Amid all the expectation in defending a Grand Slam title, Roger Federer couldn’t be happier.
Since arriving in Melbourne earlier this week with a third Hopman Cup title for Switzerland secured, there have been fun excursions with the family, sponsor commitments smoothly fulfilled and – most importantly – a chance to reflect on everything this nation means to him.
“Well the weather’s great but the fans are amazing … they're very knowledgeable about the game,” said Federer as he helped open the new headquarters of Jura Coffee at a special function in Melbourne. “They’ve been unbelievably supportive of me. Personally, I feel that they’ve always been behind me.”
The support of a tennis-loving public is of course a given, considering everything that the superstar has achieved here.
With the first of his five Australian Open titles in 2004, Federer also achieved his world No.1 breakthrough. And while many Grand Slam titles soon followed, none had as much meaning as Australian Open 2017, when as a world No.17 returning from a six-month injury break, he claimed his first major in almost five seasons.
“Last year expectations were not there. It was just about (being) happy to be in Australia,” Federer related.
“I said before the tournament that any result is a good one as long as I don't get hurt and I can leave Australia not being hurt again that would be a win already.
“And then it being this fairy tale run of winning the entire thing.”That the comeback – which would see Federer win seven titles, including Wimbledon, and return to world No.2 in 2017 – began in Melbourne couldn’t have greater significance.
Australia has long been the nation that fuelled Federer’s ambitions, sparked by a deep appreciation for tennis history and the nation’s many prolific champions.
“They've had incredible legends in this country that I've looked up to,” he said. “Rod Laver, (Roy) Emerson and Ken Rosewall. It's just an amazing bunch of guys that really inspired a lot of the tennis players that still play today.
“One of them was me.”
Other Australian legends have had a more direct influence. “Some of them I’ve played against. Lleyton (Hewitt) and Pat Rafter, who I was lucky to watch and also lucky to play against him.”
Roger laughs as he adds that “I never beat Rafter but that doesn't matter (because), you shouldn't beat your favourite players anyway” but singles out other Australian connections with deep sincerity.
“We have emotional ties with Peter Carter and Tony Roche of course,” he said, noting the powerful influence of South Australian Carter, an early coach who passed away in a car accident in 2002, and Roche, who guided the Swiss to six majors between 2005 and 2007.
Happy memories of Australia are also personal in another way for Federer, who fondly recalls his first visit for a family holiday as a 14-year-old.
“It was our last big family vacation, if you will, with my sister and my parents before I left home and went to the national tennis centre in Switzerland … we had a beautiful vacation, we went to the Great Barrier Reef and went to Heron Island.
“I remember it was a beautiful place and ever since I fell in love with Australia.”In a happy place physically, the 36-year-old Federer is also in a happy place mentally as he travels alongside wife Mirka, their twin daughters Myla and Charlene, as well as twin sons Leo and Lenny.
“I think it's just an incredible situation now, travelling with our kids, with my wife and still willing to do it because in my vision, in my dream that I had when I was a little boy, I didn't have the vision of looking up to the player box and seeing maybe four kids potentially and a wife and a coach and a physio. I didn't see that.”
It creates a different experience on tour for Federer, art museums and the like replaced by time with the family in parks, zoos and at other attractions.
“My life has just changed in a big way and it's just so much fun. The last eight years on tour have been amazing and I'm so fortunate that my wife's so supportive of everything and that we can do it all together.”
Those fun times off the court help manage the inevitable nerves that arise as a defending champion.
“I think it’s I think it's normal because there's a lot of expectations this year. Everybody thinks I probably have a good chance to maybe repeat and other guys are maybe a bit hurt,” he said.
“All these things all play into it but at the end of the day I've been in this position thankfully many times before.
“Defending a title the very first time is the hard part … if you don't win, it's all dramatic but later on in life you take it as it comes, try your best and if it works out, great but if it doesn't it just doesn't.”
The potential flipside to his 2017 title is one that a smiling Federer considers amiably. There’s a strong sense that anything he can add to a sensational season is simply a bonus – and win again or not, the star contender will remain happy.
