Ageless Federer still feeling the love

MELBOURNE - After two decades of high-intensity tennis, nonstop travel and the commitments that come with being a superstar, Roger Federer is still loving what he does.

The 36-year-old, who is gunning for a 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, said on Sunday he was enjoying it as much as ever, if not more.

This is despite the Swiss describing the lead-up to the opening major of the year as "intense", with feverish interest from sponsors and media in one of the world's most marketable athletes.

On top of this, Federer, who opts for less competitions nowadays, says he finds staying in shape during his offseason tougher than playing tournaments.

But he wouldn't have it any other way as he enters the final years of a glittering career.

"I've always enjoyed it, you know. Do I enjoy it more now? It's unfair if I say yes, because I felt like I loved the time when I was coming up and playing my heroes from TV," he said.

"I mean, that was extremely cool. It was like a little boy in the candy store back in the day.

"When I was number one in the world, winning all these tournaments, that was a lot of fun, too. That was OK."

He seems to be getting more out of it now than ever before, traveling with four children - two sets of twins - in tow and conscious that it will not go on forever.

"Now it's different," he said on the eve of his 72nd Grand Slam. "Now I have a big family. I have a lot of friends that travel the world with me.

"I get to see familiar faces again at all these events because I've made so many friends over the course of my career. I'm so happy to come back to Melbourne, see all my friends that live here in Melbourne. It just seems that it's nice that it's never actually gone away, the fun aspect of actually enjoying the travel, coming back to Australia."

Although arriving in Melbourne - where he won his 18th major last year - as a title favorite, Federer is staying humble.

"With age, I feel like I play down my chances because I don't think a 36-year-old should be a favorite of a tournament. It should not be the case," said Federer, who begins his defense against Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene on Tuesday.

"That's why I see things more relaxed, you know, at a later stage of my career."

Federer says the likes of sixtime champion Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka, both returning after lengthy injury breaks, could benefit from the same mindset he arrived with in Melbourne last year, when he was just back from a six-month hiatus.

At last year's tournament, Federer beat old rival Rafa Nadal in an epic five-setter to claim his first Grand Slam in five years. A few months later, he took his major tally to a record-extending 19 by winning Wimbledon.

AFP/Reuters