Roger Federer Will Be a Long Shot to Set Up Clash vs. Rafael Nadal in Australia

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: January 10, 2014

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After failing to reach a Grand Slam final in 2013 for the first time in more than a decade, four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer enters the season's first major as a rare underdog.

But while the 32-year-old superstar will be favored to reach the quarterfinals Down Under for the 11th straight year, he'll be a long shot to force a highly anticipated semifinal showdown with archrival Rafael Nadal in the second week.

With the two legends on opposite ends of their half of the draw, it's safe to say that a 33rd meeting will have to be put on hold.



Sure, Federer has reached the semifinals at every Australian Open dating back to 2004. But keep in mind that the 17-time major winner has bowed out before the semis in each of his past three Slam appearances, even snapping his remarkable streak of 36 consecutive Slam quarterfinal berths at Wimbledon last summer.

He followed that disappointing loss up with a fourth-round exit at the 2013 U.S. Open, his earliest since 2003.

As Arlene on Twitter points out, times have changed:



With Federer struggling against the game's elite players like never before and suffering head-scratching defeats on the big stage, his focus has shifted as of late, per The Independent's Paul Newman:

I really feel like I'm on the way back. Who knows? Maybe I'll play my best in March or April. That's my feeling, but I still feel there's a lot that's possible right now. Maybe that's why I haven't set particular, special goals. I just want to get back to a good level and then, hopefully, I can start winning tournaments again.

Although the first few rounds in Melbourne project to go Federer's way, he could potentially run into trouble as soon as the fourth round, where 2008 Australian Open finalist and No. 10 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could be waiting for him. 

Tsonga pushed Federer to five sets in the quarterfinal...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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