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Hopman Cup 2017: Roger Federer's emotional, winning return

Linda Pearce
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Perth: Not since 2003 has Roger Federer carried a double-figure ranking into the Australian Open, a tournament he has won four times. Expectations are thus being tempered by the realities of a grand slam draw that could potentially place him in the path of defending champion Novak Djokovic, new world No.1 Andy Murray or another of the title favourites far earlier than before.

"I'm a low seed this year, as low as I've been in probably 15 years, that's going to also change (things) a little bit," 16th-ranked Federer said after Monday night's emotional comeback win at the Hopman Cup over Britain's Dan Evans. "I guess I'm looking at something like a fourth round, quarters, at least, and then we'll go from there. But I really don't know. I think after these three matches I'll know a whole lot more about how I'm actually doing."

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Federer returns to action with routine win

Roger Federer returned to the tennis court on Monday with a routine win, beating Britain's Dan Evans in the Hopman Cup.

By then, Federer was sitting courtside watching his Swiss partner Belinda Bencic seal the tie against Heather Watson, the 35-year-old the most famous member of a crowd that numbered a WA-record 13,684. That was more than double what Nick Kyrgios' Australians drew the previous night and the first of the three sessions the former No.1 had personally sold out in an unprecedented ticket-buying response to his first visit to Perth in 15 years.

 A clearly chuffed Federer had relished the atmosphere, energy and almost overwhelming goodwill in his first match back after a six-month Wimbledon hiatus with a knee injury. "One of the big reasons why I'm still playing tennis is to be able to enjoy these kind of crowds because when I'm retired I won't be able to see this any more; I'll just be sitting here in a suit or something and it won't be the same," Federer told Channel Seven. "So this was beautiful, it was nice, it was all worth it so far and I hope there's more to come for me."

For the Hopman Cup, his long-awaited return has already been a triumph. After a long and lucrative stint in the Middle East, the 17-time major winner spent the past three years tuning-up in Brisbane, where a fat appearance fee rumoured to reach to seven figures was also judged to be worth every cent. In Perth, he hit with young lifesavers and the WA premier Colin Barnett on famous Cottesloe Beach, drew 6000 spectators to a practice session, then danced, talked and posed for photos with the starstruck multitudes until just before midnight at the black-tie function to mark the New Year.

"When you sign a player like Roger Federer you hope he's going to draw big crowds and we anticipated that, but he's sold out three sessions, and I'm talking not-a-seat-in-the-house, which has never happened before, and that's not counting his practice session, wth 6000 spectators at that," said tournament director Paul Kilderry, happy to be able to answer the frequently asked question: When is Roger coming back? "I think it's been everything I hoped it would be ... Roger's in a league of his own, from what I've seen."

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And so thrilled to be back in it, after by far the longest competitive break of his career, that he was reluctant to leave the court after a smooth, if not flawless, 61-minute return. "I'd like to live it again," the world No.16 admitted. "I'm a little bit more, in a way, sad it's over, because it was so nice out there and I enjoyed it so much walking out, enjoyed it so much just talking to the crowd, and thanking them for coming out. So I feel a bit of both: relieved but sad, if you like."

Did it feel like he had ever been away? "Once back in trying-to-win-break-point mode you feel 'oh I'm used to this', but the welcome was extra special, it felt nice walking on court and getting the reception I did get," he said. "I was actually quite emotional, I must tell you, like when I walked in I was like 'oh my God, this was better than I thought it was gonna be.' And it felt good putting the match shirt back on and going out there and serving first, or trying to serve it out at the end.

"These are the moments I've missed the most, even though those are the ones that make you nervous. That's why you play tennis for, and I thought actually for a first-round match it was great, because expectations are obviously quite low."

Indeed, so thunderous was the ovation, and so overwhelming the love, that Evans was almost an accessory, or intruder. "It was obviously tough playing Roger," said the world No. 66. "It was his sort-of show out there. It's difficult to put your game across. It was pretty nerve-racking to go out in front of that many people to play your first match when you're not sure how things are going to go. I thought I did all right. He played unbelievably again. I think he's going to be just fine this year."

Before the tournament, interviewed on stage at the annual Hopman Cup gala, Federer recounted how he had first hurt his knee the day after his Australian Open semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic. Tired after a late night with his 25-strong entourage, his twin daughters wanted a bath, when dad preferred the easier option of a shower instead.

Swivelling to turn on the taps, he felt "a little pop, and didn't think much of it", but then "started limping around like an old man" during an afternoon visit to the Melbourne Zoo. After back troubles intervened during the claycourt season, further surgery on the still-not-right knee was not required, but an extended rest was.

So what motivates him now, after retirement would have seemed to many the logical option? "I guess it depends, also, how you get hurt," Federer said. "I got hurt filling up a bath for my my children. It's not really the way I wanted to leave this game."

So what more can it give him? An improbable 18th major, five years after the All England Club hosted No.17? "I'm not sure ... It would be nice to win another one - of course, I'd even take two or three or four - but it's tough at the top, there's a lot of good guys there right now and a lot of young guys coming up, too, so the gap's definitely not very big, but I'll give it a chance and I'll see what happens."

The knee is fine, he insists. "Honestly it's been for three or four weeks now that l stopped thinking of it, because I just don't have any reactions any more, I don't have any pain, so it's been nice this way that I was able to get rid of that early.

"Obviously now possibly you could expect some sort of a reaction just because the intensity and the nerves of playing a match again could trigger something, but after this match I don't think so. The match was too short. There was not enough rallies, the court plays fast so as you saw it's first strike tennis: big serves, big returns, that's what matters here and it's probably going to be the same in Melbourne as well."

Melbourne: Part of the grand slam territory that has once Federer's fiefdom. Those days are over, but let's enjoy the twilight hours that still may be left.