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| Roger Federer back on court at Rome Masters after tending to new twins | Roger Federer back on court at Rome Masters after tending to new twins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Even under the most intense pressure on court, Roger Federer has always been the acme of contentment. On the eve of his return to tennis after time out for parenting duties, the Swiss sounded as enthusiastic about the game as he did when he first played here as a teenage prodigy 14 years ago, and he revealed "I am looking forward to another couple of years now." | Even under the most intense pressure on court, Roger Federer has always been the acme of contentment. On the eve of his return to tennis after time out for parenting duties, the Swiss sounded as enthusiastic about the game as he did when he first played here as a teenage prodigy 14 years ago, and he revealed "I am looking forward to another couple of years now." |
| That is good news for his millions of fans, the tournament organisers and sponsors who crave his presence, as well as for the game in general. He may not add to his 17 grand slam titles but he is playing the sort of tennis that has all but eradicated the memories of a poor 2013, when he won only one tournament, on the grass of Halle. He plays his first game here in Rome , against Jérémy Chardy, who took a set off him the only time they met, in the semi-final of the Brisbane Open earlier this year. | |
| "It's hard to leave all the family," Federer said of his departure from his home in Switzerland, where his wife, Mirka, is with their latest set of twins, Leo and Lenny, along with the boys' sisters, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, who are nearly five. "But nobody could be happier. I'll see them soon. The boys are healthy and Mirka is good too. It's a great time in our lives. | "It's hard to leave all the family," Federer said of his departure from his home in Switzerland, where his wife, Mirka, is with their latest set of twins, Leo and Lenny, along with the boys' sisters, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, who are nearly five. "But nobody could be happier. I'll see them soon. The boys are healthy and Mirka is good too. It's a great time in our lives. |
| "The plan is that they will come on tour. At least we know how to handle kids on the road, and that's quite a challenge – especially when they are less than one year old, with flights, transit, hotel rooms. I am aware it's going to be a lot of work but at the same time it's something we are looking forward to." | "The plan is that they will come on tour. At least we know how to handle kids on the road, and that's quite a challenge – especially when they are less than one year old, with flights, transit, hotel rooms. I am aware it's going to be a lot of work but at the same time it's something we are looking forward to." |
| Federer withdrew from the Madrid Open when the twins arrived last Tuesday, and said Mirka then all but banished him from the house, telling him to play in Rome. "I said, 'OK, if you don't want me around, I'll go!' I miss them a lot already. It's a different type of week for me, but I'll get through it. | Federer withdrew from the Madrid Open when the twins arrived last Tuesday, and said Mirka then all but banished him from the house, telling him to play in Rome. "I said, 'OK, if you don't want me around, I'll go!' I miss them a lot already. It's a different type of week for me, but I'll get through it. |
| "I was able to train very hard after Monaco [where he beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-final]. I took some time off then trained really hard in Switzerland. I expect a lot from myself but, then again, I've come here with less pressure. I want to enjoy it and to stay in the tournament rhythm." | "I was able to train very hard after Monaco [where he beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-final]. I took some time off then trained really hard in Switzerland. I expect a lot from myself but, then again, I've come here with less pressure. I want to enjoy it and to stay in the tournament rhythm." |
| Rafael Nadal, who turns 28 during the French Open, acknowledges the job is getting tougher. He escaped a hat-trick of 2013 clay losses in the Madrid final (something he has not endured on his favourite surface in a decade) thanks mainly to the physical collapse of Kei Nishikori, who has pulled out of Rome to prepare for the French Open, which starts on 25 May. | |
| "In one way, I am not happy to be nine years older," Nadal said, when asked to reflect on his first visit to Rome, "but on the other hand I am happy with all that has happened. I am still here and that makes me happy because a lot of people have said that, with my style of tennis, I would have a short career. It is already 12 years on the Tour. That's not a short career." | "In one way, I am not happy to be nine years older," Nadal said, when asked to reflect on his first visit to Rome, "but on the other hand I am happy with all that has happened. I am still here and that makes me happy because a lot of people have said that, with my style of tennis, I would have a short career. It is already 12 years on the Tour. That's not a short career." |
| Nadal's first match is against Gilles Simon on Wednesday. He does not expect any impediment in search of his eighth title. He had an encouraging return to form in Madrid before Nishikori bossed him all the way up to the latter stages of the second set, then collapsed in the third. | Nadal's first match is against Gilles Simon on Wednesday. He does not expect any impediment in search of his eighth title. He had an encouraging return to form in Madrid before Nishikori bossed him all the way up to the latter stages of the second set, then collapsed in the third. |
| Djokovic, who turns 27 just before Roland Garros, resumed playing on Tuesday, having pulled out of Madrid at the last minute to give his wrist injury more time to heal. It looked fine here, as he turned back the stubborn challenge of Radek Stepanek to win 6-3, 7-5 in a tick over an hour and a half. He is busy on the domestic front also, awaiting the arrival of a first child later in the year with his fiancee, Jelena Ristic. | |
| Andy Murray, unencumbered on the baby front as far as we know, plays on Wednesday – against Marcel Granollers. He needs no reminding (but is getting it) that the Spaniard was on the other side of the net at the same stage of last year's tournament when Murray's chronic back weakness flared, forcing him to retire – on his birthday. At least he does not turn 27 until Thursday. | |
| What all of them understand is this: while all roads would still seem to lead to Rome, time and babies wait for no man. | What all of them understand is this: while all roads would still seem to lead to Rome, time and babies wait for no man. |