"Roger Federer was playing with 100% freedom... It was tennis euphoria for him" - Tennis analyst on why 2017 could be one of the Swiss' peak years

Tennis analyst Gill Gross recently expressed his thoughts on the peak years of Roger Federer's career, which spanned more than two decades. The American believes Federer played some of his best tennis ever in 2017, at the age of 36.

On Monday, November 27, Gill Gross answered a few questions from tennis fans on his weekly "Monday Match Analysis" podcast. One of them asked him to name the years in which Federer had been at his absolute best.

In reply, Gross began by listing the Swiss' 2005 and 2006 ATP tour seasons. But he added that the first half of 2017 also qualified as one of his peak years, based on the level of play.

"I think for Federer, full year, start to finish, I would say 2005 and 2006. But there is an argument that the first half of 2017, if you wanna say that's the best tennis he has ever played, I'm also very much okay to hear that argument. I mean, Federer was playing with 100% freedom," the American said.

Gross also referred to how Federer had been out of action for nearly six months due to a knee injury right before he went all the way at the 2017 Australian Open.

"Just came organically from the fact that he comes off the surgery, doesn't have expectations, wins the Australian Open, I think it was tennis euphoria for him. If you wanna tell me that's the best level he's ever reached, yeah I'll hear that argument," he added.

Roger Federer has probably the greatest racket skills in the history of the sport, says tennis analyst

The Swiss maestro hits a backhand

Gill Gross also dived deep into the mental and physical aspects of Roger Federer's results in 2017 - a season in which he won 19 of his first 20 matches.

"Just the zone that he entered at that time, where he was playing a hyper-offensive style, the most dangerous backhand he's ever been, particularly the return. You bring those racket skills, probably the greatest racket skills in the history of the sport. And you eliminate nerves completely," he said.

Many consider Roger Federer's 2017 season to be one for the ages. He accumulated a 54-5 win/loss record that year, the highlights of which included winning the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships.

The Swiss maestro also won three ATP Masters 1000 titles - in Indian Wells, Miami, and Shanghai - along with two 500-level triumphs in Basel and Halle. Although he ended the year as the World No. 2, he dominated his arch-rival Rafael Nadal as he won all four of their matches in 2017.