'Roger Federer is very chilled but I guess in practice he goes...', says young ace

The Big 3 have been a benchmark for any player over the past decade and a half. In addition to having monopolized the ATP circuit as never before in the history of this sport, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have managed to remain at the top even after having passed the age of 30. The three sacred monsters have put on the bulletin board the beauty of 58 Slams overall, a figure likely to increase when there are only a few days left to the start of Roland Garros. Nadal will once again be the number one favorite in Paris, but he will have to watch his back from a belligerent Djokovic after the stern lesson he took last year. Roger Federer is more secluded at the moment, not yet in top condition and now close to 40 years of age. The Basel phenomenon will try to fire his last shot on Wimbledon grass in just over a month. In the course of a recent interview, the young Danish talent Holger Rune talked about his feelings after training a few times with Federer and Djokovic.

Rune on training with Federer and Djokovic

The Dane said the Swiss happens to be his favorite tennis star and what struck him the most about him was how he switches from being chilled out to going hard at practice. “My favorite player is Roger Federer, but I just warmed up with him (for) like 30 minutes. He is very chilled but I guess in practice he goes so hard,” Holger Rune said. Rune said that Novak Djokovic gave him similar vibes of being fun and friendly off-court and dead-focused at practice. “Novak was very impressive. How he is so focused in practice and still talk outside the court and have fun,” the young Dane said. During a recent interaction, Roger Federer also reflected on his time spent on the tour (24 years and counting). In particular, Federer highlighted how he has experienced all sorts of ups and downs during this period. "I can't believe I'm 39, to be honest," Federer said. "Turning 40, it's like my life has gone by on the tour. I've enjoyed so many moments, I've had some tough moments, of course. I've been tired. I was hurt. I was sick. I've played with all sorts of issues. But I feel like juniors were yesterday. Do I sound like an 80-year-old person who looks back at their childhood as their favorite part? I want to win more, otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone through the whole [last] year of surgeries and the process of doing five weeks on crutches and rehab," Federer said. "I truly believe I can do it again. [But] I first have to prove to myself that the body can take it. The mind is ready to go."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3yLCX1q