Federer Encouraged By Raonic Attitude

© Getty ImagesRoger Federer defeated Milos Raonic to reach the quarter-finals.

Roger Federer took time out to compare two of the ATP World Tour’s rising stars, Australia’s Bernard Tomic and Milos Raonic of Canada, at the Australian Open on Monday. Federer beat both players en route to the quarter-finals.

“They’re totally different,” said the Swiss. “What I like about Milos is he seems very committed and seems like he has his team set up, travels every week with the same kind of guys. You feel like he's focused on the matches and the practice. The rest is sort of taken care of, which is the good thing, the business side, all the PR. He seems like he's in a good place where he can just really focus on tennis. 

“Whereas I think Tomic still needs some time to figure out his team, figure out all the other things that are happening. Obviously Milos has a bit of an advantage because he's been at the top now for some time. This is where it's interesting to see what direction they go, where they practise, who they work with, so forth. 

“They are totally different sort of characters it seems like as well. But both tall and strong and obviously with great potential.”

Federer also revealed that he had stayed up for the duration of his countryman Stanislas Wawrinka’s titanic effort against Novak Djokovic in the fourth round on Sunday night, despite his own match being scheduled for Monday evening. 

The Basel native explained that he learnt his lesson in going to bed before the end of matches that he watched on television when he missed the conclusion of the Lleyton Hewitt – Marcos Baghdatis classic five years ago in Melbourne, which finished at 4:34 am.

“I had treatment to do and I wanted to watch the end. I started doing treatment while he was playing. I think it's the right thing to do to finish a match like that. I tried the same thing with Lleyton against Marcos years ago. I bailed out when Lleyton was up 5-1 in the fourth, and it still ended up going five sets.  I can't believe I went to bed. Anyway, that was my lesson on not going to bed anymore in a match. 

“Obviously I was disappointed and sad for Stan. I told him that, as well. I think he did so well. I hope it sends a big message to all the players, the fans. His reaction, he showed after being up so much in the first two sets, to end up losing the second and still come back and push Novak to the brink of losing, I mean, that was tough.” 

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