Federer: ‘I’ve Got Into My Rhythm Now’
Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer feels that he is in strong shape as he moves into the second week at Wimbledon.
Federer has dropped just one set in his past two matches after a difficult first round match against Adrian Mannarino, in which he trailed by two-sets-to-one.
“I definitely feel like I've got into my rhythm now at this point,” Federer said after beating Cameron Norrie on Saturday. “Sometimes I was still mistiming my shots a little bit, [but] for the most part, I was still trying to play on the front foot.
“I did that very well today. I thought I had a really excellent attitude, from what I can tell how I felt. That has been something that has changed nicely throughout the last weeks and months, to be honest.”
However, despite this pressure, the 39-year-old Swiss revealed he was feeling mentally calm during his 1,250th career match win on Saturday.
“Maybe [it was] one of the first times, I just felt very much at peace out there, really sort of a tranquility.” Federer admitted. “I guess to everything I was doing, where I wanted to serve, how I wanted to win my service games, then how I took misses, how I took wrong choices. I just brushed them off.
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“I was sitting on the change of ends, it was just empty thoughts, no bad, no positive, just sitting there and relaxing. This is how I want it to be. I think that for me is a very positive sign, to be honest.
“I don't think I'm playing because he [Djokovic] is doing well or he's doing great things. Same as Rafa. I think I'm doing my own thing. It's going to be another big one for him [Djokovic] in the coming days. There's always danger in the draw wherever you look.”
The Swiss superstar will next face 23rd seed Lorenzo Sonego on Monday in the fourth round and feels confident with his game after his win against Great Britain’s Norrie, who was backed by a home crowd on Centre Court.
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“It meant a lot to me because I thought I played a really good match throughout. The crowd really got into it. I thought I was extremely calm throughout the match,” Federer said. “Maybe that's why I saved all the emotions for the very end of the match.
“It's really a win for me, like a reference point as well,” Federer said. “If I can beat somebody of his level who's played well last week, who is playing at home, who's played a ton of matches. He's a good player. That's why I was extremely happy that I found ways to fight back in that fourth set."