WIMBLEDON, England – A year ago, plenty of people were feeling sorry for Roger Federer.

They were sending him letters with good wishes or – believe it or not – tennis tips. They were offering advice about how to deal with a perceived drop in performance and ideas for how to beat Rafael Nadal.

“If you achieved a lot, like I did, for so many years, and then you don’t win some tournaments, people say, ‘Oh, you’re already on the decline,’ very quickly,” Federer said Saturday. “I hope it just opens some eyes, these last few months.”

Look at Federer now.