Roger Federer Is @ Home In Dubai

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 24th February 2014

Roger Federer Is @ Home In Dubai

epa04099099 Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to Benjamin Becker of Germany during their first round match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2014. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

Five-time champion Roger Federer begins his campaign in Dubai fully fit and confident as he opens against German Benjamin Becker. The Swiss whose last trophy at the Aviation Club came in 2012, said that after more than a week of solid training at his base in the emirate, he is ready to go and keen to keep up his good start to 2014.

“I’ve had more than a week of preparation, it was a good week and I hope it will pay off,” said the fourth seed who will take to the court after reaching the Australian Open semi-finals and a week later helping Switzerland into the Davis Cup quarter-finals along with teammate and Melbourne winner Stanislas Wawrinka.

With his game firing and his body fit, the 32-year-old Swiss remains confident that this season could well be one in which he adds to his record-setting total of 17 grand slam singles titles. “I’m playing top tennis now, it’s a matter of staying healthy, finding consistency and giving myself opportunities. I fell in my nest shape for at least a year.

“It’s very encouraging: I wake up with zero pain, I’m excited about playing after a good start to the season. I also had a good end to 2013 and an encouraging off-season, training here in Dubai for a month during all of December. It was key for me to know that my body could handle the stress. Now I’m confident for the season.”

The Dubai field is headed by holder Novak Djokovic, with the world number two Serb the winner in three of the last four editions.

Topics: 10sballs, Australian Open, Benjamin Becker, Davis Cup, Dubai, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News