FED FIT?

Roger Federer is human after all. When the Swiss lost in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal in 2007 and 2006 there was little speculation that this heralded a sea change in men’s tennis.

But his 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Nadal at Roland Garros, combined with the evidence of his form this year, many view Roger as vulnerable.

Of course clay and grass are two very different surfaces.

For most, reaching les finaux de Roland Garros and winning Halle would auger well, but question marks remain over his health.

His early-year problems have been put down to a short and mild bout of mononucleosis, the strength-sapping virus that is very seldom as mild as Federer appears to have had it.

My daughter, Leigh, had mono while playing for University of Kentucky, and pretty well lost a year of tennis.

Ancic, too, lost a year to mono.

Federer says it was over by the time he realised he’d been affected by it, and at the French Open was adamant it was in the past. “It’s over, something I want to forget now,” he said. “I started feeling much better a month ago.”

Recovered?

Think me no!

The gentleman doth protest too much.