He certainly felt something happened after the first set of his 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 second-round victory over Simone Bolelli at the Australian Open.
“I don’t know if it's a blister,” said Federer, who instantly felt pain on the little finger of his right hand. “It's the weirdest thing… I feel it on the tip of my finger.
“I just felt really odd starting after the break, and for three, four games, it was the funniest feeling I have. I feel like it's numb and swollen.
“It felt like a bee stung me. I never had this pain before - it was disturbing me.”
Federer called the physio onto court.
“I knew we couldn't tape it up because then it would be even bigger and more weird. I just said, ‘I hope it doesn't get worse or stay like this?’ Actually it went away, but now I feel [it] again. I don't know what the feeling is.”
Federer was later asked whether the media plays too much emphasis on his age.
The 33-year-old admitted, “I don't feel any different to let's say four years ago. I really don't. You maybe pay attention a bit more and listen to the signs of your body a bit more. By now I know my body even better.
“I think the mind also becomes important. How badly do you want to be out there? How badly do you want to play and win? Why are you still doing it? Are you doing it for the right reasons?
“I think that becomes, in my opinion, more important than the whole body talk that everybody puts emphasis on.”
Federer became the third player in the Open Era to record 1,000 match wins on 11 January, when he captured his 83rd tour-level title at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp (d. Raonic).
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