Roger Federer recently turned 34, and it is now three years since he last won a Grand Slam, so he knows the task awaiting him at this year’s US Open.
The 17-time Grand Slam winner has lifted the trophy in New York five times in the past, consecutive years between 2004 and 2008.
So, it is seven years since his last triumph and only two men, Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors have won the tournament in the last 30 or so years when being over the age of 30.
Both were 31 so, being champion again at the age of 34 is, admits Federer, a tough call.
He said: “To be quite honest, I don’t think that far ahead because I haven’t been in a final since 2009 (losing to Juan Martin del Potro). So I’ve got my work cut out.”
However, looking through history books is to ignore Federer’s current form.
He gave, at Wimbledon, what some observers regarded as the best exhibition of grass court tennis they had ever seen when he beat Andy Murray in straight sets in the semi-final.
Though he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final, he gained partial revenge in their most recent tournament, the Cincinnati Masters, his fifth title of the year so far and he credits coach Stefan Edberg, a US Open champion himself in the 1990s, with some of his improvement this season.
He added: “I would like to give Stefan a lot of credit and he has helped me in a big way.
“But I think the backhand is better since I also have a bigger racket head. I really think that was the change because it happened at the same time.”
