As a player who has spent 310 weeks as world No.1, Roger Federer has dominated the men’s tour during certain stages of his career. However, so far in 2019 it has been completely different for him and other members of the Big Four.
Three months into the season and no player is yet to win multiple ATP titles. An unexpected start to the year. Federer is one of 19 players to have won titles this year. For him, his triumph was at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where the Swiss player clinched his 100th ATP trophy. Following in the footsteps of Jimmy Connors. There is a similar pattern on the women’s tour with 13 WTA tournaments been won by different players.
Amid the various winners, Federer believes that positives can be drawn from the unusual situation. Praising the emergence of the next group of rising stars on the tour.
“Definitely says something about (how) there is shifting going on, on both tours. That it’s maybe harder to dominate. Or it’s harder to keep on, sort of, having the same winners,” Federer told reporters on Wednesday.
“And the young guys are really pushing through, which is a thing we’ve been looking at for some time now. It’s just not easy winning tournaments, and it seems easier for them now, which is good. And it doesn’t mean the other people are not as good. It’s just that there is a shifting going on.”
2019 ATP champions
Qatar – Roberto Bautista Agut
Brisbane – Kei Nishikori
Maharashtra – Kevin Anderson
Sydney – Alex de Minaur
Auckland – Tennys Sandgren
Australian Open – Novak Djokovic
Montpellier – Jo Wilfried Tsonga
Sofia – Daniil Medvedev
Córdoba – Juan Ignacio Londero
Rotterdam – Gael Monfils
New York – Reilly Opelka
Buenos Aires – Marco Cecchinato
Rio – Laslo Djere
Marseille – Stefanos Tsitsipas
Delray Beach – Radu Albot
Dubai – Roger Federer
Acapulco – Nick Kyrgios
São Paulo – Guido Pella
Indian Wells – Dominic Thiem
Federer will be hoping to break this trend at the Miami Open. It was at the tournament where he played his first main draw match at a Masters 1000 event back in 1999. Since then, he has gone on to win the Miami crown three times with the most recent occurring in 2017. Despite being a veteran of the event, Federer finds himself in unfamiliar territory due to the relocation of the event to the Hard Rock Stadium. The same venue that will host the 2020 Super Bowl.
“We left an iconic venue in our sport in Key Biscayne. Back in the day we had best-of-five set first-round [matches] in Key Biscayne. It was a massive tournament,” atptennis.com quoted Federer as saying. “So in a way I’m sad about that, but I’m really, really excited to be here now.
“It’s like a new tournament… but at the same time it’s nice to see innovation, it’s nice to see growth in the game, and I hope that’s exactly what’s going to happen here.”
His final taste of competitive tennis in Key Biscayne was bittersweet. In 2018 the former world No.1 suffered a shock defeat to Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round. Nevertheless, Federer hopes to make up for that loss this time around.
“My focus has got to be doing better than last year,” Federer said. “I really have to make sure I do my utmost to get through that first [match] and hopefully catch momentum.”
At the age of 37, it is unclear as to how many more years Miami will continue welcoming him to their tournament. Federer is currently the second oldest player in the top 100 after Ivo Karlovic (40). One incentive to keep him going is Connors’ all-time title record of 109. Just nine trophies behind equalling the record, he is hoping to continue adding to his collection.
“I hope a few more. I’m just very happy to be at 100 already. It’s exciting to have won that many and to have gotten another chance in Indian Wells. It was a pity [to lose to Dominic Thiem]… but it’s how it goes, so I just have to keep plugging away and hopefully give myself some opportunities.” He said.
“The important thing is to be healthy, happy playing and that’s exactly how I feel right now sitting here in Miami.”
Granted a first round bye in Miami, Federer will start his campaign against either Matthew Ebden or Radu Albot.
