The majestic aesthetics of Roger Federer’s game obscure the grit that underpins his greatness

It looked relatively routine. A four-set win for Roger Federer against veteran Jurgen Melzer. However, delve deeper and it was a little more complex.

It was after all his first competitive match in six months. There were 36 - to Melzer’s 35 - unforced errors from the Swiss great; he was down a break in the first set and gave up a break to lose the second set.

He rallied, as Federer does; in his own inimitable, effortless way. At his fluent best, Federer is an artist, with his play marked by rare majesty. Sure, there are other players who *can* make the game look as easy but there is no-one who has done it as consistently.

In fact, the effortless way Federer cajoles a tennis ball can blur the line between sport and art. And, rather bizarrely, his own greatness does him a disservice.

Lost amongst those one-handed backhands and cross-court forehands; lost amongst the guile; lost amongst the charm and theatre can be found one of his greatest strengths: gritty determination.

"It was great to be out there. I really enjoyed myself, even though it wasn't so simple,” Federer said after the two-hour and six-minute match.

And there is the key word: simple. His excellence has made the game look simple for so long, but when things are not simple, Federer fights as hard as anyone. However, it almost feels primitive to reduce a man of his multifaceted genius to that of a fighter.

But there hidden in plain sight, Federer was grinding it out, fighting as hard as ever against Melzer, in his 800th career hardcourt match.

Though, it seems almost derogatory to say so, it was veteran against veteran, slugging it out.

That is exactly what he is. At 35-years-old, he is 19 years a pro but that hunger for success remains undiminished. The fight still burns.

When Federer announced in May he would be miss the French Open, it brought to an end a remarkable run of 65 slams on the bounce in which he had competed. He returned to play Wimbledon but then succumbed to knee injury. At 34, and with 17 slams in tow, retirement must – or should – have been a consideration.

Yet, the fight was still there. Six months of recuperation and Federer is back and still a danger to go deep in a Grand Slam.

Having made a successful return to the tour, the Swiss star, seeded 17th, faces Noah Rubin next and rather ominously for those on his of the draw, thinks things will only get easier.

"This match tonight was more based on me, how I'm going to cope with my comeback and my match," he said on Rod Laver Arena.

"But I'm happy with how it went. I think from here on it's only going to get easier."

There are sterner tests to come. Tomas Berdych potentially in round three, with Kei Nishikori, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka potential opponents later on. Were he to make it to the final, it would surely be one of his greatest-ever achievements.

And if he does, the aesthetics of his game will garner most headlines but it is his drive and determination that will have carried him there.

Federer fights as hard as anyone in world tennis, he just does with a charm that obscures it in plain sight.