Roger Federer has revealed how a chance encounter with Marin Cilic in the Maldives re-energised him for his latest record-setting tilt at Australian Open glory.
Federer and Cilic will square off for the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on Sunday night, six months after sparring in the Wimbledon final, and two months after interrupting their family holidays for an unscheduled practise session.
The tennis aces were both on their annual breaks less than a fortnight after Federer repeated his victory over the Croat at the All England Club with another win against Cilic at the World Tour Finals in London.
"I was there first, I think, and he arrived later on the island," Federer said after advancing to his seventh final at Melbourne Park.
"I was told that Marin was coming. I was like: 'Oh, that's cool'.
"When he arrived, I didn't want to bother him. He didn't want to bother me.
"After two days, he wrote (to) me: 'I'm here, too, in case you want to catch up and stuff. Let me know'.
"I was like: 'Sure, let me know if you want to hit'.
"He was eager to hit because it's good to stay in the rhythm for both of us.
"We also met up later for drinks, met his fiancee. We had cake together, my whole family and him.
"We had a good time. It's not like we're hanging out all the time, but our paths crossed a few times."
Federer and Cilic only hit for 45 minutes, but it was clearly enough for both to find their groove before resuming full pre-season training in December.
"It was great fun. No coaches, no nothing, just the two of us on the court hitting balls," Federer said.
"It was just nice and laid back. To get to know the man behind the tennis player, I guess, even though I got to know him better through the Laver Cup and so forth (last September)."
While Federer will be bidding to match Novak Djokovic and Roy Emerson with six Australian Open triumphs in his seventh final on Sunday night, Cilic is gunning for his first - and a second grand slam crown to go with his 2014 US Open triumph.
