The rejuvenated Roger Federer looks to add to his Slam tally

Roger Federer

Roger Federer, rated as perhaps the greatest to have ever played the game of tennis, is a player who has conquered just about every peak in the sport for the last 10 years. His uniquely attacking play style, cool and calm composure on the court and sportsmanlike spirit make him stand out from the rest and even today, at the age of 32, he still plays with the same willingness and spirit with which he played it when he first burst on to the scene.

However, lately people have started questioning the great man, asking him to retire, stating that he can never be ‘back’. But I have a different take on this.

No doubt, the last two years have been harsh on every Federer-fanatic, with no Grand Slam title since 2012; Federer sure has had the leanest phase of his illustrated career during this time. It’s not easy to play tennis at the age of 32; the body starts to give up and the game, which requires you to be at your best at all times – both mentally and physically – starts to feel difficult, even for legends like Federer.

On the upside though, the year 2014 hasn’t been too bad for Federer. Sure, he didn’t win the Australian Open. But his newfound confidence and visible determination are clearly having a positive impact on his game.

Federer has been more aggressive in 2014 as compared to 2012-13. This year, the Swiss has not been reluctant to come closer to the net and play the backspin volley (which has earned him many valuable points). Surprising his opponents with his aggressive play, Federer sure is having a much more commanding 2014.

Another thing to note is the change in his serve this year. To get more points coming your way, every tennis player requires a good serve and this is all the more important when you’re playing against players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who will not give you a single chance for an easy point.

Federer’s serve in the last two years had declined, be it in pace or accuracy. But this year, one can feel the difference in his delivery. Not only is his first-serve percentage much better but there’s also been a lot more forcefulness in his serve, which eventually means more power, by virtue of which we have seen Federer hitting more aces. This could possibly be the result of Federer switching to a larger racquet frame this year.

With these relevant changes to his game, the Swiss has succeeded in improving his ATP ranking from 7 to 4. For a player of his calibre, a ranking of 4 is still acceptable, but it’s the Grand Slams that are more important for him at this stage of his career. With the French Open just a few days away and Wimbledon to follow after that, which is without a doubt Federer’s favourite court as it suits his game the best, it remains to be seen how impactful Federer can be in the Majors this year.

Federer reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open earlier this year but it was his countryman Stanislas Wawrinka that stole the show and won the tournament. Federer would definitely be hoping for a better performance in the remaining three Grand Slams of the year and perhaps clinch at least one of them and get out of his lean phase in the Majors.