Melbourne: Roger Federer is just two games away from claiming his 16th Grand Slam title, and still believes he has lots of areas where he can improve, notwithstanding the fact that he is regarded as the best in the sport.
"What's important is I believe I can always improve. I think tennis is a very unique game because you're always on the move and you're always adjusting. So, you can practice two or six hours. Sometimes it doesn't matter. It's about the quality," Fox Sports quoted Federer, as saying ahead of his semi-final clash against tenth seed Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Federer says that he adores most things about tennis, including its traditions and quirks. He is much less enamoured of statistics and Hawk-Eye.
"I never look at the stats sheet. Some are fanatics about it. I couldn't care less about all those stats. Same with winners and errors. I don't care if I was in the positives or the negatives. What matters is how you play your opponent and the wind and tactics. There are so many more important things," he adds.
However, there was a time when Federer thought he might not fulfil his talent.
When he looked at the sport's titans in the late 1990s, Federer considered his heroes were unreachable.
"Idols for me were the ones sort of reaching for the stars I thought were untouchable, such as Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras," he said.
"I liked also Marcelo Rios's game as well when I was coming along. I was lucky enough to play him a few times as well. Obviously I liked the net rushers back then like (Pat) Rafter and (Tim) Henman."
But now, he is pumped for another grand slam victory. The Swiss is revered globally, not only for his achievements, but also for his demeanour.
At 28, Federer has already won 15 majors and retains the world No. 1 ranking. He is the sport's enduring poster boy, both in terms of style and substance.
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