Federer, who will carry the Swiss flag in today's opening ceremony, has shown his face in the village and been swamped by fellow athletes turning into fans demanding autographs.
Federer said winning an Olympic gold medal would be among his gr
eatest achievements. To achieve it, he's living away from the Athletes' Village, admitting the attention from other athletes can be a distraction for high-profile athletes.
"I go down once in a while to see the other Swiss athletes and get the Olympic feel. I was there the other day and it's not possible really. There's so many athletes who want pictures – I don't mind it, but every day for I don't know how long, it's not the ideal preparation to try and win the gold medal," he said. "I went through it in Sydney and Athens, I had those great experiences and I know what the Olympic Games are all about.
"Now I can get away from it all and really prepare the perfect way, that's what I'm trying to do."
It's because of and not in spite of his position in world sport that he's staying in the hotel instead of the village. After all, he said, every athlete has the same intention in Beijing regardless of where they chose to stay.
"Some of us are millionaires, some are not. I don't think it really matters," Federer said. "We're all chasing the same thing – an Olympic gold and not money."
Federer is thinking more about the No8 than the No1 ranking he will lose after the Olympic tennis tournament.
The 12-time grand slam champion's birthday coincides with today's opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics, which are being staged on one of the luckiest days in the Chinese calendar.
Federer's reign as world No1, which lasted more than four years, will end on 18 August regardless of how he fares in Beijing, after Rafael Nadal earned enough points to overhaul the Swiss star.
The No8 has long been considered fortuitous in China, where people pay a premium to have it included in their telephone numbers and license plates. With the official start of the 2008 Olympics on the eighth day of the eighth month of the eighth year, Federer is hoping some of the luck that it is supposed to generate will rub off on him.
He has not won an Olympic medal at two previous trips and, for the first time since 2003, has reached August without at least one major title for the season. He was upset in the Australian Open semi-finals after an illness interrupted his preparation and lost the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon to Nadal – snapping his streak of five titles at the All England Club.
"People expect more from me after my great last five years. But I hope I can still save this season with either this or the US Open," Federer said yesterday "Right now, the focus is on the Olympic Games ... not the rankings.
"Winning Wimbledon, I was only a few points from that. That hurt, but I'm over that and looking forward now. Anything that comes now – the Olympic Games or the US Open would help my confidence a lot."
Federer was facing a media throng for the first time since it was confirmed he would lose the top spot he has held since February 2004.
"Rafa has done very well in the last year or so, to become the No1 in the world, but that's not my focus right now," Federer said. "Before the US Open, maybe there will be more talk. But we're a few days ahead of the Olympic Games, where I hope I can do well."
Besides, he still feels like a deserving No1. "Until the rankings change on the computer, I do, yeah," he said.
There's no doubt Federer still has the pulling power of a No1 ranked player.
The news conference venue was set up for 168 reporters but crowded with more than 400, including 42 TV cameras, after the draw was released showing Federer against Dmitry Tursunov of Russia in the first round.
Federer lost the semi-final and bronze-medal matches at the 2000 Olympics and finished fourth, although he did meet and start dating girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec, so he still had something to hold onto from Sydney.
He carried the Swiss flag into the opening ceremony in Athens, when he was upset in the second round. Today, he again carries his country's flag into China's National Stadium, which will be at full capacity with 91,000 spectators in an event that will have a broadcast audience of billions.
"Carrying the flag is one of those moments you only dream about," Federer said. "Walking into the stadium with the Swiss flag. The stadium, the biggest I've ever been in. I enjoyed it a lot."
He expects Beijing to be even more memorable, opening on his 27th birthday. "It'll be very special. I'm thrilled it's on the opening ceremony, that I get to carry the flag for Switzerland, the whole combination is really, really nice," he said/
The full article contains 882 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
