Roger Federer will give his new coach a one-month tryout before deciding whether to proceed with Paul Annacone on board Team Federer, the Swiss player said on Monday as he prepared for his opening match at the Toronto Masters.
Federer, a two-time champion in Toronto, faces a second-round contest against Argentine Juan Chela, against whom he leads 4-0 and has won eight of nine sets.
Federer and Annacone met last month as the 16-time Grand Slam champion works to correct a slide in form, which left him with quarter-final defeats at both the French Open and Wimbledon this season — disappointing by his world-class standards.
“I thought it was a good time to do a test,” he said on a rainy Monday. “We’re taking it slow, and we’ll see what happens. We will take a decision maybe after the U.S. Open and see what I’ll do.” Federer, who said that a Mediterranean summer holiday on a luxury yacht with his family as well as 10 days of rest put him right for renewed practice as he began work with Annacone, who formerly worked with Tim Henman and Pete Sampras.
“I wasn’t frustrated after my loss from Wimbledon — I was disappointed that my body wasn’t holding up (due to back pain) and that (Tomas) Berdych played such a good match, and that I couldn’t defend my Wimbledon dream again,” Federer said.
“With all the success I got spoiled. Everybody around me got spoiled. So it’s obvious when I don’t win the tournament it’s sometimes not good enough for people and myself.” Federer said that he put in preliminary work with Annacone in recent weeks in Switzerland after his holiday.
“The goal has always been for me to improve as a player — I won’t be happy of playing the same way for years and years and years,” said the current number three, his lowest ranking since 2003.
“I’ve always questioned myself in the best of times and in the worst of times, even though there were not many worst moments, bad moments, the last seven years or so. I always look at new ways I can improve. Paul, with his experience, can bring something to our team, and that’s what we’re exploring right now.” On court, rain interrupted the day with two Frenchmen knocked out in the first round. Russian 12th seed Mikhail Youzhny beat 2008 semi-finalist Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-4.
Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine ousted Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-1, but Frenchman Julien Benneteau defeated Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-.
Chela earned his spot against Federer by hammering Alejandro Falla of Colombia 6-0, 6—3.
Romanian Victor Hanescu beat Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-4, while Spain’s Tommy Robredo put out Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen 6-1, 6-4.
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