Beaten Fedex won’t obsess over 18th Slam

New York: Roger Federer insisted that he will keep playing into 2015 but will not become obsessed over winning an 18th Grand Slam title, a target which was slipping further and further away.It’s a long stretch of disappointment for a man who won five successive titles between 2004 and 2008 but whose last appearance in the championship match was in 2009 when he was upstaged by Juan Martin del Potro.

 

“It’s not important to my life. I don’t need it to be more happy or anything,” said the Swiss veteran, when asked how significant an achievement it would be to capture an 18th Major.Federer’s caution was understandable.His 17th and most recent Grand Slam title was his seventh crown at Wimbledon in 2012 and even that came after having to wait over two years since his 16th at the 2010 Australian Open.

 

“The moment itself, it would mean a lot. I keep working hard to win titles on the tour, not just no. 18.“I was very happy to get to no. 80 the other week (in Cincinnati, one of three tour titles in 2014), so that was huge for me.“I’ll give it a go again in Australia (next January); hope to be healthy there. I enjoy playing there. It’s been one of my most consistent Slams. I hope to get another chance at it. I can’t do more than try really hard, which I’m doing.”

 

Federer, 33, was trying to become the oldest winner of a Major title in more than 40 years at the US Open, but his record at the Slams is steadily becoming one of diminishing returns.Although he made the Wimbledon final in July, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, his record since Wimbledon 2012 is modest by his lofty standards.