Australian legend Rod Laver, the only man to win all four Grand Slams in tennis, has claimed that Swiss superstar Roger Federer is playing as well as when he played as a youngster, dominating one Major after the other.
Laver, a winner of 11 Grand Slam titles also predicted great things about the Canadian teenage sensation Denis Shapovalov. Terming him the future of men’s tennis, Laver said his expectations from the 18-year-old were sky high as the Bahamas resident had all the qualities to become the next big thing in the sport.
“In about two or three years, he will be so close to the top and will have won some of the bigger tournaments,” Laver said. “He plays confidently all the time, he’s grit and determination. I see him being great.”
Speaking about Federer’s renaissance in 2017, Laver reckoned that one of the biggest contributors to the 36-year-old’s remarkable comeback was his new racquet. Federer was truly the man to beat last year, winning a tour-best seven titles, including the Aussie Open and Wimbledon crowns, which took his Slam tally to 19.
Once again, he is the overwhelming favorite to defend his title in Melbourne, especially after the withdrawal of former World No. 1 Andy Murray on Thursday and the clouds of uncertainty hovering around the participation of Roger’s chief rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“2018 could be a changing of the guard. It depends on how fit Djokovic and Murray are and whether Rafa and Roger can still stay and play the same as they have done. Roger at 36, he’s still playing as well as he did when he was 21. The racquet has helped them, the speed and control they get on the ball. It’s really all a mental situation these days.”
Remembering the first time he handed the Norman Brookes trophy to Federer, Laver said: “I didn’t get back to Melbourne Park 25 and 30 years ago. I was looking after my wife. But the time I handed Roger [Federer] the trophy the first time, he broke down and wasn’t able to finish his sentences. A lot of people know about that.”
