Tiger Woods draws influence from Roger Federer's Aussie Open triumph

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If Roger Federer can do it, why can’t he?

That’s what Tiger Woods was thinking as the 35-year-old all-time tennis great was polishing off an unlikely 18th Grand Slam on Sunday, beating equally unlikely finalist and rival Rafa Nadal in a five-set classic at the Australian Open.

“What Rog has done is he’s been dominant for so long,” Woods said ahead this week’s Dubai Desert Classic. “To compete against (Novak Djokovic), to compete against Rafa, and now Andy (Murray) is playing well. He’s had a litany of guys who have won slams. And no one wins slams at his age.

“And for him to come back, after having to take that much time off, and for him to get the timing, that’s the hardest part.”

Woods knows from experience. He came back from a 16-month competitive layoff in December 2016, placing 15th among 17 players who finished the Hero World Challenge. He then missed the cut last week at Torrey Pines in his official return to the PGA Tour.

The 14-time major winner, who last won a major at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, is trying to figure out how he can refine his game and technique to be competitive with longer-hitting, younger players while simultaneously prioritizing protecting his thrice-operated back.

“As you get older, you change your game and you do things slightly differently, and he did that,” Woods said of Federer.

“Am I going to do that? Yeah, I’m not going to be hitting balls like some of these guys, 340, out there,” Woods said. “I watched Dustin (Johnson) carry a ball last week when it was cold, wet and damp and carried it 335. Jason (Day) and I just looked at each other going, ‘We don’t have that.'”

Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo Sports

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