Behind an improved backhand, Roger Federer has been the story of the 2017 season, winning 16 of 17 matches this year and closing in on a third Indian Wells-Miami double. And he hasn’t lost a set in his last eight matches! So is he playing better now than ever? He says times have changed.
“I think I play different to when I was 24,” Federer said of his level of play on Tuesday. “I think my technique has changed from when I was 19.
“Is it the best I’ve ever played? For me it’s hard to say yes to that question, because the years where, I mean, I lost four matches or three matches, four matches, five matches the following year, in those two years I won like 150 matches and lost like 8 or 9. It’s hard to feel better than in that time.
“But I feel like maybe on the offensive side, overall, I think I’m doing definitely a few things better than I ever have. That’s what I’ve always tried to explain to people, that I do feel that I have improved. The game has evolved and I had to adjust and change, but overall I do believe I’m probably a better player than I was ten years ago.”
Juan Martin del Potro saw the full force of Federer on Monday, and he says Roger’s faster than ever.
“He always has a good backhand, but at the moment even better because he is moving so fast so that backhand and his legs are moving faster than years ago,” del Potro assessed.
Federer is back on court today in Miami against Tomas Berdych who he has dominated winning 17 of 23 meetings and their last six matches (14 straight sets).
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