Sports Is Federer really a human being?

Roger Federer, a Swiss male professional tennis player (turned professional in 1998), is known for his comprehensive and stable skills, gorgeous and positive playing style, and gentlemanly and elegant image. Many critics, current and retired players consider Federer one of the greatest players of all time. Federer is not only successful in tennis but also active in philanthropy and business.

Federer holds the record for the longest consecutive number of weeks in the world in singles in ATP history (237 weeks, 2004-2008). He has won 20 Grand Slam men's singles championships[1] and 10 runner-up positions[ 2], won the Laureus World Sports Award for Best Male Athlete four times, and was ranked third in the world as of November 23, 2015.

On November 16, 2017, at the age of 36, Roger Federer reached the semifinals of the ATP Year-End Finals for the 14th time. Federer once again set a new world record in men's tennis. [3] On December 29, he was named the Best Male Athlete of the 2017 National Sports Journalists Conference (AIPS).

A hymn to Federer

It’s another year of the Australian Open, and back to the starting point of Federer’s comeback myth, many big names in the industry - Becker (the former coach of Federer’s competitor) ), Cretega (Federer's opponent with a 2-3 head-to-head record), Mouratoglou (Serena Williams's coach) and McDonald (Federer's sparring partner in Dubai), etc., comprehensively interpreted Federer's youthfulness from a professional perspective The secrets, the stories behind the scenes, full of useful information.

Starting from the six-month offseason in 2016. After recovering from his knee injury, Federer started preparations for the new season in Dubai. At that time, he invited young talents such as McDonald to train together. Yes, it was the American who fought Dimitrov in five sets at the Australian Open. boy.

In a training session, Federer hit a return shot that stuck to the net and bounced back to his own court. It was a magical move. McDonald from the University of California said it was unbelievable, "His hands are like It's magical." Seeing his idol's performance, he was deeply surprised.

Federer and McDonald (third from right)

Obviously, Federer’s incredible touch has not left him, ending the training with McDonald, Escobedo and Puy After that, Federer went to Australia. For the first time in his career, Federer recovered from such a serious injury. Federer unexpectedly won the Australian Open. Then he reached the top of the All England Club without losing a set, becoming the oldest player in the Open era ( 35-year-old Wimbledon champion.

How did Federer shine in his first Grand Slam tournament back? What details did he change to slow his decline and lead to one of the most exciting comebacks in tennis history? What's the secret to his longevity?

1. Developing new weapons

In the 2015 season, Federer took his offensive tennis to a new level. This change is considered to be the key to his return to the top. In August of that year, after arriving in Cincinnati after a long flight, the Swiss struggled slightly, but he still conducted adaptive training with Parre as planned.

During training, the Swiss disrupted the usual training rhythm by stepping into the court to receive a serve, and then quickly followed up to the net. Travel fatigue may be a factor, and he wanted to end the round as soon as possible, so the slightly evil SABR-sneak attack online tactic was born. “It’s funny, I was surprised when Roger first started having fun, while we were still practicing on multiple shots, and he suddenly started using SABR. The effectiveness of this strategy slowly became apparent in training, so he decided to use it to the competition." Regarding the birth of SABR, Palley recalled.

Inspired by captain Luther, Federer decided to use this trick on the tour, and eventually he defeated Djokovic in the Cincinnati final. In fact, SABR sounds simple, but it is actually extremely risky. Sneaking the opponent's serve up to 90 miles to the net is not as simple as a traditional return. It is much more difficult than a cutting return or a return at the baseline. But once such a tactic is implemented, it can also successfully break the balance of players such as Djokovic. Such pressure will put pressure on the players opposite across the net, forcing them to make more difficult returns.

Not surprisingly, SABR was opposed by many people, including Becker, Djokovic's coach at the time. The German called this approach "disrespectful." But when Becker lost his identity as Djokovic coach, he was full of praise when talking about Federer's initiative, "Roger's SABR tactic is a bit surprising, because he used it in training three years ago. He can do this because he has a talented and delicate touch. Many people also want to do this, but they are limited by their own skills. Roger has the talent and technology to support him, so the sky is the limit for him.”

What is interesting is that Federer has turned something that he rejected in the past into an advantage. The offensive style of "cutting the ball to the net" creates opportunities for oneself to go to the net by returning the serve with strong backspin and putting pressure on the opponent. Early in his career, Federer was limited against such players, such as Henman and Ancic. But now, he has become the one putting crazy pressure on his opponents.

The effect of the new tactics is quite obvious, and SABR has proven to be an effective weapon, especially when Federer won the Australian Open in a shocking way 12 months ago. "This tactic is just a way for him to have fun on the court." Former world number two Cretega said. The Spaniard has a 3-2 lead in the match against Federer. "His attitude towards tennis is different from ordinary people. Sometimes he will relax and invent something that no one else has seen." Serena Williams' coach Mouratoglou commented, "SABR shows that Roger has come to With the will at the net, he can play 100% attacking tennis, which is fun and spectacular."

In short, Federer has not only reinvented himself, taking the strengths of other players and evolving them into his own. weapons and continues to push the boundaries of the sport.

2. Incredible mentality change

Federer has always had an ability - he is willing to adapt to new changes. "When he was young, he used to smash his racket and lose focus on the game, just like a young boy." Kretga said of Federer's early career performance, "He would make a lot of jokes in the past... but Now he has made incredible improvements in the spiritual world. He has worked hard to become more peaceful and learn to control his emotions. "

Of course, Federer, who has returned from injury, also needs new motivation. Specifically, Federer's motivation to continue changed. This time, he felt the need to give the twins the memory of watching their father play, and do so as a winner.

"I think children are a big source of motivation for him. Especially his two eight-year-old daughters, they will form conscious memories of Roger's games." Federer's biographer Chris Bowers said.

This is not the first time the Swiss has made changes in his career. As early as the 2001 Hamburg Tour, the young Federer hit the referee's chair with his racket after losing. It was at this moment that he realized that he had to control his temper. This repentance also gave him a taste of the sweetness. He reached the quarterfinals in the subsequent two Grand Slam tournaments. He had never had such a breakthrough before. In addition, the unexpected death of his enlightenment coach Pete Carter also brought him more profound thoughts.

"Controlling emotions is a difficult thing, especially for young players." explains Robert Forzoni, a well-known sports psychologist. In his view, this change is the key to Federer's longevity. "It is not easy for players to break free from out-of-control emotions. After going through this process and being able to deal with it more calmly in the future, this experience will It will be more meaningful."

After six months of rest, his self-motivation style became more noticeable. "I put it down to his love for tennis," Becker added. "Coming back six months later shows how much Roger loves the game. He has no reason to come back anymore and almost every He's won every event multiple times, so essentially he had to love the game so much to get through the trials and tribulations to get to where he is now."

"Everyone sees him. Talent, because it is obvious, but Roger is an incredible fighter," Mouratoglou said of the Swiss, "He believes in himself more than any player and will not give up easily. He can always win. Big tournaments boost status."

"We will no longer be surprised by what Roger Federer has achieved.

When he beat Sampras at Wimbledon, I was commentating and everyone was like, 'This guy has it all,' but at the same time they were questioning whether he could maintain his high profile? Will he be injury-free? Can he continue to be hungry for victory? Fifteen years later, the answer to these questions is ‘yes’! "Becker said with a smile.

"It's hard for a tennis player like me to explain how great he is. I don't think there will ever be another Federer, he's unique, and I don't think his record will ever be broken. I'm just in awe and unbelievable at the success that he's had, even now, even at 36 years old. ”

3. Find fun in boredom

In Federer’s legendary career, the head coach has changed several times, but there is one person who has always been behind the scenes - Pierre Pague. Paganini, who has been responsible for Federer's diet, physical training and schedule for nearly two decades

"When Roger was still a teenager, Paganini had already realized that if he wanted his disciple to maintain the For health, there is no point in just going to the gym. "Biographer Bowles recalled: "It was his consistent philosophy to make physical training rich and interesting. Therefore, Roger always had a passion for training sessions, which not only exercised his body, but also stimulated many of his ideas. "

The importance of this model is revealed when players such as Tomic repeatedly express their hatred for training. As Federer's former coach, Annacone explained to Eurosport: "Pa Gnini is an incredible person and an experienced coach. They had been together for nearly twenty years, and Roger had great trust in him. In order to make training interesting, Pierre created a series of unique tips that are fresh, vivid and energetic, which perfectly match Roger's playing style. What matters to Roger, all these years later, is how much he enjoys it. ”

For a long time, many players have complained about the boring tour, and even the love and desire for tennis have disappeared. Agassi is the most famous example. But Federer is just the opposite, especially After being absent from the court for half a year, his love for tennis and even training has continued unabated. Do you remember his live broadcast on Twitter during the winter break in 2016?

As a former decathlete, Paganini has been working with Federer since he came to the Swiss Youth Tennis Center at the age of 14, but has rarely traveled around the world with Federer over the years. In this way, his influence cannot be underestimated. In his early years, as a physical coach, he had full control over Federer's diet and schedule, and developed a good training system for him to help him quickly integrate into professional tennis. When the 2017-year-old Federer was planning his comeback, he still played the most crucial role.

Why did Federer’s love for tennis never fade after seeing countless scenes? Pioneering thinking and training methods are indispensable.

4. Making up for fatal shortcomings

In Federer’s tennis system, the backhand has always been the “Achilles’ heel”. But when it came to last year's Australian Open final, Nadal also realized the changes in his opponent's backhand, "Roger has made incredible efforts, and I believe his backhand is in excellent condition now. "Nadal said after the game, "In my opinion, his return of serve has improved the most. "Nadal is not the first person to put forward this view, but he is the one with the most weight. Not only because this comes from his personal experience, but also because before this, he had a far ahead record of 23-11.

Nadal's first victory over Federer dates back to 2004, when he was only 18 years old, and subsequent encounters confirmed that he was the Swiss' absolute nemesis. He practiced on the clay courts of Mallorca. The forehand diagonal shot is one of the most lethal weapons on the tour. When facing Federer, he never tire of aiming for his backhand position, and the points are easily collected. The same is true for his strongly spinning serve. In the second zone, the bounce height was even higher than the shoulder, which was a nightmare for SLR players.

Kretga recalled that when he faced Federer in the 2001 French Open quarter-finals, he also jumped. "I talked to my father about the game after the game, and he said, 'This kid plays well, but he always makes mistakes on the court, especially when he hits a high-bouncing backhand shot. ’ And I said, ‘That’s right, this is the only part where I have an advantage.

”

Kretga and Federer

Over the years, Federer has been looking for ways to improve his backhand. When faced with high-bouncing balls, the strength and control of the ball path Control has become increasingly difficult. At his peak, the reason why he was able to win so many Grand Slams mainly highlighted the comprehensiveness of his skills. But when facing Nadal, the loopholes in his backhand became more and more obvious, and the Spaniard also took advantage of it. This kept him ahead in the great battle between the two.

Four years ago, Federer finally learned the lesson and started to fix this loophole, and the first step seemed extremely simple...

Five: Change weapons

Yes, the first step is to change the racket. It may sound easy, but it is not easy to give up a weapon that has helped you win 17 Grand Slams. . Top players have become integrated with the racket over the years - the structure, the grip, the feel... they can easily feel even the smallest changes.

"I tried to persuade them. Sampras tried to change the big racket, but he never succeeded because he was too accustomed to using it. "Annacone added, "But as for Roger, first of all, he knows the advantages and disadvantages of changing shots, and secondly, he also dares to try. The key to the problem is to choose a suitable time to change shots. "

When he first changed shooting in 2013, he was deeply troubled by a back injury. "Even though he put in a lot of effort, it was still difficult to adapt because the injury was so serious. "Annacone explained, "He knows that even after the initial adaptation period, he still needs to choose the right time and continue to make adjustments. By 2017 we all saw how well he adapted. "

In the 2014 season, Federer officially invited Edberg to join the team. The Swede is one of the best serve and net players. His arrival has injected more aggression into Federer's style of play. From From that point on, Federer began to focus on turning his backhand into an offensive weapon - used to win points, rather than prolong rounds. He pressed the opponent by increasing the frequency of the net. This was not a revolution, but a gradual evolution in order to improve his performance. Laying the foundation for future success.

It was also during that time that Federer established the concept of simplifying the complex and winning by compressing rounds, but he finally broke up with Edberg at the end of 2015. , replaced by his good friend Ljubicic. At first glance, this seems to be a strange choice, allowing a player who has only won one Masters championship to assist the best in history? But if you think about it carefully, it is not difficult to find that three advantages make him The Croatian is qualified for this position: he defeated Federer three times early in his career, so he knows his weaknesses; he is full of single-return offensive; he was also a master tactician.

Liu. Bisic never gives interviews, and Federer rarely talks about their relationship. Although there is very little information from the person involved, at least we can clearly see that Federer's backhand has made great progress. So last year. In the Australian Open final, even though he was behind 1-3 in the final set, he still seized every opportunity to attack with his backhand, speeding up the pace and compressing Nadal's reaction time, making it impossible for him to break the angle of the return ball.

Obviously, he was not idle during the half-year offseason. Although many people believed that he would never be able to return to the top, and rumors of retirement were rampant, Federer implemented his comeback plan step by step. As Nadal said, in return and backhand, He put a lot of effort into training. “Look at his matches at the Australian Open. He used his backhand more and more frequently, and his position always pressed the baseline. This is how he trained in Dubai. "McDonald added.

Since the five-set battle in Melbourne, Federer has won four consecutive victories against Nadal, and his backhand is the well-deserved number one contributor.

Six , The top secret of evergreens

What is the secret to maintaining a high level of competition and achieving long-term success? A widely recognized simple answer is - to maintain a healthy career. An important criterion for distinguishing masters from ordinary players, and Federer is a master of managing physical condition and schedule.

Except for recurring back injuries, Federer has remained healthy throughout his career. Is this luck? Maybe, but since he turned professional in 1998, his success cannot be attributed to luck. Anyone who knows him knows that he has a magic weapon for long-term victory, which is also the biggest secret behind his unlimited career.

“The reason why he has become an evergreen player in tennis is partly due to his regimen, and partly because he plays a style that does not put undue stress on the body.

"Bowers commented, "I think his one-hand backhand style is one of the factors to stay healthy, which can reduce the pressure on the body; and the open forehand grip, which also makes his body more stressed than Na The reason Dahl, Djokovic and Murray are so much smaller. Other players often experience slight twists in their backs when hitting the ball, which explains why many players suffer from serious back and hip injuries. "

In short, his style of play is not only pleasing to the eye, but has also helped him maintain his health over the years. "In the past, the players' thoughts were 'If I stop for a few months, I'm afraid I There's no coming back', so they tinker less and injuries get worse. "Moratoglou said, "But Roger doesn't think so, 'I will play for many more years, but I am no longer young, and my body's endurance is far less than it was in my early 20s, so I will play less. Just compete, just focus on big events like Grand Slams. ’ He showed us that if you manage your schedule properly, six months off is not a big deal. "

"In the past, many people retired when they were 30 years old, so you had to plan different schedules to extend your career, but many people continued to compete crazily until their bodies were exhausted. "Federer shared his views during last year's year-end finals. By being able to play until the age of 36, he has surpassed many superstars. Bjorn Borg, Becker and Sampras were 26, 31 and 32 years old respectively. He has already retired. Last season, he chose to get away from the lengthy schedule and quit the entire clay court season to focus on preparing for Wimbledon, and he successfully won his 19th Grand Slam championship without losing a set. Like Federer, Nadal, who won two Grand Slam titles last year, also made a strong comeback from a period of recuperation at the end of the 2016 season. The same is true for the famous Williams sisters. Simplifying their schedule is their secret. A trend, Federer once again leads the way.

It can be said that Federer’s schedule last year reminded many veterans that they can focus on the venues they are good at. Where others are smart, he knows which event is more important to him. Becker said, "I think his wife Milka played a very important role in this, arranging things at home in order, allowing Federer to devote himself to the game and present the most perfect condition. He's still so successful after all these years, and I think that's the key. ”

It is true that Paganini’s influence cannot be underestimated. But Federer’s evergreen career is mainly due to his foresight and treatment that are subjectively different from other contemporary stars.