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Rogere Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka won in the men's doubles Olympic Gold in 2008. AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Fed Express

Federer sets his sets on Olympic Gold as Murray compares him to Muhammad Ali

The Swiss ace won the men’s doubles in 2008 but craves a centre court win at SW19 to crown a golden summer.

ROGER FEDERER CAN hardly wait for the London Olympics to get started.

The newly crowned Wimbledon champion has extra reason to highly anticipate the upcoming staging of the men’s singles competitions as they are taking part at his favourite London postal address, SW19.

“At first you think, let’s start the Olympics tomorrow,” Federer said following his four set victory over Andy Murray.

“But then you realise that you need to come down and need to recover. My physiotherapist travels with me for 90 days a year.” Federer added:

I told him that we must make sure everything is possible, so I can play at my best at Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open.

“The start has worked out perfectly, and clearly such a victory brings me much motivation and satisfaction.”

Good shape

Despite his two and a half year wait to add Grand Slam number 17 to his list of career achievements, the 30-year-old feels in good shape.

“God,” he said, “I’ve practised so much that I don’t want to be worse five years later.

“I feel I have a great game (on Sunday). But then again, maybe there were times I had such incredible confidence that you do pull triggers and you pull off shots that maybe today I don’t.” He added:

I know how hard it is to pull off those great shots and I know how easy it is to miss, so I’m more aware of these things.

“But I’m so happy I’m at the age I am right now, because I had such a great run and I know there’s still more possible.”

One of the greatest ever

Andy Murray, who lost to Federer for the third time in a Grand Slam Final, says the Wimbledon champion deserved to be ranked alongside Pele and Muhammad Ali as one of the greatest sportsmen the world has ever seen.

“He’s up there. Rafa Nadal, as well, for me is up there in that conversation, as well,” said Murray. “Both of them have been unbelievable athletes. They’ve been great for the sport.”

“Roger is still playing amazing tennis. A lot of people have been asking me, ‘Has he started slipping? Is he not playing as well?’” He added:

If you look at the matches he lost the last couple years they were very, very close matches that he definitely could have won. He could be sitting on 20 Grand Slams if one point or a couple inches here or there had gone his way.

“So he’s still playing great tennis. I don’t think you get to number one unless you deserve it.”

*Additional reporting © AFP, 2012

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