Federer Is Making A Major Effort To Win In London

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 7th November 2012

Federer Is Making A Major Effort To Win In London

epa03460153 Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic during their match at the ATP World Tour tennis finals in London, Britain, 06 November 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Roger Federer is intent on a record seventh title at this week’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London and despite making an exemplary start against Janko Tipsarevic, made the admission: “”I’m far from perfect.”

However Federer explained that his deficiencies lay in an inability to either cook or ice-skate and despite worrying defeats in the Shanghai Rolex Masters and Swiss Indoors, he appeared in absolutely no danger in beating Tipsarevic 6-3,6-1 in the pair’s first group outing.

Confidence on the tennis court exuded from Federer who dropped only eight points on serve.“Obviously, come in knowing that I’ve played so well past years, I expect myself also to be at a solid level,” said the 31 year-old second seed who also won his seventh Wimbledon title this year and won a silver medal at the London Olympics. “I’ve had a good year. It’s true, I feel like I’m striking the ball well after today. I hope it’s a sign for more to come.”

The London 02 crowd greeted Federer like the returning hero he is in this part of the world. Cow bells clanked and everywhere there seemed to be spectators garbed in red t-shirts with white crosses.

Federer said: “I’m very, very honored, really, and very proud in some ways to be so well liked by so many fans around the world, just not in one particular place or one country. It really seems to be everywhere I go I get a lot of fan support.”

After pulling out of a title defence at last week’s BNP Paribas Masters at Paris’ Bercy, Federer maintained there were a couple of minor injury concerns as he prepared for the match.

However he reported:” Today I feel fine. For the last couple of days, I still had some little things I had to work through. I’m happy that I feel fine just in time. No pain anymore anywhere.”

Federer, champion for the last two years at the London 02 Arena, admitted an air of familiarity certainly eased his comfort levels. He said: “I think it’s nice conditions here. I think it’s the same as previous years and obviously, coming in and knowing that I’ve played so well past years, I expect myself also to be at a solid level.

“The preparation has been good. I’ve had a good year. It’s true, I feel like I’m striking the ball well after today. I hope it’s a sign for more to come hopefully. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m happy the first one went so well and it takes some pressure off looking ahead in the next couple matches.”