ROGER FEDERER IN DUBAI: I DON'T WORK ON WEAKNESSES

Roger Federer may not be playing the tournament in Dubai, but he’s been busy training, partying and schmoozing on behalf of his sponsor, Jura, the Swiss coffee company. Last week’s Jura event, at Dubai’s “One & Only Royal Mirage Hotel,”  included a meet-and-greet with Roger and a panel discussion on the subject “Winning in Sport and Business” including Roger’s “tips on what it takes to stay on top, even when the going gets tough.”

His most interesting tip: “I have never believed in working on my weaknesses. My serve and my forehand are my strengths and I work on them to get better.”

Oh my goodness, someone call Darren Cahill, now!

But don’t worry, Fedophiles, there’s much to rejoice over here - Federer also says that he wants to play for at least seven or eight more years (!) and that he thinks he can win “many more slams.”  Check out these choice quotes, taken from an interview that Xpress did at the Jura event:

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On the GOAT factor:

“It’s difficult to judge who is the greatest of all time. Winning the French Open would of course round off what has already been an incredible career for me but right now my priority is getting past Sampras’s record of 14 titles”

On his future in tennis:

“I believe it’s important to chase your dreams and one of them is also to win the Olympic singles gold on the grass courts of Wimbledon in 2012. I am still young in tennis terms and still have some bit to go. And I know I have many more slams and another seven to eight years left in me.”

On moving on after Australia:

“You can’t win everything. The idea is to take positives from those setbacks and work at getting better. I have never believed in working on my weaknesses. My serve and my forehand are my strengths and I work on them to get better.”

On withdrawing from Dubai and his general physical health:

“I am disappointed about not playing in Dubai, but unlike last year when I chose to play on despite not being fully fit, I have decided to recover completely before taking the court again in a few weeks’ time. I am feeling much better this year physically, but I need to be 100 per cent fit to play again. . .Look at Agassi and Connors, they are my inspiration.”

On his place in the game:

“I have already played three generations of tennis stars. I started with Sampras and Agassi, then moved on to the likes of Roddick, Hewitt and Safin and now I am playing against Nadal, Djokovic and Murray.”

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Sometimes you have to “talk the talk” before you can “walk the walk” again, and I think that this is what Roger Federer is doing.  Let’s hope he really is focusing on his strengths and taking the long view in terms of his career - though a few more backhand service return drills wouldn’t hurt, would they?

Slideshow photo: AP Photo/Scott Barbour,Pool

Post photo: Xpress/Karen Dias