‘We Talk about Murray and Djokovic Being Grinders’-Federer

Roger Federer is one of the few players in the top ten who loves to play an aggressive style of tennis. Federer is often quick to rush to the net, and very rarely takes more than a couple of minutes to hold his serve. He has also, in his latter parts of his career, invented a new shot that is now called as SABR, which is an outrageous shot, considering that players think twice to stand close to the base-line let alone the service box.

In an era where players like to sit back and play long rallies, rather than play with an aggressive mentality, how important is it really to play with intent and attack and how much toll does it take on the player’s body?

‘Attacking tennis also has a lot of wear and tear on the body because being highly explosive is something that’s a big challenge‘, said Federer. Federer also said that playing a very fast and reactive game takes a toll on the body in its own sense, but maybe not more than playing long rallies on each point.

‘We talk about (Andy) Murray and (Novak) Djokovic being grinders’, said the Swiss maestro. ‘I think they actually play quite aggressive. To be honest, everybody. Even Rafa is standing closer to the baseline normally than he ever has in the past as well.’

As Federer points out, its not just him, who refuses to step away from the baseline. Djokovic, as we all know is one of the greatest returners of the game, to have graced the courts. Andy Murray, as well has the ritual of stepping well into the baseline while returning second serves.

Andy Murray has currently withdrawn from the Washington Open and Rogers Cup, while Federer has also chosen to skip the Rogers Cup. Djokovic and Nadal however, have been included in the draw.