Roger Federer took on a rare sideshow role as he followed a practice round with golfing buddy Tiger Woods prior to resuming preparation for the Miami Masters which began on Wednesday.
The Swiss world number 1 has been in Florida for days after a shock opening-round loss ten days ago at Indian Wells.
But amid an intense workout at the second major event in succession during the month, he has come good of a plan to catch up with Woods as the golf great plays the WGC-CA Championship, co- incidentally being played Thursday through Sunday.
The pair, both stars in the same management stable, have been meeting on a semi-regular basis, with chats at the US Open and last month when both were in Dubai for their various sporting disciplines.
Woods, a runaway world-beater in his speciality as Federer is on the court, praised his friend’s current form.
“What he has done over the last three years, no one’s ever done,” Woods said at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. “He lost at Indian Wells.
“Other than that, he’s lost only five or six matches for each of the last three years. That’s pretty good.”
Woods found it refreshing to have “probably the most dominant athlete on the planet in your gallery.”
Ten-time Grand Slam winner Federer lost to Guillermo Coria in California, ending a 41-match win streak.
He and Woods sampled a bit of the VIP lifestyle with a meal aboard the private yacht of the Florida-based golfer on Tuesday.
As he prepares for a Saturday night start after a bye against either Russian Igor Andreev or American Sam Query, Federer admitted while losing was not in his plans at his last event, the did suddenly gain the luxury of time.
“I got some unexpected time off,” said the winner of the Australian Open and Dubai so far this season. “This is the first time in years that I’ve had a week.
“I had time to take another rest, time for leisure and for practise. I don’t know if it’s gonna pay off.”
With sub-tropical showers interrupting opening day, play at Crandon Park was intermittent.
Men began the first round with American Paul Goldstein defeating teenaged compatriot Ryan Sweeting 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 while Frenchman Paul- Henri Mathieu crushed Belgium’s Kristof Vliegen 6-1, 6-1.
The troubled right wrist injury of Paradorn Srichphan again struck down the Thai, forcing the Asian to retire trailing 5-2 against Peru’s Luis Horna.
Paradorn has carried the problems since last season and after losing at the Australian Open in January, said he would take as long off as needed in order to heal.
Despite a prognosis measured in months, the number 83 came back last week in Indian Wells, losing in the first match to Serb Janko Tipsarevic.
Troubled Paradorn won his last match on January 2 in Chennai.
Italian Daniele Bracciali, Italy beat new father Max Mirnyi of Belarus 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, while Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello dealt another blow to Asia as he dismissed Koran’s Hyung-taik Lee 6-4, 6-2.
Source: playfuls.com