TENNIS FRENCH OPEN:FEW PLAYERS in the history of tennis have had more right to celebrate their own deeds than Roger Federer. Yesterday another honour tumbled into the great man's lap, when he dismissed Tobias Kamke with only minor inconvenience on day two of the French Open, and he struggled to hide his delight.
This, his 233rd win in a grand slam tournament – in his 52nd major, 50 of them consecutive – drew him level with Jimmy Connors and he observed: “I have been so successful for such a long time and to already tie that record, 30 years old, is pretty incredible.”
Kamke, ranked 78th in the world, is the 48th German in a row to succumb to Federer’s genius, although, as the Swiss pointed out, he’s been pretty tough on the French too. In fact, he’s been tough on everyone.
“I’m happy to be through to the second round,” he said, “having more information on how the court and the balls play here. [They were slow and heavy].”
He stood tall in the shot when opportunities presented themselves on his forehand and was too patient and precise in the longer rallies for Kamke, who briefly had a window at 4-2 up in the second set before Federer tied it up 6-2 7-5 6-3 in a little under two hours.
Later Federer paid tribute to Connors, especially for winning three US Opens on different surfaces, but revealed they have never been close.
“He didn’t talk to me much when he was working with [Andy] Roddick. He was quite distant at that time, which is a bit weird, because I got on very well with Roddick. But I think he respects me very much. I had many interviews with him for Tennis Channel, and we saw each other in the changing room. Well, I talked to him. He is much closer to [Rafa] Nadal than to me . . . maybe that’s the reason.”
That was as close as he got to even acknowledging the simmering differences between himself and the Spaniard, which surfaced briefly in Melbourne this year over the Tour schedule.
It might be that they do not meet here. Nadal is on the other side of the draw – he plays the Italian Simone Bolelli on Court Philippe Chatrier today – and the short odds are that Federer will have to get past Novak Djokovic to reach the final.
Federer’s next opponent is the Romanian Adrian Ungar, who put out David Nalbandian in four sets. Djokovic pulled away from the Italian Potito Starace in three sets and next plays Blaz Kavcic, who needed four sets to see off the still tough Lleyton Hewitt.
Federer, older than most of them now, who is playing some of the best tennis of his career – and the mark that tantalises him is another Connors record: 109 tournament victories. Federer has 79. “Is it possible for me to equal Connors’ title?” he asks. “That would be incredible.”
It would require him to win probably five tournaments a year and play into his late 30s. For his many admirers that is quite a prospect.
Those who believe in the potential of Britain’s Laura Robson were fleetingly encouraged by glimpses of her power hitting in the first set before the Spanish clay-courter and 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues won 6-2 6-1.
Clay is not the teenager’s natural home but she is hoping to learn from Maria Sharapova, who has gradually become a force on the surface. “It’s definitely a surface that I can continue to improve on,” she said. “You look at someone like Sharapova and she’s made massive strides. She has the sort of game that I would like to be playing on this surface.”
Guardian Service
