Roger Federer sick with Mononucleosis - Federer suffered illness

Posted by bumeral

April 8, 2008

Roger federer, the top player in men’s tennis over the last four years, revealed on his web site Saturday that he suffered from mononucleosis at the start of this season.

Federer, who said he finally got over the illness about 10 days ago, has played in only two events this year, including this week’s tournament in Dubai where he was upset in the first round by Andy Murray.
The question mark that hung over Roger Federer’s pale blue bandana-wrapped head was large when he arrived at the year’s opening Masters Series event. It grew to gigantic proportions as he took his leave from the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, a dispirited figure left not only humiliated by the world’s 98th-ranked player but increasingly concerned at the state of his own health.

Glandular fever, from which Federer suffered at the beginning of the year, is a debilitating and often recurrent problem that is rarely banished from the body in a few weeks. So it is unfair to expect the world No 1 to recapture his most imperious form in the first tournament since his problem was identified.

Of course he has stood relatively unchallenged as the No 1 ranked player for 216 weeks, since February 2004, has won 12 Grand Slam titles, including five straight Wimbledons, and in five previous meetings had dropped just one set against last night’s opponent, Mardy Fish.This tennis star got problem.

Finally, after defeats to Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of January’s Australian Open and Britain’s Andy Murray at Dubai less than three weeks ago, he is also going through a crisis as worrying as anything he has suffered in his career. Not since he reached No 1 has he gone three tournaments without reaching a final. Not since 2000 has he had he failed to lift any silverware in the opening three months of the competitive calendar. Yet on the evidence of his frankly sorry 6-3 6-2 demise against Fish, himself for so long the victim of the most atrocious ill-fortune with health and injuries, it seems at the moment that a lack of confidence seems to be most chronic ailment afflicting him.

The 53-time champion had not played since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals.

Federer was diagnosed with food poisoning just prior to Melbourne, which severely disrupted his preparation, and appeared off his game there despite reaching the round of four.

That effort, combined with his loss to Murray, fueled speculation that Federer’s dominance of the ATP Tour was perhaps nearing an end.

“As you can imagine, the beginning of this season has been rather tough for me,” Federer said on his web site. “(Last year) ended with an illness which cost me a lot of energy.

“I was unable to play at the beginning of January. I was still taking antibiotics five days before the Australian Open, making a recovery in time for the tournament impossible.”

The 26-year-old Swiss superstar said he began to feel poorly again following his appearance in Australia and decided to see a doctor.

“It was at this time that they found out what was bothering me all along - mononucleosis,” Federer said. “I had had it for six weeks already, meaning it would normally be over.

“It was relieving to finally know why I had felt weak in Australia and also later on. So the good news really is to be certain of what has occurred. The bad news is that I have quite some catching up to do in terms of fitness.”

Federer added he is now training at maximum level, but had only three days of intense training before Dubai.

“The match I played against Andy Murray in Dubai was a good one taking into consideration the circumstances,” Federer said. “My expectations weren’t all too high, it was a tough draw and Andy certainly played an excellent match.”

Federer will play an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden on Monday against the now-retired Pete Sampras, whose 14 Grand Slam titles are an all-time record. He said he plans to play this week at the Indian Wells event.

The world No. 1 since February 2004, Federer has participated in 33 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, winning 12 of them - two short of Sampras’s mark.

On the end Roger said :
“I finally have the green light and finally I can give 100 percent in practice again, because it wasn’t fun sort of being there sort of halfway,” he said. “I didn’t enjoy that too much. But again, it was interesting, and you’ve got to go through those moments, as well. I know that. Through a career, a long career maybe as No. 1, you have to go through injuries and sicknesses.”

Federer, who said he had now learned the English term “sour grapes,” said he was trying only to provide “constructive criticism” and did not mean to imply that he did not respect Murray’s game.

“He beat me after all,” Federer said. “It’s unfortunate, because that’s not what I meant at all.”

He added: “I’ve always thought he was one of the most talented ones of the whole group, even more talented than Djokovic, to be honest. I thought he would do the most first before Djokovic, but Djokovic played really well the last year and started this year unbelievably.

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