Federer's Wife at the Center of His Game His back, a chronic but manageable concern for years, has been troubling him again, but Roger Federer is in Melbourne with every intent of returning to the court and playing in his 49th consecutive Grand Slam tournament. The record, held by the former South African player Wayne Ferreira, stands at 56. But Federer is a serial record breaker and, now third on this all-time list, just might break another one. In an era when major injuries have caused most of his rivals to crack at some stage, he has kept the damage to a minimum, thanks to his silken footwork, sound stroke mechanics, sage scheduling and ability to respond quickly to the warning signs. Latest example: deciding to retire from a minor event last week in Doha after the quarterfinals rather than imperil his ability to play in the main event next week, the Australian Open. He also long ago conquered a fear of flying. "I was scared when I was younger, and I used to get very sick on the plane," he said in a preseason interview. Today that's all gone. But according to Federer, who will turn 31 this year and who ended 2011 on a reaffirming winning streak, the biggest reason for his durability and enduring appetite for top-flight tennis is his support team, above all his wife, Mirka. In that sense, Mirka has long been the most important woman in the men's game. Born Miroslava Vavrinec in 1978 in what is now Slovakia, she emigrated to Switzerland as a toddler with her parents. The Swiss press reported that she received early encouragement from Martina Navratilova, and then became a professional tennis player, peaking at No.76 before a foot problem forced her to retire in 2002. She and Federer have been together since the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, when he was just a teenager with great potential but not yet a great résumé. Mirka later helped formally manage his career, travel and media commitments, typing by his side on her smart phone as he gave interviews. She has ceded that role in recent years as Federer has expanded his staff and portfolio, but that does not mean she is outside the loop on scheduling, sponsorship, Federer's clothing and product lines, and even some pure tennis issues, although she now rarely watches matches not involving her husband. "She still plays a huge role and has great input and impact," said Paul Annacone, Federer's co-coach. She understands the big picture extremely well and does a great job in terms of letting us work but also shares invaluable information. This is a tricky balance. She's been there since day one, so she knows very well what it takes and how to get there. Since the birth of the Federers" twin daughters in 2009, Mirka has taken the family (and the nanny) on the road, rarely missing a trip or tournament. Without that support, Federer said, he doubts he would still be interested in chasing down trophies worldwide from January to November. "I know how fortunate I am," he said. "And maybe that's one of the reasons that makes me very happy when I'm playing and makes me very motivated, because I know this is not a normal situation I'm in, being able to play with a healthy, happy family next to me, because the easiest thing would be to say, "Let's just stay home and take care of the kids."" "But the kids are healthy, they are happy, and Mirka doesn't want to be away from me, and I don't want to be away from her," he added, "and like this we make it all work that we are actually together all year long, and maybe miss the girls and Mirka maybe one or two weeks during the year, which is just incredible that she's willing to make all of that effort. I'm happy that it's this way, because anything else would make it more difficult to compete and to play at the highest levels. It would basically be impossible. Federer is hardly the first tennis star to travel with family in tow. Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Ivan Ljubicic all juggled fatherhood and the nomadic life on tour. Kim Clijsters has won three Grand Slam singles titles as a mother. But at the moment, the only other father among the top 20 is Gilles Simon, No.12 this week. What separates Federer from the crowd is that he already has secured his fortune and legacy - a record 16 Grand Slam singles titles - yet has shown no hint of losing his appetite for the game or the road, which is certainly more palatable with a private plane and other highest-end comforts.