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Time for Federer to seek outside help

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-04 17:03

LONDON -- The tears streaming down Roger Federer's face during the Australian Open presentation ceremony told their own story. How does the Swiss recover after losing another epic final encounter to his nemesis Rafael Nadal?

Spain's Rafael Nadal (L) puts his arm around Switzerland's Roger Federer, as he poses with his trophy, after their men's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne February 1, 2009. [Agencies]

Losing one classic match is bad enough but to lose two in less than seven months was simply too much.

After his dreams of winning a record-equaling 14th grand slam title were ruined by Nadal in five sets on Sunday, the time has come for Federer to take action and he might start by seeking a full-time coach.

With the ability to conjure magical shots at will, the Swiss master is probably the most gifted player the sport has ever seen. Winning 13 grand slam titles in just over five years bears testimony to his talent.

Switzerland's Roger Federer looks at the floor after losing his men's singles final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne February 1, 2009. [Agencies]

But since Nadal has now beaten him in five of their seven grand slam final meetings, Federer needs to explore new avenues.

Whereas most top players have a small army of people to turn to when the going gets tough, Federer travels with a tiny support group led by girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec, whose many roles include media manager, business adviser and occasional hitting partner.

Since parting ways with Swede Peter Lundgren in December 2003, Federer has opted not to work with a full-time trainer.

He hired Tony Roche and Jose Higueras on a part-time basis, mainly to draw on their claycourt expertise, but those relationships fizzled out when Federer failed to capture the French Open trophy.

Higher level

Switzerland's Roger Federer cries after losing his men's singles final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne February 1, 2009. [Agencies]

He now needs the guidance of a mentor who can not only push his game to a higher level but also help find and exploit weaknesses in world No 1 Nadal's game.

"He needs a coach," US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said. "He's never had to adjust to something because he's been so talented he could go out there and figure it out.

"All of sudden he's playing a guy he can't do it against. He's so stubborn."

The Swiss, trailing Nadal 13-6 in career meetings, could also take a page out of Andy Murray's training manual and use the services of a sports psychologist to overcome the mental hold the Spaniard has over him.

"God, it's killing me," sobbed an anguished Federer, who also lost a five-set thriller against the Spaniard in last July's Wimbledon final.

"I love this game. It means the world to me, so it hurts when you lose. They hurt even more so like if you're that close, like at Wimbledon or like here at the Australian Open."

At the end of Sunday's 4-1/2 hour final, seven-time grand slam champion Mats Wilander observed: "The ramifications for Federer are huge. Is he ever going to beat Rafael Nadal again in a big match?"

It is a question that must have also flashed through Federer's tortured mind.

When Nadal held aloft the Norman Brookes Cup on Sunday, a red-eyed Federer gazed away and perhaps pondered the what-ifs.

What if he had held on to his two breaks to one advantage in the first set and won that?

What if he had not produced a double fault to lose the third set tiebreak?

What if he had converted more than just six of his 19 break points?

What if he bulked up more like the chasing pack of Murray and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga?

What if he had been a left-hander?

"I wish I was a lefty too, playing him break points on the ad side (of the court), not on the deuce side. Sure, (it's) a great advantage for him," Federer said.

While it may be too late for Federer to take such drastic action, the only reason Nadal, a natural right-hander, plays left-handed is because of his uncle and coach Toni's foresight.

Toni Nadal encouraged his nephew to switch hands when he was still honing his skills back in Mallorca and the move has turned out to be a masterstroke as Rafael Nadal now holds three of the four grand slam titles.

It is that kind of intuitive advice that US Open champion Federer needs as he chases Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slam crowns, especially since the chances are that he will have to beat Nadal to achieve the landmark.

Agencies