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Sunday, 6 July, 2003, 16:17 GMT 17:17 UK

More to come from Federer

By Boris Becker
Former Wimbledon champion

The moment Mark Philippoussis put a backhand into the net at match point down may change Roger Federer's life forever.

You could see it meant so much to him to overcome his fears and achieve his dream - he was overwhelmed by his emotions.

Everyone has been expecting him to win Grand Slams since he was a junior, when he was the most talented player around.

But to win his first Slam at Wimbledon, the most prestigious one, the most traditional one, the oldest one, is something that I don't think even he could have imagined.

When he won, you saw what was underneath the poker face.

" We have seen the future - it arrived today "
Boris Becker on Roger Federer

He is a very emotional young man and that is probably the reason he has never really played great on the big occasions.

He came through with a very convincing performance in the final and he is a very well-deserved champion.

For Philippoussis, he must face up to losing in a second Grand Slam final, after reaching the US Open final in 1998.

But as he said in his speech afterwards, he will have many more chances in the future.

If he keeps that positive attitude, then I think he will be in many more finals.

There is always talk about the lack of personalities in the current game, and that is why it is such a welcome return for Philippoussis - he has been missed.

He has been through so many highs and lows in his career already and he's only 26 years old.

He is a nice guy off the court as well and I wish him luck.

Federer, too, is popular with the other players and with the media - he is a very sociable guy.


I am convinced he will be around for a long time and I am convinced he will win many more Wimbledons, US Opens and other Grand Slam titles.

In a way, he has an old-fashioned technique.

He does not just play heavy topspin, he is very versatile. He can serve and volley, he can stay back, he can slice, he can play drop shots.

That is a good example for any junior watching. You don't need to serve at 135 mph, you don't need heavy topspin to become a complete player.

We have seen the future - it arrived today.



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