GSTAAD, Switzerland: Roger Federer will seek to resurrect his disappointing season in front of expectant home fans as the 17-time Grand Slam winner returns to this week’s claycourt Swiss Open at Gstaad for the first time in nine years.
Federer, 31, with his world ranking down to fifth for the first time in a decade, lost 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4) in the weekend semi-finals at Hamburg to Argentine qualifier Federico Delbonis as the slumping Swiss struggles to try and get adjusted to a new, larger racquet.
“I’ve been very close on numerous occasions to changing racquets in a bigger way,” Federer was quoted as saying on the ATP website while in Germany.
“But then very often, time was the issue. Maybe also just the records of grand slams -- I was always keeping on playing quarters and semis -- so then it was also a bit more difficult to change it because of the time.
“After I lost at Wimbledon, I thought this is a good time to go and test the racquets, to take a bit of time off and then add some tournaments and see was there enough time to change or not,” said the Swiss.
Federer admits he is aiming to reclaim top form.
“I’m just still looking for the timing and the rhythm,” he said in Hamburg.
“I tried everything I could (in Hamburg). It’s been a difficult week throughout. But I’m happy I fought through many matches.” AFP
