With the 2017 Miami Masters underway, Roger Federer fans will have an extra something to anticipate; with Federer already having swept the Indian Wells title, he will now look to win the prestigious Sunshine Double – as the combination of titles at the two ATPMasters events at Indian Wells and Miami are together known. If a player wins both titles in the same calendar year, they are dubbed to have won the Sunshine Double – a feat few players in tennis history have achieved.
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Federer is one of only 7 male players to have achieved the feat, and one of only two to have won multiple Sunshine Doubles; Federer won both titles in back-to-back years, 2005 and 2006, while Novak Djokovic has done it three times – in 2011, and then three years in a row from 2014 to 2016.
This year, Roger Federer will go for his third sunshine double – and there’s every reason for us to believe he could do it!
And here’s why:
#5 Absence of Novak Djokovic
Only two currently active players have completed the Sunshine Double – one is Roger Federer, and the other Novak Djokovic. With the Serbian World No. 2 sitting out the tournament with an elbow injury this time around, Federer has a relatively clearer route to the trophy given he is the most successful hard-court player in the entire current field.
One might argue that Federer’s biggest competition, Rafael Nadal, is in some power-hitting form of his own. But Nadal, for all his successes, has never won the Miami Open in his career.
The Spaniard has made the finals here on four occasions – for the first time in 2005, aged only 19.
That year, it was a familiar face – a certain Roger Federer, who beat him in the finals in a tight five-set match; then, Nadal lost to Nikolay Davydenko in the finals in straight sets.
Most recently, Nadal made the finals in 2011 and 2014, losing both times to Novak Djokovic, whose success at the Miami Masters has yet to be equalled by any player on tour, Federer included.
Although both players are fighting fit, Federer’s success over Nadal on the surface – and his two big defeats of Nadal this year already, will give the Swiss the upper hand.
#4 At the peak of his fitness
In 2016, Federer struggled with old meniscus injuries, knee issues, fatigue and then some. That fall at Wimbledon perhaps showed us the vagaries of his various injuries.
Years and years of tennis and practice, and constant play at the level Federer has – almost miraculously consistently, setting a number of perhaps unreachable records, may have ended the career of another player far earlier than this.
But his longtime fitness coach Pierre Paganini, a constant fixture on Federer’s core team, prior to the Swiss’ return, said late last year that Federer “....feels like he is 25 years old.”
Paganini went on to mention that Federer had no struggles with pain or fatigue in daily practice, which can only be a good thing for the player.
At 25 years old – in 2006, Federer had won nine of his now-eighteen slams – 50%, in fact, so that is good news for both the player and his fans.
#3 Mental battles overcome
At 35 going on 36, Federer’s body will not be as quick to recovery as it once was – and that is understandable. But perhaps the great’s battle was not just physical, but mental; he is considered one of the calmest players on court, thought it’s no secret that Roger Federer is an emotional man.
19 years of tennis can take its toll on you emotionally, and if you play at the levels Roger Federer does, that is a given.
Federer’s 6-month hiatus from the sport is likely then to have benefitted him mentally just as much as it has physically. The time spent recuperating from old, recurrent meniscus injuries was also spent in the company of his family, whom Federer is known to be very close to.
That time would have given him some much needed clarity and focus – especially with the constant presence of his biggest support system, wife Mirka.
#2 Familiar opponents
Perhaps Frances Tiafoe was a new opponent for Roger Federer – but the Swiss is now up against Argentine ace Juan Martin del Potro, a player Federer has beaten with routine ease in 15 of their 20 matches so far.
They have not played each other since 2013 – so this will be a big meeting for both players, especially considering their respective returns to stunning form.
Interestingly, all of their past five meetings have been on indoor hard courts – with Del Potro winning three. But Federer has won every contest they have had on outdoor hard courts, which is the surface the Miami Open is played on.
Federer is then up against Stan Wawrinka – and if fans and players have their way, sets up yet another final against Rafael Nadal – both of whom he beat in quick succession on multiple occasions this year.
#1 THAT backhand!
Federer never had a terrible backhand – he also never really had a great one. It was perhaps one of the weaknesses his arch-rival Rafael Nadal exploited – and to good measure! The Swiss’ forehands have been the stuff of legend, and this year, they got better.
But the Swiss, at 30-years-old, still has a few surprises up his sleeve!
This year, Federer came out with a renewed, improved and nearly invincible backhand that surprised all his opponents – Nadal included – and helped him effectively in his win against backhand expert Stan Wawrinka.
He’s not going to have it entirely easy, but the weapon should be very effective against Argentine ace Juan Martin del Potro, and then heading into a potential final against either Nadal or Wawrinka, Federer will be able to pick out his rivals well!
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