Federer happy in Halle

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Federer has won Halle 9 times already, but going for number ten hasn’t been easy.

In 2018, he survived tight matches against Benoit Paire, Matthew Ebden and Dennis Kudla. Federer had been edgy on court, and he even whacked a ball out of the stadium during Saturday’s semi-finals.

Answering my question at a presser, Federer told me that he sometimes does that during practice too, and the release of tension and frustration helps him gain clarity and composure later in the match.

 

 

 

While Federer has been making too many unforced errors, his form still surpasses others on grass. His slice, biting on grass like a chipshot on a golf green, tied up a nervous Benoit Paire on a crucial point. Roger hit a vicious slice second serve to save a break point versus Ebden, and he found another gear in a first set tiebreaker over Kudla. Even if he’s not feeling great, he’s moving well for a player of any age.

 

 

 

It’s not clear if he’s hampered by any health or other issues off court, and Federer said he wouldn’t want such information to give opponents an advantage anyway. Regardless, he’s still one of the favorites to win on grass at Wimbledon.

(words and images copyright Christopher Johnson Globalite Media all rights reserved)