Roger Federer believes tennis is in a safe place despite the 20-time Grand Slam champion harbouring a few gripes about the modern game.
The 43-year-old is in Berlin for the Laver Cup – the Ryder Cup of tennis – where Team Europe will clash against Team World.
With world No 1 Jannik Sinner and Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz cleaning up the Grand Slams this year, the Swiss great, who announced his departure from the sport in 2022, admits players are becoming more “fearless” in their approach due to the greater reward.
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Roger Federer gave an impactful graduation speech to Dartmouth College graduation students, stating that tennis is not ‘effortless’ and ‘perfection is impossible’
“The guys and also the ladies are going to start hitting bigger forehands and backhands, be more fearless because they realise the reward is there,” Federer told a news conference in Berlin.
“The best movers are the best players and you can see that. The mentally fittest, physically strongest and fastest are the best players.
“It’s not so much about technique any more. I’ve got fooled enough in the last 10, 15, 20 years where I think, ‘I’m not sure about this technique’ but with racket technology and string technology you can iron those problems out and so long as you hit hard and nice through the ball, everything is possible in tennis to be honest.
“The game is where it was, but just a step higher. I always feel like it keeps on going up. Perhaps maybe just a lack of variation but that’s because we have all double-handers these days and they don’t use the slice as much.
“Naturally, we don’t see as many drop shots. Alcaraz and [Daniil] Medvedev try to add it to their game, which I think is a great play but you need to train it a lot – the transition game.
“For the most part, I enjoy watching tennis still today and it’s always going to be in a safe place because tennis is a wonderful sport.”
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Looking ahead to 2025, Federer sees Novak Djokovic, who completed his career Grand Slam by winning singles gold at the Paris Olympics, in the conversation at the Australian Open as the Serbian targets a record-breaking 25 Grand Slams in 2025.
“Novak, winning the Olympics and playing somewhat let’s say a full season – he didn’t bow out because of injuries, he chose to play less which is normal when you get a bit older,” the eight-time Wimbledon champion said.
“I feel like he has chances moving forward.
“I look forward to Australia which is the next Slam. I think he’s definitely going to be one of the favourites along with Sinner and Alvarez.
“I think the Australian Open story will be a very cool one to follow.”
What’s happened to the one-handed backhand?
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Take a look back at Federer’s best-ever backhand shots on the ATP tours over the years
Federer, who possessed one of the most effortless and elegant one-handed backhands of a generation, also bemoaned the demise of the unique shot at the top of the men’s game.
Asked what can be done, the Swiss joked: “Tie one hand behind the back and play with one hand.”
He then offered his opinion, saying: “I guess a lot of it comes from coaching. Two things: It would be great to have world No 1 and world No 2 with the one-hander, which we don’t have right now so that’s not going to inspire the generation of playing with the one-hander.
“Juniors tend to look towards the best players in the world and if you see the double-hander then you think that is the way moving forward even though it might not be and then I just think it’s the coaches around the world who might realise some players play better with a one-hander rather than a two-hander.
“Do you ever take your hand off the double-hander? That’s the question. The coach needs to know and the player needs to have the urge to try it out like I did.
“I do think for sure the one-handed backhand still has a space in the modern game. Of course, you can fight so much more with the double-hander on the return and in defence, while maybe the one-hander can be a lot more difficult.
“What I’m also seeing nowadays is double-handed players have a much better slice as well which I feel was not always the case 20 years ago when I came on Tour.
“Be interesting to see. Be sad to see less and less one-handers.”
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Highlights of the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters as Stefanos Tsitsipas took on Casper Ruud
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?
- Japan Open – ATP 500 (September 25-October 1)
- China Open – ATP 500 (September 26-October 2)
- China Open – WTA 1000 (September 25-October 6 – with Emma Raducanu in action)
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
