Federer has lost fear of losing: Naresh

KOLKATA: Like the rest of the world, Naresh Kumar can't stop marvelling at Roger Federer's second coming, at the age of 35.
The Swiss maestro, having taken time off from tennis after the 2016 Wimbledon Championship to recover from a knee injury, returned in January and straightaway won the Australian Open -his 18th Grand Slam win, No. 17 having come five years back. And just to prove that the Melbourne triumph wasn't a one-off, Federer went on to clinch the Indian Wells title, thus becoming the oldest winner of an ATP Masters meet.
“What Federer has done is a miracle...To win a Grand Slam at this age is not easy. Some of the players were injured but it's still a great achievement. He is playing his shots and they are all coming off. He has lost the fear of losing,” Naresh said during a press conference on the sidelines of the Rendez-Vous at Roland Garros national series meet here on Thursday.
Analysing the remarkable resurgence of a man who many consider to be the greatest of all time, Naresh said his backhand was making the difference. “All his opponents used to attack his weaker side, the backhand. That made him practise the backhand day in and day out... Now it's become very strong,” said India's former Davis Cup captain. “He has the right balance which is the essence of life.”
Naresh felt the players hide injuries these days. “Tennis now is based on who's actually injured and who's not. And all of them hide their injuries. They don't want to show it as the sponsors may not help them.
“Once you break down one muscle of your body, it needs a compensatory muscle. In doing that, the other muscle goes... It's very difficult.”
Hoping for peace in Davis Cup team
Looking ahead to India's Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan next month, the 87year-old hoped that the appointment of Mahesh Bhupathi as non-playing captain will lead to a reconciliation between the warring players. “Everyone has been fighting with everybody , we have to get out of that situation. Let us hope that with Bhupathi's appointment as captain, the Mahabharata is over and there is a reconciliation.”
Reminded of the strained relation between Bhupathi and Leander Paes, their one-time captain refused to predict what could happen when the two come together again. “Whether they are really at peace with each other or not, I can't say. That's a personal thing between them. But it's a very good sign that they are coming together for the sake of the team.”
Despite strong differences, Paes and Bhupathi showed remarkable camaraderie on court to win three Grand Slam and 20 ATP Tour doubles titles. “If you're not pals off the court, it is difficult to strike a chord on it. But they still won a lot together. Maybe they are special.”
Paes, who will be 44 in June, is in no hurry to quit, though his critics feel he should make way for younger players in the Davis Cup team. “It's difficult to say when he should quit. If you watch Leander's mixed doubles matches closely, he still wins the crucial points. The other boys maybe better players, but at crucial times, this fellow is putting his neck forward... That's his greatest quality,” said Paes' first Davis Cup captain.