Tim Henman explains how Roger Federer evolved at Wimbledon
In an interview to Under Review Podcast, the former world no. 4 Tim Henman commented on how Wimbledon grass changed and how Roger Federer was able to suit to the changes. In 2017, the Swiss player won his eighth Wimbledon title defeating Marin Cilic in a straight-set final. Henman said: 'When I played Roger Federer and beat him in the 2001 in the quarter-finals, after he beat Pete Sampras, he pretty much serve and volleyed first and second serve, 100 per cent of the time. When he won his first title in 2003 he serve and volleyed behind his first serve 10 per cent of the time. There you can see the extremes and how the conditions changed.'
The former British player added: 'I think in the late 90s and early 2000 it was becoming a bit of a serving competition. I think the longest rallies were about three shots. Was it a great spectacle? You could debate it. But I liked serve and volley, chipping and charging. The conditions suited me well.'
In an interview to El Pais, the two-time Grand Slam winner Marat Safin was asked who according to him is the most talented player ever. Safin said: 'Definitely, this is Roger Federer. You haven't a more talented tennis player than him in the whole tennis history. Roger showed that you can play at the highest level at 37 years. In the past everyone believed that it was impossible, many people's career were ending already at 30-31 years. Now Federer and Nadal keep dominating the Tour and winning against each other. They have different gamestyles - Roger plays with gracious, while the physical strength is what Rafa's game is about.'
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from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2SoVMla
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