Federer's excess is normality or, as he puts it, "having a regular life".

And on this day, this is as close as Federer gets to being ordinary - at least in public.

Federer is pressing the flesh, expertly working a room full of strangers at Crown with ease.

Dressed in blue jeans, black shirt, brown shoes and belt, Federer glides from handshake to handshake. Not a smile or hair out of place.

Not once during what must be an exhausting exercise in maintaining poise and politeness does Federer's impervious guard drop.

In Federer's life, this is all part of the deal.

As an ambassador with Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry for the Gillette Champions program, Federer is obliged to carry out certain duties.

It is business, and if there is one business Federer has cornered better than anyone else, it is the art of winning.

Not even a dozen grand slam titles - five Wimbledon, four US Open and three Australian Open crowns - has come close to satisfying Federer's voracious appetite.

In a slightly unguarded moment, Federer spoke briefly of the fantasy of being a film subject -- and who he would like to play him.

"Anybody cool like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon . . . James Bond," he laughed.

And then it was back to what drives him most. Tennis and the opportunities it affords.

Federer, 26, has already outlined his intention to "play through generations like (Andre) Agassi and (Jimmy) Connors".

He has earmarked the 2012 London Olympics tennis at Wimbledon as the perfect setting for the ultimate blending of his signature excellence.

That is four years and 15 major tournaments away.

Almost everybody, including record-holder Pete Sampras (14), expects Federer will then stand alone as the winner of more singles grand slams than any other man.

But first things first.

"Well, it is a very exciting and interesting year, I think, with the Olympic Games coming around. The calendar is obviously a little bit different to the other ones," Federer said.

"The French Open is the one I haven't won yet, so it seems to be the one I'm really looking forward to. But at the end it is always Wimbledon that sticks out the most for me.

"There's a lot of highlights, especially in a short period of time.

"From the French Open through to Wimbledon, Olympic Games and US Open in three or four months, that's a huge swing. Hopefully I can pick up some wins there.

"Starting here at the Australian Open is my first focus and finishing the year at No. 1 is a logical goal, because that is what I've been able to do the past few years."

Federer, battling illness, might not be as potent as he has been at Melbourne Park over the past four years, a period in which he has lost only one of 27 matches.

He also returns to Rod Laver Arena without Tony Roche in his corner.

Roche's departure in May has not slowed the Federer juggernaut, as shown by a runner-up finish at the French Open before Wimbledon and US Open victories.

As with most things in Federer's carefully-planned existence, thought has been given to Roche's successor - possibly Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi.

"Of course I thought about it on vacation, just going through all the different options of 'what do I need, what do I want?," Federer said.

"Should I do it now or later?

"I feel very good actually in the way the situation is now with the captain (Luthi).

"He is doing a great job helping me out. I think he's going to come again to Dubai in February and work with me again there and also in the future.

"In time I might get like a mentor or specialist on the side. This hasn't been decided yet. I'm going to think about it."

Whoever Federer picks, Roland Garros remains the Holy Grail.

Federer twice came close under Roche, foiled each time by world No. 2 Rafael Nadal.

Federer believes the one triumph that would surely remove the last, lingering doubt over his worthiness to be regarded the greatest of all time is within reach.

"I think the last three years I've learnt a lot about how to play on the surface (clay), how to play the best on it and also how to win against the best," Federer said.

"I think I know now also what I need to work on in my game to win there, whereas maybe three years ago I came into the French Open and I knew I'm a good claycourt player, if the draw falls my way I can win there.

"But it was more based on luck, I would think. Now it is much more serious, more professional.

"I think it is better this way to approach the French Open. I'm more relaxed this way, more settled. It's a tough one to win.

"I think I have the game and that's why I've come so far.

"I was a bit unfortunate having to play Rafael in the past three years, he's got an incredible record on clay."

False modesty is not part of the Federer personality.

He loves his station in life and revels in the fact he is a fixture in best-ever discussions alongside Sampras, Rod Laver and Don Budge.

The French Open is a subject of some sensitivity to a man who is rightly affronted by the notion of: "You can't be much good if you can't win the French Open".

"It is for others to say," Federer said. "I really hope I can break the record of Pete Sampras. I really hope I can win the French Open.

"Maybe already now I'm one of the greatest of all time. You still have to wait and see how my whole career turns out, until it's all over."

While Paris in spring might have carried more barbs than the Swiss ever imagined, London in summer has been his making.

He will return to Wimbledon in June chasing a sixth successive title. He is momentarily shaken by that thought as he continues to reflect in memories of last season's success.

"I haven't thought about the sixth at Wimbledon too much yet, but five was a huge hurdle, to be honest," Federer said.

"When I came off the court I really felt this is somehow everything I ever wanted to achieve, five Wimbledons.

"I didn't know it before and then all of a sudden it just felt right, those five Wimbledons, and now that I'm going for six, it's quite surreal, actually."

Should Federer succeed again at the home of tennis, he will not be swayed from his opinion of who the best player he has seen is.

"It's gotta be Pete (Sampras) just because of what he's achieved," Federer said of the American he recently played against in a three-match exhibition tour in Asia.

"And he can take it away from you. You don't decide whether you're gonna win or lose, he decides.

"I saw it there on the exhibition tour, he was still good.

"The surface got quicker and quicker and the ball got lower and lower and he was great."

Of Federer's contemporary foes, Nadal stands out.

"What Nadal has been able to do at his young age has been phenomenal," Federer said. "I really admire his fighting spirit and the way he comes into every match and just the way he fights and plays.

"It's a unique playing style and I need a rival in some ways as well. I think we have a good contrast, different attitudes and different looks.

"I didn't like to talk like this a few years ago because I never thought I needed a rival, but it's good to have some kind of rivalry."

American Andy Roddick, the fifth- ranked tennis player in the world, may miss the French Open after injuring his left foot in a match against Chile's Nicolas Massu today.

Roddick said he heard a ``clip or pop'' when he landed on the foot at the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany. He and Massu were tied 2-2 when the injury occurred, and he retired at 2-4 after trying to play with the foot and ankle taped.

``It hurts pretty good,'' he said in a news conference broadcast on the Internet. ``Only time's going to tell.''

No diagnosis of the injury was immediately available.

The French Open, which begins in Paris in four days, already is without eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi of the U.S., 2004 finalist Guillermo Coria of Argentina and Grand Slam winners Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams of the U.S.

Agassi said he wants to rest for the grass-court season next month, while the others are injured.

Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, said he had trouble moving the foot after the injury.

``The next few days I'll be seeing a lot of ice,'' said Roddick, who was hampered by a shoulder injury at the Rome Masters this month. ``I don't know how much court time I'm going to see. So it's going to be days that are pretty boring, full of ice and hope.''

Australian Lleyton Hewitt, a former No. 1 now ranked 14th, twisted his ankle in an opening-round loss at a warm-up in Austria two days ago. He missed last year's French Open with a rib injury.

Ginepri aims

to keep rising

It was in 2005 that Robby Ginepri finally stood up to be seriously counted.

Ginepri, 23, whose early notoriety in the game stemmed from a fleeting romance with actress Minnie Driver, has become a hot American property after posting a stellar second half of the season last year, highlighted by his run to the U.S. Open semifinals.

''I have more respect for the game now,'' said Ginepri, the No. 3-ranked American behind Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi. ``I realize it takes a lot more work each day to be at the top and stay at the top. Getting to the top is one part, but maintaining it is another part.''

Ginepri, who suffered a surprising, five-set loss to qualifier Denis Gremelmayr of Germany at the Australian Open, is hoping to rebound quickly from that defeat at the International Tennis Championships that begin today at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.

Currently 18th in the world, the second-seeded Ginepri will play No. 112 Hyung-Taik Lee of Korea on Tuesday.

Top seed Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, is scheduled to play Ricardo Mello of Brazil tonight.

At the U.S. Open, Ginepri toiled through three consecutive five-set battles -- beating Tommy Haas, Richard Gasquet and Guillermo Coria -- to reach his first career Grand Slam semifinal before falling to Agassi in five sets.

''[The Open] was a pretty remarkable run, and I was ecstatic about my results,'' Ginepri said. ``But it was really disappointing for me to be up two sets and a break in the third in Australia -- I was really devastated about that loss, but I learned from it to never let up.''

Ginepri was born in Fort Lauderdale but has little memory of life in South Florida, having moved to Georgia when he was 3.

Nevertheless, he maintains strong ties to the local community.

His grandmother, Erma Ginepri, who accompanied him to the Delray Beach Tennis Center on Sunday, lives in Fort Lauderdale.

And his coach, former player Francisco Montana, lives in Miami, where Ginepri often trains.

Ginepri arrived on the tennis scene simultaneously with Roddick, but although Roddick's rise to fame was meteoric, Ginepri has taken a few years to settle into his playing career.

Ginepri's fortune seems to have turned when he reeled in his second career title at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis last July.

Indianapolis turned into a landmark event for Ginepri, who earned a first career victory over Roddick, saving three match points in their quarterfinal meeting.

In the past 11 tournaments he played in 2005, he reached at least the quarterfinals in seven, finishing the season in the top 20 for the first time in his career.

Now, Ginepri could be nudging close to joining the top 10 if he can put together a few strong showings in the coming weeks.

''Yeah, it's in the back of my mind,'' Ginepri said. ``It's a matter of winning matches for me and getting my confidence up, and it will be there.''

Montana, who has coached Ginepri since November 2004, believes Ginepri is definitely on the verge of taking the next step up in the game.

''I hate to put a number out there, but he can be top 10,'' Montana said. `There's no reason why not.''

When the laboured backhand from Marcos Baghdatis cannoned into the middle of the net on Rod Laver Arena, world No.1 Roger Federer catapulted his arms skyward and gave an uncharacteristic yelp of joy.

And, then you thought he was going to cry.

He wearily leaned on the net, tore off his lime green headband, looked at his box, congratulated his vanquished opponent and walked back to his chair.

And you thought, for a just a split second, he was going to cry.

But it was when someone asked him to say something that he did. He cried.

His presentation speech will be remembered for what he didn't say - or rather couldn't say in front of those fans at Melbourne Park and millions around the world.

He was unable to get his words out. He was crying and emotional after his 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2 win.

"I hope you know how much this means to me …" he said while juggling tears with the hefty-sized Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

He revealed afterwards in his media conference that they were tears of relief rather than joy.

He reflected on the moment in the match when Baghdatis, who had dominated earlier with an imposing aggressive game, was beginning to falter physically.

The 20-year-old stumbled in the fifth game of the final set with cramp and required medical attention at the change-of-ends with the score looking ominous at 4-1 in Federer's favour.

"I think after seeing, he was struggling all of a sudden with the cramp on his calf muscle, I knew I was in very good shape, but I had to stay focused," Federer explained.

"So many things go through your head about the win already because you think, 'Well, now nothing can go wrong'."

"But as we saw, it was still quite a long way to the finish line. I was getting I think emotionally ready for that sort of, which normally you shouldn't, but I can't block it out. I'm also just human."

"And I guess, when I won, I was so relieved that I got through it. I wasn't emotional in the first minute, except the relief."

"It only came out later when I was standing there with Marcos waiting for the ceremony. I was very relaxed. Once I got up on stage, it all changed."

The growing sense of his role in the history of tennis is not lost on the Swiss right-hander.

He was presented the champion's trophy by Rod Laver, the only man to win the Grand Slam twice, in the stadium named in his honour.

Winner of 11 Grand Slam titles, Laver is also the last man to win all four majors - back in 1969. Federer spoke to Laver for the first time last Thursday when he was introduced to the US-based Australian by coach Tony Roche.

Federer's 2006 Australian Open inches him closer to the record of Pete Sampras who won eight Grand Slam finals contested from Wimbledon 1995 until 2000 - 1995 Wimbledon, 1995 and '96 US Opens, 1997 Australian Open, and 1997, 98, 99 and 2000 Wimbledon crowns.

On Sunday night he equalled Sampras' record of three consecutive Grand Slams.

Sampras won the Wimbledon and US Open trophies in 1993 and the Australian Open in 1994.

The triumphant gaze towards his box after the final also had emotional as well as historical significance. The family of his former coach and friend, Australian Peter Carter, was watching from the stands.

Carter, who had assisted Federer throughout his junior career and his first Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2003, was tragically killed in a car accident in the same year.

"It's always very emotional, you know, winning here, because of Peter, then Tony (Roche)," he said.

"It's very nice to share the moment with them, you know, obviously. So I think it means a, lot to them, too. Very happy that they still enjoy watching tennis after how much he was into tennis, too."

"They could just walk away from the game and say, 'Look, we'd rather not face it anymore', you know, because of how much he loved the sport. But I'm happy they come out and they really, really support me. It's very nice."

It is only on the rarest of occasions that we are privileged to witness the game's most consummate and complete player reveal his human side.

Miniscule cracks began to appear through the cool and calm exterior in the second week of the Open, particularly during his fourth round five-set contest against unseeded Tommy Haas and No.5 Nikolay Davydenko in the quarter-finals.

Federer was clearly under pressure, but he constantly re-assured us that things about him and his game - were normal. He told us it was hard to win Grand Slams, and not to put too higher expectations on his supposed infallibility. Stop saying I'm infallible …

"I thought I played great from the first round on till third set against Haas. From then on, it was a bit of a struggle," he said.

"I think if I could have closed out Haas maybe earlier, the whole tournament would have been much more of a great run if I would have ended up winning the tournament."

"But that made me struggle to maybe lose two sets in a row. Looking back, I maybe never really played my best except the first two sets against Haas. After that, it was kind of gone for a while."

"It was hard, you know. I really had to battle. I was physically a little tired after a tough couple of matches there. I was happy the way I bounced back against (Nicolas) Kiefer and also for the finals today."

"So it was a different type of Grand Slam victory, and I think that's why it was so emotional in the end for me."