Did anyone else listen to the interview at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/p...1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1

? It seems Roger will have another jacket for this year's Wimbledon. :clap:

I read a rumour that it wasn't only going to be a new jacket either.. ;)

?

Tell me more ...

At The Championships last summer the Swiss wore that retro, cream walk-on jacket. And when he opens Centre Court on Monday, in the defending champion's slot, he will sport a new look. He was a little coy about the details yesterday, but did hint that he will possibly be wearing a pair of white trousers and some "special shoes" as well as a smart jacket.


All unconfirmed, of course. i'm not convinced that it will happen. but a rumour nonetheless.

Tennis: Federer follows in footsteps of Borg
Friday, June 22, 2007

By Paul Newman

When you are Wimbledon champion four times over there are not many players who can excite you as potential hitting partners. Roger Federer, however, still glows at the memory of a practice session in Dubai last year.

"I was in transit, just spending a couple of days there before going to Shanghai," Federer said yesterday. "I knew Bjorn Borg was in town for a seniors match against John McEnroe and I had this fantastic idea of calling him up and saying: 'Do you want a hit?' He said 10 the next morning would be fine.

"It was a dream come true. We were warming up and I was laughing on the inside, thinking: 'Look, the backhand is still the same.' It was also a great chance to talk to him. I hear a lot through the media about really nice things that he has said about me. I've always been happy to hear that because he's a huge hero of mine."

Federer was talking after a practice session yesterday at the All England Club, where he will begin his quest on Monday to emulate Borg's feat of winning Wimbledon five years in a row. The world No 1 was born a year after Borg won his last title there in 1980.

There have been suggestions that Borg might present Federer with the winner's trophy if he matches his five successive titles, but the Swiss player said: "I don't think that would be a good idea. Tradition is tradition. The French Open gets people like Edberg and Kuerten out on the court to present the trophy, but Wimbledon has always been different. It's always been royalty here."

Federer will be 26 in August, the age at which Borg retired. Had he asked the Swede why he quit so young?

"I haven't, but I think everybody would like to know," Federer said. "His career was like some of the women's. Martina Hingis started at 16 and was incredibly strong. But then you get to 26 after 10 strong years and you've had enough of it. In a way it's a pity, but at the same time it makes him unique."

Although he has set his sights on winning the 2012 Olympic tournament at Wimbledon, Federer has started to contemplate life after retirement.

"I'm definitely thinking more about other things like having a family," he said. "The Roger Federer Foundation [which supports disadvantaged children in South Africa] is also becoming much more important. I'd like to settle down in Switzerland."

For the moment, however, his focus is on the next fortnight. After losing the French Open final Federer pulled out of last week's Halle tournament in Germany, which he won before each of his previous four Wimbledon triumphs.

"The last two years I've played in Halle after doing really well in Paris and each time I was very sore when I played at Wimbledon," he said. "I was so tired when I came here that I couldn't really practise much. This year I decided to do it differently. I'm sure it was the right decision."

Was he concerned at going into Wimbledon without any competitive grass-court preparation? "I can only really answer that once I'm past the first round. But on grass I always feel at home very quickly, with points played the way I like them to be played. My movement is excellent on grass, so I feel that everything works for me automatically here."

Last week's break gave Federer the chance to stay in his new flat in Zurich. He spent five days there, enjoying dinners and barbecues with friends, shopping, playing cards and visiting his parents. "I feel good now, relaxed and mentally fresh," he said. "To me that's more important than having played matches."

Federer sympathised with Andy Murray's fitness problems following the wrist injury that may yet force the Scot to withdraw from Wimbledon.

He said: "When you have a young career like Andy's and you know there's a risk that the wrist won't hold, you definitely don't want to jeopardise your entire career over one tournament, even though it's Wimbledon."

The Swiss player was asked whether he had a new outfit to replace the cream jacket he wore at the All England Club 12 months ago. "There's a jacket again," he said. "I still have to figure out what I am doing with it. The jacket is white, staying with the colours of Wimbledon.

"Last year was only the jacket, this year it's the whole outfit. I have a bag as well. There's no hat or tie. Maybe some white trousers. There's something on the pocket, a crest. The shoes will be special, too," Federer promised.

Record at Wimbledon

1999 Lost in first round to Jiri Novak 3-6 6-3 7-6 6-7 6-4

2000 Lost in third round to Yevgeny Kafelnikov 5-7 5-7 6-7

2001 Lost in quarter-final to Tim Henman 5-7 6-7 6-2 6-7

2002 Lost in second round to Mario Ancic 3-6 6-7 3-6

2003Beat Mark Philippoussis in final 7-5 6-2 7-6

2004 Beat Andy Roddick in final 4-6 7-5 7-6 6-4

2005 Beat Andy Roddick in final 6-2 7-6 6-4

2006 Beat Rafael Nadal in final 6-0 7-6 6-7 6-3

Federer keeping up appearances with stylish new look

Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent

We can only surmise what they will look like in their new garb. In the case of Roger Federer it may be white trousers and collared shirt in the manner of Fred Perry – or perhaps he is going to don elegant designer shorts and braided jacket to go with his golden-flecked shoes. All will be revealed on Monday when the Swiss steps out for what he hopes will be the successful first stage of seven towards his fifth successive men’s singles title at Wimbledon.

Then there is Greg Rusedski, wearing the requisite LTA tracksuit with embroidered initials, travelling the length and breadth of the country seeking the brightest seven to 14-year-old talent and helping to nurture them into Britain’s future champions as the newest expensive recruit to the coaching hierarchy. It truly was a day of wonder in southwest London yesterday.

Federer and Nike, his clothing company, have collaborated closely on the design he will unveil in 2007 after the success of his Bill Tilden-like jacket last year. He would not be persuaded to divulge all yesterday, except to say that everything would be in the finest traditions of the All England Club. “It will be simple, but nice,” he said.

One could say the same about his approach to tennis, one that will be tested to its ultimate in the next couple of weeks, but has stood the test of grass-court time these past four years and, in his mind, will do so again. “For ten minutes after the French Open final [he was defeated by Rafael Nadal and missed out on his chance to hold all four grand-slam titles at once] it was ‘what a pity’, but once I got into the press room, I was fine again,” he said. “Life goes on. I went out to dinner with 30 friends that night, then went home to Switzerland and relaxed for a few days.”

Usually, Federer would have gone straight to Halle, Germany, and played the tournament there, admitting it left him sore all over and did not exactly enhance his Wimbledon chances. He could have fooled the opposition. This year, resting his aching limbs, the most energy he used was flicking over playing cards, relaxing in his new apartment in Zurich.

He accepts the expectations this year will be immense. “It is nerve-racking,” he said. “I recall how I did it last year, dropping only one set, in the final, I want to do better and it’s when you get out on the court you appreciate how difficult that was. And the grass is so dangerous, because matches hinge on a few points. Once you get one set, one match out of the way, all the doubts disappear, you focus on each point and you’re in the tournament groove.

“There are so many pictures and so much talk around that remind me of what I have achieved. The 1998 junior title, beating [Pete] Sampras in 2001, I can tell you each score of each match. I know how each one felt, the disbelief of the first, how cool the second one was, how exhausted I was and screaming at the top of my lungs once I’d won. Last year was special. Ever since the first time I came here, this tournament has been in my blood.”

What Britain would give to find a few with half his talent, charm and utter dedication. That is Rusedski’s task, as part of the Talent ID squad at the LTA, where he will be working with Steve Martens, the head of technical support. “As a top-five player in the world, his experiences will be a great asset to the team,” Martens said. It sounds fine in theory, but will it work in practice?

At least, Rusedski knows what it takes to battle, not least with sheer bloody-minded determination, to reach a level few believed he would attain. Tom, his father, made young Greg serve at tin cans in his back garden until his arm ached. If he can find a few like him, we might have a chance.

Roger quite clearly taking his fashion "responsibilities" very seriously!

I liked the jacket - am not sure about an entire retro kitsch outfit, though!

Let's just hope there are no first week upsets if he comes out dressed for a final ;)

Somehow I can't imagine Roger having a 'kitsch' outfit --- I'm sure it'll be stylish.

Let's just hope he doesn't lose in the first round then ...

Fed fan though I am,I can't help finding the whole outfit slightly poncy.He has to win dressed like that or he'll look a bit foolish ;)

I reckon he should stop letting Mirka tell him what to wear....... :P

I'm not sure I agree ... of course I want to see him win, but what does it have to do with his outfit? I guess he's making a statement that Wimbledon is a great occasion, and it is good to be dressed nicely for it.

Even if he does go out against Marat, I'll still like his outfit.

Win or lose, that outfits really class just like the man himself. :)
But I cant really see him lose to Safin on grass.

Pathetic attitude. I'm sorry but that is just junk.

They still wear similar blazers in cricket and in many other sports. Just seems to have disappeared from tennis.

I don't think that it puts any pressure on him to win whatsoever. As mentioned, it shows respect for the history of the game.

And respect for the history of the game also means that he is aware how difficult it is to win a slam, and that he has to be at or very near to his best to win it. Not an assumption that he will win by virtue of what he is wearing.

*Yawns*

Goodness me roflmao

Seems appropriate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Jacket_Required


;)