Federer Confident Ahead Of Dubai Title Defence
Roger Federer will be bidding for his sixth crown when play gets underway in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships later this month. As one of the undisputed greats of the game, with 76 singles titles to his name and 302 weeks as world number one, he is still a fearsome competitor and is feeling confident ahead of his title defence.
“I’ve got to be really just focused and be confident in my own play and I hope to start well,” Federer vowed. “I love playing in Dubai for many reasons. I’ve had an incredible run over the years now and I’m really happy to be coming back this year.”
The player dubbed by many as the GOAT - Greatest Of All Time - won his first title in Dubai as long ago as 2003, yet his skill and competitive spirit remains as strong today as when he beat 10th-ranked Jiri Novak to begin his remarkable run of success.
After picking up three Dubai titles in a row between 2003- 2005, he lost the crown to Rafael Nadal the following year in the final, but won it back again in 2007. But even the formidable Federer doesn’t have it all his own way.
“In 2008 he was here to defend the title he had won the previous year with a win over Mikhail Youzhny, but he had the misfortune to draw Andy Murray in the first round and lost the match in three sets,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “That was one of the most remarkable results in the history of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and because of illness and injury and the wonderful run of three successive victories by Novak Djokovic it wasn’t until 2012 that Federer could regain his title once more.”
Federer will be hoping that fortune smiles upon him when the draw is made this year, but he will be ready for any challenge that will come his way. After picking up his fifth title here last year with a win over Andy Murray 7-5. 6-4 Federer will feel some pressure to defend his title.
“It is different,” he said. “In a way you feel pressure but you’re also extremely happy and honoured to be back to get the opportunity to defend your title. But you know if you lose first round 500 (ranking) points are gone. So you want to make sure you start the tournament well.
“But then again, for me at this stage of my career where I’ve had to defend so many titles over and over again I’ve gotten used to the situation. The stadium is full and people want to see you win, so that alone creates a lot of pressure from the tournament directors, the people, everybody involved, myself. So there’s always pressure when I play because usually - I don’t want to say there’s not much in it for me - but if I lose it’s big news and if I win it’s normal.”
Federer’s fondness for Dubai is well known, having bought property here and often using Dubai as his base, not only to escape the chill of the Swiss winter but to practise and simply relax.
As for the tournament itself, he loves the venue which is unlike many of the others he plays around the world.
“I like the feeling of normality sometimes. It’s quite nice,” he said. “It’s a normal dressing room, you feel there is a life when we leave again, it’s not like it’s only purely a one-week site. This whole tournament lives on like a club. You feel it as a player and maybe that’s something players like.
“Then obviously the way it’s run, the organisation. You feel very welcome, very much taken care of. They go the extra mile for us so we appreciate that. There there’s the city, the beach, the landscape, the buildings, icons all around. It’s just nice to be in a place which is so safe and so nice at the same time.”
However no matter how well prepared and confident he is, Federer will face formidable opposition in the form of world number one Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who famously beat him at Wimbledon in 2011, Tomas Berdych who has five wins over Federer including a victory at the 2012 US Open, and Juan Martin Del Potro, who defeated Federer in their last two meetings.
The ATP World Tour event takes place between 25th February and 2nd March and follows the WTA tournament that features an incredible nine of the world’s top 10. Beginning on 18th February, the greatest tennis show in the Middle East will feature Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams as well as former Grand Slam winners Petra Kvitova, Ana Ivanovic and Samantha Stosur, as well as defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tickets for the event are on sale from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which is open from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand ticket prices range from 50dhs for opening rounds to 450dhs for finals, with season tickets also available.
For further information about tickets, prices and the tournament phone the call centre on +971 4 4172415.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Feb 11, 2013
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