Tennis legend Rod Laver believes that Roger Federer has a great opportunity to win his second Roland Garros title this year.
“The way he’s playing. It isn’t a far-reaching situation for him to win the French (Open),” said Laver.
The Aussie, who won a calendar Grand Slam in the 1960s, gave some evidence as to why he thinks Federer could win the title despite the return to form of Federer’s great rival Rafael Nadal.
“It’s night and day. It’s like he found a totally new backhand. (Nadal) has that left-handed forehand that goes into Roger’s backhand, so he usually starts the point behind. Now he’s capable of holding up under the pressure Rafa puts him under,”
Laver’s comments come despite Federer’s schedule being tailored to include Roland Garros as the only major clay event that Federer will play in 2017. Federer has not played in Monte Carlo, Madrid, or any of the 500s or 250s on clay so far, and has given no indication that he may play in Rome or any other event before Roland Garros gets underway at the end of the month.
Nadal’s return to form with the titles in Barcelona and Monte Carlo would suggest that he is the favourite to win the title and complete the “La Decima of ten titles in Barcelona, Monte Carlo, and Roland Garros.
Federer’s only Roland Garros title to date came in 2009, a year in which he did not have to face Nadal as the Spaniard, beset by injury, suffered a fourth round loss to Robin Soderling.
