MELBOURNE, Australia — Without the glare of the cameras, or the roar of an appreciative crowd, Roger Federer shanked forehands and hit some backhands long inside Rod Laver Arena.
His girlfriend, Mirka Vavrinec, was with him at Melbourne Park’s center court, wearing flip-flops in the intense heat and collecting wayward balls as Federer hit with Swiss Davis Cup captain Serevin Luethi.
That’s as close as the 12-time Grand Slam champion got to a match situation last week before beginning his bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title.
It’s a radically different buildup to the tournament for Federer.
Unable to enter his regular tuneup, the Kooyong exhibition tournament, because of a stomach illness, Federer has been easing himself back into shape for his first competitive tennis in two months.
Federer isn’t worried, saying he wouldn’t have hung around Melbourne if he didn’t believe he could win the Australian Open, which starts today.
“I definitely think it’s going to turn for the good and I’ll be 100 percent, really, before the tournament,” Federer said.
Even so, while Federer was hitting at Melbourne Park, his competitors have been playing matches.
No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the only player to beat Federer at a Grand Slam tournament in the past two seasons, reached the final at Chennai, India, last week. No. 3 Novak Djokovic helped Serbia reach the Hopman Cup final in Perth.
No. 6 Andy Roddick, who beat Federer in the Kooyong final last year before losing a one-sided semifinal at the Australian Open, defeated Marat Safin in the second round of Kooyong on Thursday.
“I can safely say none of us here are worried about Roger’s preparations for the Australian Open,” said Roddick, jokingly speaking on behalf of the rest of men’s bracket.
Taking a more realistic tone, Roddick later said Federer would cope better than most in the same situation.
“If there’s anybody who can take care of himself and play his way into form, it’s Roger,” Roddick said.
Serena Williams faced a worse predicament last year. Her loss in Hobart the week before was among her worst ever, and she entered the Australian Open ranked No. 81 and unseeded.
Yet she beat six seeded players en route to the final, then easily defeated top-seeded Maria Sharapova.
Williams’ only warm-up this year was at the Hopman Cup, where she teamed with Mardy Fish in the American victory over Serbia in the final.
Her record at Melbourne Park almost rivals Federer’s, although it is more sporadic. She has lost only once since a quarterfinal defeat in 2001, although she has missed two trips because of injuries.
Serena serves up high praise
MELBOURNE, Australia — New mom Lindsay Davenport is Serena Williams’ “ultimate” role model.
Former No. 1 Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion, won in Auckland, New Zealand, last week for her third title in four events since giving birth in June to her first child, son Jagger.
This year’s defending champion is impressed.
“I’m speechless because she looks better than me and she’s seven months out of having a baby,” Williams said Saturday.
“I’m convinced if I had a baby, seven months later I’d probably still be in the hospital trying to get over the pain.
“She is my ultimate role model. I’m really so motivated … she’s just taken it to a new level.”
Davenport plays Italy’s Sara Errani in the first round and could face one of last year’s finalists, Maria Sharapova, in the second.
“I haven’t seen her play since she’s returned,” Williams said of Davenport. “She’s winning. … I think Maria’s playing really well too. It will definitely be one to watch.”
