Relaxed Federer approaches 30th birthday, Montreal Masters

Aug 3, 2011, 23:57 GMT

New York - Roger Federer was waiting this week with anticipation to hear how Montreal Masters officials choose to celebrate his 30th birthday, which falls on the event's opening date Monday.

'Canadians always make a big deal about my birthday. It's not going to be very different this time around,' the Swiss world number three said from Switzerland on a conference call, only days before the start of his pre-US Open tune-up campaign.

'This time it's even a bigger one, sort of, because it's a round number,' said the father of 2-year-old twins. 'But I always like enjoying my birthday. For me (the public celebration) is not something completely different or new.'

The winner of a record 16 Grand Slam titles, who last played the week after Wimbledon in a Swiss Davis Cup win over Portugal, said he has no fears about turning 30.

'I'm looking forward to it,' Federer said. 'It will be exciting to see how the Canadians are going to celebrate it this time around. Sometimes they start singing 'Happy Birthday' during a match. I'm not going to play on Monday, but you never know if they're going to do something crazy another day.'

The Swiss won the second of his two Canadian titles five years ago in Toronto, with Andy Murray lifting the trophy at the last two editions.

Even as his birthday approaches, Federer is calmly planning the continuation of his storied tennis career.

'I probably plan one and a half years ahead. I'm already thinking beyond the Olympics next year. Birthdays happen - they're part of life. I'm happy I'm getting older. I'd rather be 30 than 20, to be honest. To me it's a nice time.'

As he prepare to cross the Atlantic - he already has a practice court booked for later in the week in Montreal - Federer is approaching the run to the August 29 start of the US Open, an event that he won five years on the trot, from 2004-08.

'I've been practicing the past two and a half weeks. It's been somewhat good weather in Switzerland, so I could always practice outdoors, which I was quite happy about,' he said.

'I've been playing well, moving well. But I always feel the true tests are in matches.'

Federer will be in an unusual position along with top rival Rafael Nadal as they both now chase new number one and Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic.

The Serb lifted his own profile in North America with an appearance Tuesday on the Tonight show with Jay Leno, where he participated with folk dancers from his country, bringing the host and actress Katie Holmes into the act.

Federer begrudges Djokovic nothing after the Serb displaced Nadal atop the ATP, so long dominated by the Swiss-Spanish duo.

'Novak had to do something extremely special to get past me. Same thing for Rafa,' Federer said.

'We all had to do something very special to get past each other in the rankings. If someone wants to become world number one, two, even three or four for that matter, you have to do something really good. Either you're extremely consistent or extremely successful at the highest of level. You have to win a massive amount of tournaments.'

He said he was 'at peace with myself' about the current rankings.

'I had my chances to do well or not. From that standpoint, I'm very laid back about the situation,'

'Sure, I'd love to be one and not three, but I still think third is a good ranking. I know my abilities. I don't want to say I'm overconfident, but I also know what I can do, and I also know my limits. Hopefully, that allows me to play the best tennis I can each day.'

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