Federer keen to test Annacone coaching partnership
Roger Federer begins his first trial run with coach Paul Annacone
this week, the Swiss marshalling his forces a day prior to a Toronto
Masters clash with Juan Ignacio Chela on Tuesday.
"I thought it was a good time to do a test," said third seed Federer,
twice the champion in Toronto. "We're taking it slow, and we'll see what
happens. We don't even know yet.
"We'll see how it goes," Federer said of the prospects for a
long-term arrangement with Annacone. "And we will take a decision maybe
after the US Open and see what I'll do."
Argentina's Chela booked his place in the second round with a 6-0,
6-3 victory over Alejandro Falla on Monday, one of a handful of matches
which got on court before weather intervened.
Falla, from Colombia, gave Federer a fright in the first round at
Wimbledon before the Swiss pulled out a five-set victory over the number
64, winning 6-0 in the final set.
The third-seeded Federer has not met Chela since 2006, but owns a 4-0
record over the 30-year-old South American, winning eight of nine sets
they have played. Their last meeting came in the first round at Rome in
2006.
Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine dealt a blow to French hopes, ousting
Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-1. The defeat was the second in a row for Gasquet
on hardcourt after reaching the clay Gstaad final eight days ago.
France's Julien Benneteau beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4.
Romanian Victor Hanescu defeated the week's first Canadian
participant as he eliminated world number 217 Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-4.
Spain's Tommy Robredo stoped Finnish qualifier Jarkko Nieminen 6-1,
6-4 while South African Kevin Anderson defeated Argentina's Leonardo
Mayer 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Federer will be competing for the first time since Wimbledon, where
he lost in the quarter-finals to eventual finalist Tomas Berych. Federer
uncharacteristically complained about back problems at the time.
Federer's recent decision to experiment with taking on American
Annacone - former mentor to Federer friends Pete Sampras and Tim Henman
- as a coach gets a first test of fire in Canada.
Federer said the trial collaboration will continue through the US
Open, with his "regular" coach Severin Luthi joining the team and next
week in Cincinnati.
Like everything Federer does, the Annacone initiative was a
well-coordinated effort.
"Paul came to Switzerland after Wimbledon at some stage," said
Federer, whose current number three ranking is his lowest in seven
years.
"I had vacation first (a July Mediterranean yacht charter with the
extended family), which was key for me to just get back on my feet and
feel normal again.
"It took me about 10 days to get over the aches and pains I have had
over the three-week period from Halle until the end of Wimbledon."
Despite quarter-final exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon after winning
those titles in 2009, Federer said he has not been weighed down by
unfulfilled expectations.
"I don't think I was frustrated after Wimbledon, I was disappointed
that my body wasn't holding up and that Berdych played such a good match
and that I couldn't defend my Wimbledon dream again. TORONTO, AFP
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