Dubai: Both ageing legends Roger Federer and Tiger Woods have battled the odds to come back from long-term injury lay-offs, but only the 36-year-old Swiss tennis ace has managed to do so by adding to his record Grand Slam tally.

Woods meanwhile is threatening to add to his Majors haul ahead of this April’s Masters after finishing a surprise second in last week’s Valspar Championship. Warming up to Augusta the 42-year-old American golfer has no doubt taken a few tips from Roger’s comeback but could do with taking on a few more to get over the line next month.

Don’t play too much

Last year, Federer sat out the entire clay court season, his weakest surface, to limit the wear and tear on his body. It paid off as he then went on to win Wimbledon and the Australian Open for his record extending 19th and 20th Grand Slams. “You can always play more if you want to,” he said. “You can always play less if you want to. My philosophy is I play when I’m ready. What I did last year — and what Rafa [Nadal] is doing also — is maybe a bit of a lighter schedule, and it shows to others by working or practicing a bit more, you become a different or better player. To have had this six month lay-off I feel rejuvenated, refreshed. Maybe mentally I needed this rest more than I thought. I tried to look at the big picture.” Woods has taken heed: “I think we’re going to sit down here and we’re going to figure out what’s the best way for me to build my schedule for the Major championships. What my training schedules are going to be? Play enough but don’t play too much.” That will involve playing courses similar to Augusta at events where he’s had previous success.

Do it differently

After his knee injury, Federer knew he would have to play differently to compete. He opted for a bigger racquet to improve his backhand to nullify left-handed Rafael Nadal, and worked on being more aggressive with his return of serve, to serve and volley more. He introduced the Sneak Attack By Roger (SABR), where would rush off the baseline to quickly return his opponent’s second serve, this aggressive style helped him shorten points and avoid injury. “He’s shortened up points, changed his strategy around a little bit,” said Woods of Federer. “Didn’t hang around the baseline as long. I mean as you get older, you change your game and you do things slightly differently, and he did that. Can I do that? Yeah, I’m not going to be hitting balls like some of these guys at 340 yards out there. So, you do it differently. If you look at the list of guys who shot below 60, you realise Jim Furyk’s on there twice. He averages 270 yards off the tee and shoots two rounds under 60. So it can be done different ways.”

Be at peace

Both have experienced winning on the biggest stage and now know what it takes to handle the pressure. However, Federer, at the age of 36 and as the record Grand Slam winner, doesn’t need another title and plays with the pressure off. “There are more important things in life than tennis. I didn’t feel like I needed kids for a reality check. Ever since I became World No. 1 in 2004 and won Wimbledon in 2003, I feel like my career could have ended there because I achieved everything I ever wanted. So, I think I’ve been at peace for a very long time and, if injuries struck, or if someone was ill in the family and I couldn’t continue to play, I would be totally happy.” Woods, being four Majors off equalling Jack Nicklaus’ record tally of 18, arguably isn’t as content and is probably chasing his return a lot more, especially as he got so close to matching Jack before it all imploded. Could that desperation be his undoing?

Reach out

Many questioned if Tiger had the right support around him after his DUI arrest last May. Jack Nicklaus has been an advocate of the effect a happy private life can have on your game. “Were it not for Barbara, I would have been just another golfer,” he said of his wife.

“I’d have to say she’s responsible for at least 15 major championships.” Federer too thrives off family. “I think it’s just an incredible situation now travelling with our kids, with my wife, still willing to do it because in my vision, in my dream that I had when I was a little boy, I didn’t have the vision of looking to my player box potentially to four kids and a wife and a coach and a physio.” Tiger though has trimmed his inner circle. “I don’t even have a swing coach because no one’s had a spinal fusion at this level and been able to hit the ball as hard as I do. I’d like to meet somebody who can swing it over 120 miles an hour with a fused back. Do you know anybody? That’s what I mean, no one understands that.”