Nat Fyfe has always kept a close eye on one of the best sportsmen on the planet - tennis legend Roger Federer.

Fremantle’s reigning back-to-back club champion is fascinated by the Swiss master’s rise from an inconsistent youngster to arguably the greatest player his sport has ever seen.

Federer showed promise in his early years on the tour, but he was barely a shadow of the supremely confident maestro we know today.

Battles with self-doubts and a volatile temper stunted his results. But that all changed in 2003 when he won Wimbledon, beginning a decade-long dominance of the sport.

Fyfe has always had a passion for tennis. He played competitively as a youngster back home in Lake Grace.

There are parallels with Federer’s story and Fyfe’s own battles with his temperament, firstly on the tennis court and later on the football field in high school.

The Fremantle superstar’s competitiveness often got the better of him as he struggled the find the perfect balance of fire and focus.

Some of his early issues with attitude were covered in this Docker Mag feature from 2014. http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2014-03-19/the-fire-in-fyfe

Also a big fan of American tennis great Andre Agassi, Fyfe loves watching sportsmen such as the ‘Fed-Express’ for entertainment, but also for education.

“Roger Federer’s story is well documented, how he had his problems with focus and aggression, and how he turned it all around and became the best tennis player in the world,” Fyfe said.

“I enjoy watching how guys mentally prepare before matches and how they handle little losses and big losses, whether it be points or games or battles, whatever the sport is.”

Now as calm and calculated as AFL stars come, Fyfe still likes to swap the footy boots for tennis shoes now and again.

“Me and housemate Cam Sutcliffe get out and have a smash around, play some five-setters,” he said.