Abu Dhabi: Tennis great Roger Federer said he finds it strange that not many teenagers have found their way even to the top 100 recently.
Speaking to reporters at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex where he plays a semifinal in the Mubadala World Tennis Champion ship today, Federer said that many countries were struggling to produce top tennis-playing youngsters.
"I don't know at the moment many countries are struggling with having teenagers in the top 100," he said.
"Could take some time. I think many countries are very patient right now for the next set to emerge which is a bit not worrying to me but a bit strange because I made to the top 100 really early," said the Swiss maestro who has won 16 Grand Slam titles.
"There are so many others who have made it as a teenager to the top 100 comfortably. It's changed a bit recently. I don't know if the game has become really physical and mental and if it is just hard to break through or maybe there's no much talent at the moment," Federer said.
Commenting on his performance in 2010, Federer said it he thought it had been another good year.
"Maybe, in other years I could have been world No 1 if Rafa (Rafael Nadal) wouldn't have won three Grand Slams," he said.
"Winning one Grand Slam and the ATP World Tour final usually puts you in a really good position to get to world No 1, but Rafa has done similar years and he also finished No 2 in the world," the Swiss world No 2 said.
New season
"So at the moment, you really need something extra special to be at the top, which I think is great for the game," he said.
Federer said he was looking forward to 2011 after a hectic season-ending schedule which included two brilliant wins over Nadal in the ATP World Tour finals in London.
"The off-season has been short. I went on vacation after London was over because I really played a lot towards the end of the season. I think I played five out of seven weeks at the end, so I was really tired and just needed some rest and some good time with my family," Federer said.
"After that I started practicing again and went to play my two exhibitions with Rafa [Rafael Nadal] in Zurich and Madrid. It was a great success and a lot of fun to do.
"It was nice to do such a great thing, to raise money for kids who need it much more than we do," he said.
Tiger woods: Federer in support
All-time men's Grand Slam singles titles leader Roger Federer backed former world number one Tiger Woods to get back to the top of the gold word soon.
Federer, who is here to play in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, said he was still a friend of Woods who was exposed for his infidelity.
Woods failed to win a single PGA golf tournament on his comeback after that and also lost his number one world ranking to Lee Westwood.
When asked by Gulf News on what advice he has given to the struggling Woods, Federer said: "If I do give him advice, it is not through you guys. I don't think he needs much advice when it comes to winning. He has had more success than me. As a golfer, he has been there longer. He's done amazing things that maybe no other golfer has done before.
"He is still a good friend of mine and it doesn't matter what happened.
"I am happy to see him hopefully at the top soon again.
"I really hope he gets back to winning ways again as a golfer," said the tennis great, adding that he has been in touch with Woods.
"It would be wonderful to see him dominate the game of golf again.
"I think golf is still healthy also without Tiger, but obviously he's a huge impact on the game, on the fans. So I hope to see him back at the top again very soon," Federer said.
