Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson gushes over ‘smouldering’ Roger Federer

ONE photo of Roger Federer looking fierce has deepened Dwayne Johnson’s man crush on the Swiss maestro.

Roger Federer has friends in high places.

WE’RE not sure how much tennis Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson watches but if the wrestling icon turned movie star tunes into the Australian Open this summer, we know who he’ll be cheering for.

Judging by his Twitter activity on Friday, Johnson will be hoping Roger Federer wins his sixth Australian Open title — and the 20th grand slam crown of his career — at Melbourne Park.

And he’s a fan of the Swiss for more than just his tennis.

Federer uploaded a photo of himself to Twitter and asked Johnson if he was nailing the “smouldering intensity” look (he used the American spelling in his tweet, but we can’t bring ourselves to do it here). It was a reference to Johnson’s latest film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, where the Hollywood icon plays Dr. Xander “Smolder” Bravestone.

One his strengths in the film is his “smouldering intensity” which, according to those who have seen the movie, Johnson pulls off pretty damn well.

Johnson gushed over Federer, applauding him for his impersonation and calling him the GOAT (greatest of all time) who has “no weakness”.

Hey @TheRock, am I doing the "Smoldering Intensity" right? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/5A5ILEXYNK

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) January 12, 2018

When you’re the GOAT there is no wrong brother. Perfect form 😉👏🏾👊🏾

for those who don’t know.. “Smoldering Intensity” is one of my character’s strengths in #Jumanji. And like Roger, “Dr. Smolder Bravestone” has no weaknesses
🤣💪🏾 https://t.co/KdS76H1nec

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 12, 2018

The 36-year-old will be hoping to live up to Johnson’s hype as he aims to win his second consecutive Australian Open title.

With Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic among the walking wounded and Serena Williams already deciding not to defend her title, injuries and absentees have been the focus of attention ahead of the year’s first major.

That’s not bothering Federer, who is returning as defending champion just 12 months after entering the season-opening grand slam seeded 17th and uncertain of his prospects after six months off the tour with an injured left knee.

He beat Nadal in a five-set final for his 18th grand slam title — and his first since 2012 — and later won Wimbledon.

“I just thought that the game and the wins weren’t going to come ... because I would just run into a red-hot Djokovic or Murray or Nadal or somebody and my game wasn’t going to be good enough,” Federer recalled.

“I had all these great five-setters and, at the end, the epic match against Rafa. After six, seven matches, you start feeling like a different player, that you can’t miss anymore. The fifth set (of the final) was maybe the best set I ever played.

“What a comeback it was and it was definitely the highlight of the year.”

Federer is hoping to hold the trophy aloft at the end of his Australian Open campaign.

Johnson stars in the new Jumanji film.

Second-seeded Federer and No. 14-seeded Djokovic have almost traded places. This time, Federer breezily walked into the Australian Open draw carrying the trophy just a few days after helping Switzerland win the Hopman Cup. His 2017 comeback could be inspiration for the likes of Djokovic, who has won the Australian title a record six times but has been sidelined since Wimbledon with a right elbow injury.

They’re in the same half of the draw — along with No. 4 Alexander Zverev, No. 5 Dominc Thiem, No. 7 David Goffin and No. 9 Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open winner who is also returning from injury.

Nadal skipped the year-end championship last November and delayed the start of his 2018 season, so he’s also had only exhibition matches to see how his right knee has recovered.

“If I’m not feeling good, probably I will not be here,” Nadal said after his error-filled loss to Richard Gasquet in an exhibition this week. “So that’s the good news.”

Five-time finalist Andy Murray withdrew more than a week ahead of time, deciding to have surgery on a right hip problem that had kept him off the tour since Wimbledon. Kei Nishikori also withdrew.

And so if the 2017 Australian Open was one for the ages — the revival of the Federer- Nadal rivalry and another Williams sisters final — the 2018 edition is shaping as a survival of the fittest.

— with AP