World No. 2 Roger Federer feels he is primed for his title defense at the upcoming Australian Open in Melbourne.
Federer, who won the Hopman Cup in Perth on Saturday put on one masterclass after another to remain undefeated in the tournament in Western Australia. He was highly satisfied with his form and was expecting to do well in Victoria.
The Swiss superstar made a fairytale comeback in 2017 after spending six-months out of the game due to a knee injury. The former World No. 1 found his groove in his first competitive tournament before eventually winning the Aussie Open, his 18th Grand Slam title.
After his surprise victory at Melbourne Park, Federer continued to surprise both his fans and the critics, claiming his 19th Major and eighth Wimbledon crown during the British summer. And although he fought hard but couldn’t dislodge his main rival Rafael Nadal from the top spot in the rankings, finishing the year as World No. 2.
“It caps off a great week as a team, but personally for me as a singles player, I played great,” Federer said after winning the Hopman Cup.
“Now I just have to pace myself all the way up to the tournament in Melbourne, and I’ll be ready.”
“I’m just excited going back to Melbourne where I had my fairytale run last year. It was crazy.”
“It’s great to be the defending champion. I take it the right way. I won’t put extra pressure on myself, regardless of who’s going to play, or not play.”
“For me it’s just important to be in a good mindset, well prepared, and ready to go. And I feel like I am ready.”
