Roger Federer: 'Tennis has become more physical'
When Roger Federer started as a professional in 1998, legends like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were playing. How did he live all the changes in tennis in the last 20 years? In an interview to NRC, the 37-year-old answered this question. 'It has become more physical. In the past, they could even hit harder, but the movement was getting from slow to medium, slow, medium, fast, medium, slow, medium, fast. Now it's medium, fast, fast, fast, medium, medium, fast, fast. The rhythm seems higher', explained Federer. 'That's why it's not easy to play "nicely". Because if the opponent hits hard, you have to be aggressive as well. Previously you had more serve and volley, at the time of Henman, Sampras, Krajicek. So you had to go to the net. Now nobody hits serve and volley, they are all comfortable from the baseline. It's a different game.'
Federer has been adopting a reduced schedule for a couple of years, which he will keep doing for the rest of his career. The Basel native hopes his colleagues can take this plan as well: 'I hope players do not think (about having a light schedule) at 36. They can start at 25. My philosophy is: I play when I am ready. I will not play at tournaments to see how I feel. I spoke with a player today, he told me: it's better to be on the road than training at home. I will not do it. I will be at home, ready, and then I will come. If you see me, you will always get 100%.'
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