STOCKHOLM: Roger Federer has endured his leanest season on the men’s circuit since 2001 but the Swiss maestro is already plotting a way to grab back the number one ranking from rival Rafael Nadal.
World number two Federer cannot dislodge his Spanish bogeyman from the top spot this year but that has not stopped the Swiss from planning his goals for 2011. “For me it’s not that important to be two, three or four. Sure you would like to be ranked as high as possible but for me it’s either number one in the world or everything else,” the 29-year-old told reporters at the Stockholm Open.
“After being number one for so long and having been there it’s obviously the best feeling to be there. But when you are not ranked number one, you obviously try to get back there,” added Federer, who was left one week short of matching Pete Sampras’s record of 286 weeks as number one when he was toppled from the summit in June.
“It’s about concentrating, week by week trying to win tournaments.” To do that, the Swiss will have to do better than winning just two titles all season, his lowest haul since 2001. After starting the year with a bang by capturing his 16th grand slam crown at the Australian Open, Federer was left as a forlorn bystander as he failed to reach the final at any of the three remaining majors.
For a while Federer barely resembled the player who had contested 18 out of the last 19 grand slam finals — as had been the case up to his run to the Melbourne Park title. But instead of thinking that 2010 was a disappointing season, a refreshed Federer, who has not played as many matches as he usually does, said it might be the launchpad to yet another successful spell in his career.
