Roger Federer says his offseason training set him up for improved results this season.
Federer, who played a series of exhibitions in South America during the offseason in 2012, skipped the exhibition circuit last year and spent most of the break catching up on the practice and training he missed because of back injuries. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, had a heavy offseason schedule that included a South American tour, which the Serb played right after his participation in the Davis Cup final.
"December was crucial," Federer told the *Daily Mail*. "I don’t want to say this in a cocky way but I believe I worked the hardest from the top eight in the off-season. Many guys went off to play exhibitions, or were in the Davis Cup. I had time, I put my head down and worked and I did it without any setbacks."
The intensive training was possible because, by the end of the season, Federer had got over the back problems that affected him during Indian Wells and again after Wimbledon. His fitness work during the break included new exercises to strengthen his back.
It was also then that Federer invited Stefan Edberg to his base in Dubai, which eventually resulted in a coaching partnership.
That too has played a role in his resurgence, added Federer, but in more general terms.
"It’s inspiring working with him. He is more like a mentor than a coach," he said. "He doesn’t do every week—I want it to be special with him whenever he is around because he is my childhood hero.
"But people go a bit far about his influence, every time I’m at the net they say, 'That’s got to be Edberg.' It’s not like everything I do now is because of Stefan, it’s something deeper than that."
A bigger racquet was also tested during this time, with Federer making a switch to a 98-square-inch frame that he has been playing with this season. It followed an initially unsuccessful attempt to change racquets a few months earlier.
"I feel I do have easier power," he said of the new racquet earlier in the week. "It's actually a big switch, bigger than people think it is, because it's a much bigger head frame, it's wider beam, and I really enjoy this new racquet.
"I think it's definitely also part of the reason that I am playing so well right now.”