By Scoop Malinowski

This week’s astounding emergence of the Canadian teenager double threats Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov has not only dazzled the tennis world, but also the King himself Roger Federer.

Miami Open · Roger Federer

Dan has asked Roger Federer many questions over the years at pro tennis press conferences, provoking responses that have run the gamut to warm to cool, but his question after the Medvedev match at Miami Open was one of the best responses he’s ever collected.

Q. You used that chip forehand slice approach a number of times today, and the backhand seemed to have a tough time. These guys who are 6’4″, 6’5″ and taller, do you find you personally are using those chip and slice shots more to give them trouble?

Miami Open · RF · Roger Federer

Serious Federer enthusiast Fiona (@Federering on Twitter) is in Perth for Hopman Cup and obtained a scoop of sorts about the inevitable topic of his eventual retirement from tennis.

Fiona: “Roger, you have to never retire please.”

Hopman Cup · Roger Federer

It rarely happens but occasionally it does happen that a tennis player can have a near perfect day on the court where they far exceed their own and their opponents expectations.

Today I had that day. It happened at the Longboat Key Club Resort against one of the toughest competitors in the area, a six-foot seven Czech who has big weapons and can grind out long points.

Federer · Roger Federer · The Zone

Toni Nadal, the mind behind the blueprint to slay Roger Federer as executed to perfection by his nephew Rafa, believes the 37-year-old Swiss maestro’s age combined with exhausting best-of-five set Grand Slam format makes it virtually impossible for Federer to win another major title trophy.

Writing for a Spanish publication called El Pais, Uncle Toni says Federer’s days of winning majors could be over although he admitted that Federer has “repeatedly surprised me.”

Roger Federer · Uncle Toni

Former top 25 Julien Benneteau has alleged in a French radio interview that Roger Federer has special privileges, uses his influence to gain advantages and even outright corruption.

“Roger is a legend of the game, an icon, only he can bring 15,000 people to Bercy, nothing to say,” said the just retired Frenchman. “Now, when he sets up the Laver Cup, there are a number of conflicts of interest that become disturbing.

Benneteau · Roger Federer

By Scoop Malinowski

Ducking happens in one on one sports, it happens in pro boxing and it happens in tennis, perhaps even at the highest level.

After Federer lost to John Millman this week, I made a comment on a Facebook post about the match suggesting that maybe Federer subconsciously tanked to Millman to avoid having to face Djokovic in the next round.

RF · Roger Federer · US Open