London: Roger Federer never really doubted that he would resume his grand slam career at Wimbledon after a precautionary withdrawal from the French Open curtailed his run of 65 consecutive majors. But the seven-time champion admits an eighth Wimbledon title is far from his mind, labelling current top two Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as "the big favourites" for the grasscourt championship starting on Monday.
Federer's decision not to risk his sore back at Roland Garros was the latest setback in a season also marred by illness, as well as surgery in February to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. "Obviously if you enter, you want to feel like you have chances to go deep and potentially win," he said, wearing a custom-made SW19 T-shirt to the scene of the last of his 17 major titles back in 2012. Even now, Wimbledon remains his best hope – however slim – of adding another.
"That's why I'm here as well now. I think this is a huge boost for me after pulling out of Paris ... I'm back here at my favourite tournament. With all the success I've had here, this is the motivation I need right now to get back on the big courts, play good matches, enjoy Wimbledon. I love this tournament more than anything. It's a huge opportunity for me to maybe turn around the season. Who knows? Yeah, then just play some nice tennis, enjoy myself here."
Federer said he was buoyed by his ability to play seven matches in 10 days on the grass of Stuttgart and Halle, despite unscheduled losses to rising stars Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. Even in defeat, an important physical test was passed, leaving Federer mentally convinced he's ready for best-of-five set matches.
"All of a sudden you're coming into Wimbledon with more confidence, more understanding where you're at. Now we'll see," the third seed said ahead of a first round meeting with Argentine Guido Pella.
"Clearly I'm not thinking of the title right away. It's too far ahead. It's too far. Regardless, if even Novak or Andy would be in the draw, and they are in the draw, they are the big favourites in my opinion. They've had such a great last six months, last few years. To me, they are the ones to beat."
That man, of course, used to be Federer, but as Djokovic aims for the third leg of the precious grand slam and his fifth consecutive major, it's the 2013 champion Murray who looms as his main danger, with Milos Raonic given some hope of gate-crashing this year's finals party. Federer's win-loss record, meanwhile, is an uncharacteristically modest 16-6.
So the back issue, one that first surfaced back in 2013? How frustrating has the recurrence been? "Look, this back has won me 88 titles, so I'm OK with that back. It's OK if it messes around with me sometimes." Still, it would be less problematic to manage at the end of the year – as it was in 2014 when the off-season break was imminent – but not in the middle of such an important one into which the Rio Olympics also have to be squeezed.
"This was different," Federer said. "That's why the decision not playing Paris, for instance, was very easy to be taken because it was for Wimbledon, it was for the rest of the season, it was for my life, it was for the rest of my career. That's more important than one or two or three tournaments really."
Federer also endorsed the title claims of fellow 34-year-old, Serena Williams, to recover from her uncharacteristic recent wobbles and finally tie Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 grand slams over the next fortnight. Since claiming her sixth Wimbledon 12 months ago, the American has been upset in the latter stages of majors by Roberta Vinci (New York), Angelique Kerber (Melbourne) and Garbine Muguruza (Paris).
"A few years back I didn't think she would still be playing right now because she looked like she was maybe on the way out," Federer said. "I don't want to say 'not so interested any more', but she was only playing, well, not as many tournaments as other players would be playing. Maybe that was good for her in some ways to pace herself, still be hungry later on. And she is. I think maybe now she wants it more than ever, after Australia and New York last year."
