Seems like Fed desperately needs the break from people's expectations. I mean, can you imagine a world where the following results--semis of Australian, finals of French and Wimbledon and winner of US Open--are considered a subpar year for which fans and media need justification (i.e., mono)? Or a world where in the following year, finals of Australian Open and the semis of 2 Masters Series are considered a disastrous start to the season? Or a reality where one of the most hurtful insults that can be thrown at you is that you are not "the greatest player of all time?" I do look forward to seeing if he can overcome his rivals and inner demons although I suspect he will need to fall very hard (e.g., lose early in some grand slams) before he can pick himself back up again and do so.

Im curious , this is not a new statement ...this was the interview he gave at the press conference after he lost to Djokovic. Are you guys now starting to pick apart the same interview word by word and make it into different segments for reporting ?
Plus i acknowledge your point , but come to think of it he is a good clay court player and there is really nothing wrong for him to be looking forward to the season regardsless. Its like if Verdasco or Monflis says he is looking forward to it ...
Anyways , all the best to him . Im hoping for some awesome matches ..

The only two articles I've seen about Federer are one about the racket break and now this. Both are extremely news-worthy and both completely different subjects.

I thought Hell freezing over would happen before Federer saying "thank god the hard-court season is over."

Yeah, I think it is just that Fed had a relatively bad season on hardcourt although I think it's not so bad as he only lost to the top 4 players during the recent hardcourt season. I think he said that to sort of turn over a new leaf and forget a 'disastrous' hardcourt season. Clay will be a short season for Fed. He's taking only 3 tournaments. I am not ruling out the possibility that a new RG champion this year.

Cmon Fed , RG is for u :)

Incoherent, I agree that Roger is constantly under unfair pressure to produce perfect results everytime, but it would do him a world of good to just take the pressure off himself.

To me its like he never psychologically prepared for the competition to get better or for his game to decline a bit with age. And instead of accepting this and making the necessary changes, he is stubbornly carrying on regardless and beating himself over the head when IT just doesn't work any more.

You might say its unfair that his 2008 Grandslam record is seen as below par, but Fed himself is his own biggest most unfair critic. He doesn't accept anything but the best, as confirmed by his statements that he does not like being called no2 and that he doesn't care for his runner-up trophies.
While its not in itself a bad thing to expect the best from yourself, it should be balanced by a bit of humility and grace.

Federer is still in a great position to remain a serious contender for a few more years, but he needs to give himself a break and shift his mindset, focusing on making whatever changes he needs to make to keep up with the rest of the field and compensating for the inevitable physical effects of ageing, getting slower etc.

I am not a Roger fan but sometimes I want to root for his comeback and think his impeccable record is deserving of a career grandslam at least. That AND tying Pete's record in the same event would be sweet. Or at least ending a Masters drought by winning one this clay season. But when he displays grace-less unsportsman-like behaviour like he did against Novak, I really just wish he could retire while he is still somewhat respected by the tennis world, career grandslam or not. At this point, when Federer throws tantrums and refuses to shake the umpire's hand, I remember just how much more of a good thing it would be for a certain someone (who has balanced self-belief with non-complacency and humility) - to set a new record at RG this year.

"I thought Hell freezing over would happen before Federer saying 'thank god the hard-court season is over.'"

You don't feel that breeze, Ricky? =)

-Arvis

How time flies so fast, it seems like yesterday that Fed owned the hard courts... NOW, he can't wait 'till its over!

well...the only big clay tournament win i have witnessed all those years for federer was probably the hamburg title where he beat rafa(nd snapped his 81 match winning streak on clay..)...nd he has been making it to the finals of rolland garros all these years nd being denied over nd over again......well he certainly has the game to win at clay...its just that nadal is in his own league at clay...difficult to win against him at that surface...federer admitted it too("rafa problem on clay")......lets hope we get more rafa - roger finals at clay....