Relaxation is Federer’s key for Wimbledon

By DianE PUCIN

Los Angeles Times

Never accuse Roger Federer of being shy.

He hasn’t been past the quarterfinals of Wimbledon (or any grass-court tournament) in the last two years and he’s 30 years old. The last 30-year-old to win a major title was Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open and we all know about the years when Agassi sort of went away from tennis, an offshoot of which was giving his body a chance to rest.

Federer has never gone away and, in fact, is arriving at Wimbledon 2012, which begins Monday, with the serious goal of winning a seventh men’s singles title, something only Pete Sampras has done at the All England Club in the modern era.

And when Federer came to his first 2012 Wimbledon news conference, streamed on video, Saturday he was wearing a long-sleeved cream sweater with a popped collar. The sweater had purple trim (a Wimbledon color) and a green (another Wimbledon color) “RF” insignia on the right arm.

There was no question about what the “RF” stands for.

Other than Sampras, only Willie Renshaw, a player from the 1880s who often got a bye directly to the final as defending champion, has won seven Wimbledon men’s titles, and Federer would very much like to become the third.

“Over a two-, three-week period, a lot of things can go wrong for you or go right for you and if you come through, it’s a beautiful feeling,” Federer said. “I am dreaming of the title. There is no denying that.”

There’s also no denying that the last nine major trophies have been held by either Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal, who have played each other in the last four Grand Slam finals and are seeded 1-2 at Wimbledon. Federer may have 16 major titles, more than anyone else, but it’s been almost 21/2 years since he last won one, at the 2010 Australian Open.

“I don’t feel like I have to work on anything specific because I feel everything is working in my game,” Federer said. “Physically I have no lingering injuries. I’m in a good spot right now.”

It was a much more subdued Serena Williams who met with media Saturday. Like Federer, Williams is 30, and like Federer it’s been a while since she last won a major, at Wimbledon in 2010.

“Whether I won in Paris or lost like I did in the first round, I am always extremely motivated,” she said. “If anything, you know, I think losing makes me more motivated.”