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ROGER AND ALMOST OUT: Federer cut a tired figure during his first-round loss in Dubai last week. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK - ROGER Federer's losses to two 20-year-olds in his two tournaments this season has led to speculation that his time as the world's best player is over.
Crisis? Beginning of the end of his long reign?
Perhaps. But Federer, as it turns out, has not been practising full disclosure until now.
At age 26, he has not just been struggling with young, gifted and hungry opposition, but he has also been struggling with mononucleosis, an infection which can produce flu-like symptoms and extreme fatigue.
That helps explain why he has looked less fleet and fluid than usual, and also less than convincing with his signature forehand.
Last month, after falling ill for the third time in six weeks, he underwent extensive tests in Switzerland and Dubai.
The conclusion: He had contracted mononucleosis.
The Swiss had been diagnosed with food poisoning prior to the Australian Open, which severely disrupted his preparations for the season's opening Grand Slam.
But he also complained of feeling sluggish during the Open, and said it now appears that mononucleosis was the more serious issue.
'The doctors said I must have had it for at least six weeks, which goes all the way back to December,' said the Swiss, who plays the retired Pete Sampras today in a New York exhibition match.
'When I heard it was mono, I was even more happy to have made the semi-finals of the Australian Open because a doctor might have said, 'You can't play'.'
But he was still quite concerned initially.
He was well aware that mononucleosis forced Mario Ancic, a former top-10 player, to miss six months of the 2007 season.
Federer said he was unable to train for about 10 days last month, and received medical clearance to resume training only five days before last week's Dubai Championships, where he lost in the first round to Briton Andy Murray.
'They weren't sure I was over it. But now I'm creating antibodies, and this shows you are over it,' he said. 'But I lost a lot of fitness. I was feeling so great in December up until the moment I got sick, so this has been my problem the last couple of weeks.
'I haven't practised and couldn't really work out the way I wanted to because you have to be very careful.'
Even in perfect health, this season had looked like the most challenging of his career, with the emergence of Novak Djokovic, who beat him in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, and an overstuffed calendar that includes the Beijing Olympics.
Federer is still on a quest to win his first French Open - the only Grand Slam singles title he lacks - and will also be attempting to break his tie in the record books with Bjorn Borg by winning a sixth straight Wimbledon.
Now, 2008 looks even more challenging. And it should be great theatre to see how a champion accustomed to winning big titles without much adversity will react.
'I hope I didn't lose too much energy through what I've been through the last few months, but honestly I'm still positive about it,' he said. 'I finally have the green light and finally I can give 100 per cent in practice again, because it wasn't fun being there sort of halfway.'
Until now, he has been largely spared any major health concerns. He has played in 33 consecutive Grand Slams, winning 12 - two short of Sampras' all-time record.
He won three of the four Slams in 2006, and did the same in 2007. But, despite his stuttering start this year, he said it is too early to claim that his era of dominance is ending.
'I don't think it's fair to assess it this way,' he said. 'For me, it was only a matter of time before the younger guys came up. Now, they're here. They're good - but I'm still No 1.
'But I think it would be very premature, almost a little bit rude toward me because of everything I've already done over the last few years. I think it's not fair if you just say, 'The guy has lost two matches, played two tournaments and didn't win both, and it's over for him'.'
Federer said he did not mention the mononucleosis earlier because he did not want to detract from Djokovic or Murray's victories.
But he was still criticised for being uncharitable in defeat, after he commented that Murray had not changed his game in the last two years and was playing defensively.
Federer, who said he has now learnt the English term 'sour grapes', said he was only trying to provide 'constructive criticism' and did not mean to imply that he had no respect for Murray.
'He beat me, after all,' the Swiss said, before finding a way to deliver Djokovic, his loudest critic this season, a back-handed slap.
'It's unfortunate, because that's not what I meant at all. He's a hell of a player, and I've always thought he was one of the most talented ones of the whole group, even more talented than Djokovic, to be honest.'
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE
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