Roger Federer is so far looking good in a tournament he wasn't expected to compete, punching in his ticket to the quarterfinal round after defeating a tough up-and-coming netter in Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday at the Rome Masters.
It's no secret Federer's priority at this point of his career is to win another Grand Slam, and he's aware that his chance on the red dirt at Roland Garros is relatively slim. Indeed, the Swiss Master cannot wait until he finally sets his foot on the grass of All-England, the place where he won the prestigious Wimbledon Championship a record seven times.
However, the Oregonian Live writer Douglas Perry believed Federer isn't going to let the Rome Masters slip away from his grasp that easily. After all, with all the accomplishments he garnered in his storied career, this particular tournament has been elusive for him. It has given him heartbreaks after another, including a five setter loss to Rafael Nadal 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 in 2006
Perry thinks Federer knows very well the historic significance of the Rome Masters, which is often considered the fifth Grand Slam in the calendar year. His focus might be locked and loaded for the Wimbledon Championship, but his heart is telling him to give Rome another shot. That's why, despite his hesitancy to play the tourney, Federer took a gamble and give it a go.
In fact, the veteran tennis writer has a feeling that Federer wants the Rome Masters more badly than the French Open. Sure, winning any major championship is crowning glory for every tennis player, but Swiss is being realistic at this stage. He knows that winning in a best-of-three clay-court tourney is more possible, than emptying his tank and ruining his shot at Wimbledon in a French Open tourney that is expected to be brutally competitive with Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the field.
In short, it's now or never for Federer in Rome.