Roger Federer rolled back the years winning his 20th Grand Slam title when he lifted the Australian Open crown just days ago but already people are talking about what the current No. 2 could achieve over the course of the rest of 2018. Many have labelled the 36-year-old as the greatest male tennis player of all time for a number of years, and even more so after victory in Australia. But will anyone be able to rival him over the course of the year or will he once again be the dominant force?
Many people had written Federer off, especially in 2016 when he shut down for the second half of the year. This, in the eyes of many, shows just how remarkable Federer has been since. He’s won three Grand Slam titles in just over a year and is proving that age is no barrier. He was around when the likes of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were playing and he still has the ability to mix it with the likes of Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic today. This sets him apart right now.
Federer knows his limitations, he knows that he’s no longer in his prime and when approaching tournaments he has said himself that in no way should a 36-year-old be declared as favourite. However, he looks after himself healthwise, staying fit but taking breaks when necessary. Federer has struck the balance of training, competing and resting and this has allowed him to in some ways keep up with the younger crowd.
You could say that Federer’s success in his younger days came through an unbelievable ability to play tennis. Federer is one of, if not the most naturally gifted tennis player of all time, and this is what has taken him right to the top and seen him stay there for a number of years. However, Federer’s success now is determined on discipline. Discipline to look after himself, to train and to rest. It is this discipline which is driving him through his twilight years in the sport, and this has seen him topple a lot of younger players who lack that necessary mental toughness in some way. 2018 has started in great fashion for Federer and it could certainly be a superb year for the Swiss.
However, he is going to face stiff competition over the course of the season no doubt, especially from those slightly younger than him who will have the fitness to go the distance in tournaments. The likes of Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic, Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov will all be hoping to pick up some Grand Slam wins in 2018 and this could be at Federer’s expense. Federer and tennis fans can check out all the latest news and betting opportunities at the home of online betting: betting.com, especially if you fancy placing a bet on the Swiss player winning at Wimbledon.
You can’t write Federer off though as he looks to pick and choose the events he plays at. This means he should be far more durable than expected over the course of the year and as fit as those he ends up facing at tournaments. If he can stay injury free, fit and disciplined over the next 12 months, there’s no reason why he can’t yet bag further Grand Slam glory.
Provided article written by Hans Peter Fritz who studied journalism at the at the University of Stellenbosch.
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