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Wednesday, Aug 24, 2005

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Federer's a class act: Roche

I will pay to watch Roger Federer practise: Ivan Lendl Australian Tony Roche, specialist coach to Roger Federer, speaks to Rohit Brijnath about the brilliant Swiss

MELBOURNE: Ivan Lendl is apparently not a tennis watcher, is not really moved to switch on the television and measure Roddick's forehand against the memory of his own. Till the flinty Czech-American, all stony stoicism, sees the striking Swiss and his resolve wavers. Hey, he tells Tony Roche, I will pay to watch Roger Federer. I will pay to watch him practice.

Tony Roche, 60, his lined face a map of experience, is telling me this story on Monday. The grand Australian leftie, French champion in 1966, was Lendl's and Patrick Rafter's tutor to greatness. Now he's Federer's part-time specialist coach, a wise presence for the great one to lean on. After all, even Roche believes: "There's no such thing as the perfect tennis player," but hell, Federer occasionally has us fooled.

Roche, who usually travels to the Grand Slams with Federer but is skipping this US Open, lived an unobtrusive life. Then this year the Swiss comes knocking and how exactly do you say no to a man who is redefining tennis. One thing is fundamental to accepting the job: Roche must like Federer. But one thing is evident: Federer is an affable man.

When James Blake injured his neck last year, he got only one note in hospital. It was from Federer and read: "We'll miss you and we really hope you get back here quickly." This week, Andy Roddick expressed bewilderment over why the U.S. public hasn't swooned over Federer: "Roger does his business, he goes home. He's not looking for anything besides winning. Unfortunately, that hasn't been embraced. It's almost like people want more of a story. He's a class act. For some reason, that's not a good story."

`Laidback'

Roche is taken with this Swiss he defines as `laidback', he sees Federer as a sweet echo of old-fashioned values. "He has respect for the game of tennis, he feels he has an obligation to the game because he's No. 1, he cares about the game and that's a throwback to Laver and Rosewall."

The Australian is not a flirter with overstatement, a player who has shared court-space with Rosewall and Hoad is not easily impressed. Yet ask him if Federer has ever done something even he has never seen before and he says yes. "Very much so, at the Wimbledon final (this year) against Roddick. I really hadn't seen anyone play that level."

It's what champions do, he reinforces, `produce their best on the biggest stage.' It's like Laver, he adds. Indeed, often in the conversation, Roche will, almost involuntarily, summon Laver's name. He is too prudent to suffocate a maturing Federer by attempting comparisons in record, but it appears as if in grace and gifts as a competitor Laver is his benchmark.

Perhaps for Roche part of the attraction is that he finds a resemblance between the polished Swiss and the majestic Laver. "Certainly in the way they play, so many different shot selections, able to hold the ball till the last minute. Roger is such a beautiful athlete, he doesn't give the impression that he's very quick, but he's always there. He reads the game very well." And, of course, so did Laver.

Federer astonishes with his consistency and versatility, his winning of 22 consecutive finals on varied surfaces a stunning mastery of opponent and moment. He appears, says Roche, not to `stress on the outside,' and while nervousness is hardly absent it is the collected cool that Federer projects that unhinges rival.

But this confidence Federer wears so comfortably now has been earned. Olivier Rochus last week said that when "Federer was young, he was really bad. I remember him when we were 13 years old. He was always losing 6-0, 6-1 against everybody. We were almost laughing of him, and now he's laughing of us."

If Federer found himself, he is still doing so, and Roche finds him inquisitive, eager to pick up things. It's the key, he states, and calls on the memory of Lendl, saying, "he got up every morning wanting to be a better player and you have got to be like that."

Flawless

Federer's symmetrical game may appear to be without weakness, but he is still harnessing his skills, so many shots immaculately designed, but some perhaps unequal to the other. Roche sees him `improving his volleys,' raising them to the `same standard as the rest of his game.' He also views the second serve as a significant weapon, a shot that found perfection through Pete Sampras, and believes Federer will continue to `work on that.'

God forbid, this is an unfinished masterpiece. With a month's sabbatical to heal his foot, having won his sole warm-up tournament in Cincinnati, Federer heads to New York. Last year he won three Grand Slam titles, this year so far one. Everyone will want his head, but Federer will merely pluck at his, adjusting his hair, and then unveiling his artful mayhem. As Roche, nailing perfectly a collective view of this champion, says: "Roger gives the unique impression that he can go to another level." We know, it's why like Lendl, we watch him.

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