Federer: “I want to take charge”

Roger Federer, who has spent more time on the practice court than most in the past couple of months, is gearing up for an all-out assault on the Wimbledon title in 2017.

The Swiss, who has played just two events since winning the Miami Masters in March, arrives at the All England Club ready to unleash an overwhelming attack on the field, beginning when he faces Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in round one.

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“Today, for instance, I was just trying to have good energy in practice. Short and sweet, just get it done. Tomorrow I’ll be off,” Federer revealed in his Wimbledon press conference on Saturday.

“Then (I’ll be) sort of basically resting, just making sure I come in fresh into that first round with the right mindset.

“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my opponent. I want to take charge, play aggressive myself. So for that I need to be fast on my feet and quick in my mind. I just need enough rest so I can play enough inspired tennis.

“In practice itself, I’m just trying to play forward, serve and volleying some, making sure I don’t get stuck behind the baseline, just making shots.

“It’s more being really proactive in practice right now.”

The tennis world got a glimpse of this approach last week when Federer stormed to the title in Halle, wrapped up with a 53-minute thumping of world No.12 Alexander Zverev in the final.

Federer was at his rapid-fire, attacking best against the 20-year-old, dropping just four games in a grasscourt masterclass.

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The result affirmed Federer’s decision to skip the entire claycourt season throughout April and May, the reason his competitive schedule has been so light since Miami.

Between then and Halle his only tournament was the grasscourt tune-up in Stuttgart, where he was stunned in his opening match by German veteran Tommy Haas.

Federer, describing himself as the “practice world champion” after his long lay-off, had been raring to go in Stuttgart yet tempered his disappointment at losing there with his ninth Halle trophy a week later.

“(Skipping clay) gave myself the best chance for the grass, so I would never look back and have regrets once I came here,” Federer explained.

“I was ready to play in Paris … (but) I just felt like anything other than winning there feels like I’m not giving myself the best chance for Wimbledon.

“I’m 35 years old. I’ve won the French Open once. This is not clearly an ideal preparation. I’ll be fresh, that’s the positive.

“(My team) all felt the same way, that it’s better to save myself and give it all I have for the rest of the season, not just the grass court season, but looking beyond that, too, all the way to the American summer, staying on a fast court tennis sort of mindset.

“I kind of never regretted it, even though it hurt, because it was the first time I pulled out of a slam actually feeling 100 per cent ready to go.”

Federer will face Dolgopolov in the first round on Tuesday.