Love now means everything for Federer
Nadal Returns To The Court In Montreal
MONTREAL -- He began as a kid playing tennis for fun, and now, with his main career goals accomplished, Roger Federer finds himself having come full circle: There is little left to play for except sheer love of the game.
Yet Federer is using that as a source of fresh motivation. There is nothing else left to prove, so the recently restored world No. 1 wants to show that he is still willing to stay out there week after week, battling against an increasingly hungry and crowded field of challengers, even with his added roles as husband and father of two.
"I love the game as much as anyone out there," he told reporters at the Rogers Cup in Montreal this week. "And I'm excited to see how I'm going to handle the new family role.
"Going forward to the U.S. Open is going to be a very exciting stretch right now."
That stretch begins Tuesday in Montreal, when Federer plays his first match since Wimbledon against local hope Frederic Niemeyer.
"I've been very motivated, practicing really hard the last few weeks," he said. "And that's why I'm back on tour. Otherwise I would be still [sticking] at home doing something else than answering questions and practicing and playing matches."
After a whirlwind first half of the year, few would have been surprised to see him take a longer break.
This summer, Federer added two grand landmarks to a résumé already festooned with records and accomplishments: a career Slam at the French Open and a record-breaking 15th major at Wimbledon. Things have been busy off the court as well: He married longtime girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec in April, and the two became parents of twin girls less than three weeks ago.
So there was plenty to sit back and reflect on as he turned 28 on Saturday, but little time to do it. The new Federer family was already on its first trip, to Montreal.
"Just coming off my birthday, too, everything's still a bit crazy," he grinned. "Being here with the kids, trying to be well organized."
Given the Swiss' typical efficiency, organization has not been a problem. Federer, Mirka and the twins, Myla and Charlene, flew in from Europe on a private jet and will remain in North America through the U.S. Open, which ends in five weeks.
A nurse has been brought along to help with the children's care, and a pediatrician has been placed on call at all three locations Federer will be playing during the summer hard-court swing: Montreal, the Western and Southern Financial Masters in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open in New York.
Taking the kids on the road so soon may be ambitious, but Federer admits he would not have played this week without his family coming along. Medical consultations cleared all three to travel.
"Obviously, we had to make many checks," he said. "I'm happy they could join; it gives me a good feeling, too.
"Otherwise I don't think I would have come."
Unlike many players, Federer can afford to transport his family in style to every event, evading the homesickness that is often a feature of life on the circuit.
"I don't mind the traveling. I think that's a very important aspect for my future life in tennis," said Federer. "Because I think if you dislike the traveling part, everything becomes so much harder."
Being a new dad has been a joyful experience, he reports. "They're so sweet and cute right now," he said. "And I'm enjoying every moment … help them get through life and make sure they feel well, they don't scream and stuff. It's very fulfilling."
Federer has been doing some diaper duty and, so far, hasn't been too bothered by the interrupted nights. "I expected worse, so it's actually been OK so far."
But he has also made time for tennis, returning to training 10 days after Wimbledon and recently spending time hitting with Austrian lefty Stefan Koubek in Zurich.
With the time-zone shift, having the kids along and a month's break from play, Federer is unsure what to expect from himself right now.
His rivals aren't letting their guard down. "He's very relaxed on the court, which makes him even more dangerous," said Novak Djokovic, who made his first big splash by beating Federer in the final of Montreal two years ago.
Paradoxically, having no pressure creates pressure of its own. And then there's the expectation that now inevitably surrounds the growing Federer legend.
"You would think there is no pressure after such a great victory in Paris and Wimbledon," said Federer. "[But] you always have -- toward your fans, the media and the tournament director.
"I'm not just here to participate, I'm here to play well and hopefully win."
But he does anticipate that losses will now be easier to forget. "I'm sure that Myla and Charlene and Mirka, the whole thing will definitely just help by taking pressure off my tennis game a little bit."
On or off the court, love now means everything for Federer.
Kamakshi Tandon is a freelance tennis writer for ESPN.com.
