Roger Federer hitting form in French Open

A splendid recovery in Paris shows the former world No1 is almost back to his best after months of anguish and uncertainty
There is an air of hope and vitality in Paris, for Roger Federer and all who are moved by the rich uncertainties of sporting contest. Only a few weeks ago, the prospect of another title for Rafael Nadal, claimed without challenge and concluded by a ritual thrashing of Federer, invited boredom for most, dread for the Swiss.
But after months of anguish and uncertainty, Federer seems a liberated man, the attacking genius of old. Yesterday, he dealt with difficult conditions, with the red dust swirling around as if it was a Texas cattle drive, and an awkward opponent, in Paul-Henri Mathieu, who went for his shots with nothing to lose and made an outrageous number of them. After losing the first set, Federer tightened his game and took control, winning the third-round match 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-4.
His cause was further improved by the very surprising straight-sets defeat of Novak Djokovic, who was the most obvious danger on his side of the draw. Djokovic was flat, almost mediocre, as he lost all three sets to Philipp Kohlschreiber by six games to four. Sometimes, Djokovic wilts in the heat and he admitted that he had no answers to the German, who played as well as required. Nor did Djokovic have a good answer to what was wrong. “I played too passive,” he said. “I couldn’t find my rhythm at all.”
After holding match points against Nadal in Madrid, Djokovic had legitimate hopes of challenging him for the French title and he was very disappointed. But he has a history of losing the physical battle. At the Australian Open this year, he pulled out during his match with Andy Roddick, just as he had at Monte Carlo against Federer in 2008.
It’s not hard to trace Federer’s new-found spirit and confidence, for a fortnight back he cast aside his misery and five consecutive defeats against Nadal by beating him emphatically in Madrid, and on clay. Now that Nadal owns all that Federer holds dear in the game, the psychological tables are turned. Nadal has to defend his position as No 1, as well as his titles, and holding the castle is less natural to him than marauding. Furthermore, those clamouring at the walls are acting for the moment in the common interest to bring him down. In Madrid, Djokovic wounded Nadal in the semi-finals in a three-set match lasting four hours; Federer finished him off.
When Federer was at the summit, he had one adversary to really worry about: Nadal. Nadal has several: Djokovic, Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Federer.
While Djokovic lost tamely, others who might threaten Nadal remain. Del Potro beat Igor Andreev with ease and has yet to drop a set in three rounds. Nor has Tsonga, who brushed aside Christophe Rochus. But it is the resurgence of Federer that is most intriguing and welcome. His fall over the past year had a tragic quality. Hailed as the athletic wonder of our age, his adornments were stripped from him one by one.
When he lost to Nadal in the Australian Open final, Federer wept, and even those who support and admire Nadal had to shed a tear. For while Nadal and most in the hunting pack all have astonishing and varied gifts, none brings such fearful beauty to the game as Federer.
Perhaps he needed to hit the bottom before he could rebound. During the clay-court season, he worked hard on his game and condition, trying to take his game from 98% to 100%, the margin by which he reckoned he had slipped.
He found the two per cent and although there were extenuating circumstances for Nadal in Madrid, Federer was scintillating, his old self, attacking flat out, imposing his own game rather than trying to prove he could match Nadal in a war of attrition. And the weapons, so recently rusty, gleamed in the sun. Federer’s service thundered; his forehand was devastating, but sure.
Most of all, he had the surge of confidence, and that, of course, comes in and recedes not in margins but floods.
The imperative question is whether Federer can sustain his resurgence, the flood-tide of optimism. If he can, he might not be able to win at Roland Garros — with Nadal around, that seems beyond him, and Nadal is crushing all-comers as usual. But Federer might manage to give Nadal a contest and go on to achieve two goals closer to his heart: he can win Wimbledon again; and before the year is out he can be the world No 1.
Source:The times