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Men's tennis entering vintage era - Federer

Roger Federer believes men's tennis could be entering another golden era © Getty Images

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Roger Federer insists his form has not dropped recently and he is still playing "really well" - believing instead that the overall quality of opposition has increased in a sport that is entering a vintage period.

Sixteen-time grand slam champion Federer has recently dropped to world No. 3 due to an unbeaten start to 2011 from Australian Open victor Novak Djokovic, with both men chasing after Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

Despite also having failed to win a grand slam event in over a year, Federer has no concerns about the quality of his game and has shrugged off recent criticism of his performances.

"I feel as though I have played really well the last six months, since Wimbledon really, and before that I didn't think that I was playing that poorly," Federer told The Times. "I don't quite understand where they are coming from. I know people always judge you on your latest results and forget what you have achieved over the last ten years, but you shouldn't be forgetting what I've done the last six months.

"If you look back over the last six months, who of the top five players has not played well? Everybody has done their thing in their way and we know that everybody can win every tournament, and only one, two, three guys will do that. It's a fast-moving, fast-paced sport."

Federer will be looking for his 762nd victory on the ATP Tour when he makes his bow in the Sony Ericsson Open on Saturday. There have been suggestions from some quarters that the 29-year-old - who has two young children - could be set to retire from the game, but Federer has insisted that is not the case - arguing that the sport is beginning to enter a competitive new era with many great players competing for titles.

"Two years ago when I had to deal with the mononucleosis, it wasn't fun. I had back problems. It honestly hasn't been easy. Sometimes, it felt like it was cloudy every day," he said. "Now I don't have those issues. I can really enjoy it and when it's like that, you are thinking so far ahead and are so excited about what is to come.

"It's a good moment in the game, like it was when Agassi was around and Sampras. Now it is this generation of Rafa and myself, and with Djokovic and [Andy] Murray, and with new ones knocking on the door finally. These are great times and I don't want not to be playing at these times."

No longer a young man of the tour, Federer believes there are actually a lot of advantages to the current stage of his career, believing he is better equipped to deal with the challenges of the tour than ever before.

"I definitely am different. I'm not saying this to pretend I'm Superman but I feel better today than at 20 or 22 because then I was growing into a man's body and didn't quite know what to expect," he noted. "I know now when a problem's a problem and when it's not a problem. When you are younger, you go on until it goes bang and then you take a rest and go again. Now I spend so much more time on nutrition, sleep, prevention.

Today I know exactly what I'm doing. So I feel better when I walk out on the court. I'm more experienced, I know my limits. I know how far I can push and go. It was a great learning experience early on, but I prefer this stage."

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