the next season.
Already at the end of December Federer returns to Australia, where he had a great start at the Major in Melbourne in January. “As Pete Sampras once said: If you win a Grand Slam, it’s been a good year,” said Federer, adding to his conclusion: “In a way, the season was historic. I’ve become number one again. That was a big moment in my life.”
After the Australian Open, however, the setbacks accumulated. Although Federer won the titles in Rotterdam, Stuttgart and Basel, a few defeats such as in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon or the round of sixteen of the US Open hurt him noticeably. He missed his 100th triumph on the ATP tour both in the semi-finals of the Masters in Paris, where he lost to the current dominator Novak Djokovic (Serbia), and in London.
“The second half of the season could have gone better,” Federer admitted. He lost some close matches, “but being close makes me think I can win again.” If someone had predicted to him five years ago that he would be “no matter how competitive” at the age of 37, Federer would have signed it immediately. “I’m very proud of that,” said the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
However, he is not satisfied because of this. The planning of the new season is already in full swing, Federer has realized that he has to play more again in order not to lose the rhythm. Whether this means returning to the red sand, which he avoided for two years, or whether he will explore his own limits more often in training, is not yet clear.
“Let’s see what happens during the holidays,” Federer said. Wife Mirka and his four children will surely cheer him up soon after the disappointing end of the season in London. Permanent rival Djokovic warned severely: “Don’t write Roger off!”