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Tip-top Federer ‘where I want to be’ for Shanghai defence
SHANGHAI, Oct 9, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Roger Federer warned Novak Djokovic and
his other Shanghai Masters rivals on Tuesday that he was in prime condition
even as another long season approaches its climax.
The 37-year-old Swiss has been carefully managing his schedule in recent
years, cutting out the clay-court segment of the season since 2017 to wring
the most out of his ageing body.
It appears to be working and the 20-time Grand Slam winner opens his
defence of the Shanghai Masters this week in ominously good shape.
The world number two played in a victorious Laver Cup campaign in Chicago
two weeks ago, following his surprise last-16 defeat to the Australian John
Millman at the US Open.
“The good thing is after feeling good in practice I played a good Laver
Cup, have had also some rest after the US Open,” said Federer.
The Swiss great’s prime threats in Shanghai are likely to come from world
number three Djokovic — who is in fine form — and fourth-ranked Juan Martin
del Potro.
World number one Rafael Nadal, beaten by Federer in last year’s final of
the Masters 1000 showpiece, is absent with injury.
Del Potro, who was hindered by cold and flu in losing Sunday’s China Open
final to unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili, said in Beijing last week that he was
running on empty.
Not so Federer, it seems, who is seven years older than the Argentine.
“I feel like I’m where I want to be,” Federer said.
“I know that this is where I could be playing a lot of tennis, depending
on how I play.”
Reflecting on his 2018, which included winning the Australian Open and
several weeks back at world number one, Federer said: “I have actually been
very successful when I played.
“I didn’t play many poor matches, to be quite honest. There is only maybe
a couple that come to my mind and I have been injury-free for over a year
now.”
Federer, who is chasing his fourth title this season, will face either
Chinese wildcard Zhang Ze or feisty Russian Daniil Medvedev in his opener.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1332 hrs