Federer embracing role of Aus Open favourite after winning Hopman Cup with Bencic

Sport360 staff 23:14 06/01/2018
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  • Roger Federer is embracing his position as the one to watch and defending champion at the upcoming Australian Open after he helped guide Switzerland to a third success in the Hopman Cup in Perth on Saturday, alongside team-mate Belinda Bencic.

    The world No. 2 went undefeated in singles matches this week in Perth, defeating Yuichi Sugita, Karen Khachanov, Jack Sock and Alexander Zverev. Last year Federer competed at the Hopman Cup then flew to Melbourne and stunned the world by winning the Australian Open title following a six-month injury absence.

    The 36-year-old Swiss will be looking for a repeat this month in Melbourne, and if his form in Perth is anything to go by, he looks in prime position to win a 20th Grand Slam title.

    “I’m just really excited going back to Melbourne, where I had my fairy tale run last year, it was that crazy,” said Federer, who is aware he is tipped by many to defend his Aus Open crown.

    “That’s normal, but it’s a long way I must admit. It’s great to be the defending champion, I take it the right way this year I think. I won’t put extra pressure on myself regardless of who’s going to play or not play or regardless of what the draw is. I think for me it’s just important to be in a good mindset, well-prepared, and then just ready to go. And I feel like I am already.”

    In men’s singles in Saturday’s final, Federer dropped the first set against the 20-year-old Zverev, but recovered to win in three, 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-2.

    Zverev beat Federer at the Hopman Cup last year and came out all guns blazing on Saturday in a high-intensity first set where both players produced moments of brilliance and each holding multiple break points.

    Federer’s frustration was obvious as the set slipped away, dropping his racquet after missing an easy volley and then launching a ball towards the roof.

    However, he turned the match around by approaching the net more often and using drop shots to catch Zverev napping.

    The frustration changed sides of the net as the German copped a code violation for an audible obscenity after disputing the chair umpire’s decision to replay one of his serves during the second set.

    Zverev’s serve, and resolve, was broken in the third game of the third set and fittingly it was a Federer drop shot which sealed the win.

    Kerber, who is ranked 21st after starting last year at number one, then maintained her perfect singles record during the event to beat Bencic 6-4, 6-1 to level the tie.

    Bencic, who was ranked seventh in the world before injuries stalled her progress, started brightly but Kerber soon took control and raced through the second set with breaks in the fourth and sixth games.

    That set the scene for the mixed doubles, where Bencic produced some stunning returns on the Zverev serve and teamed superbly with Federer to claim the title with an emphatic 4-3 (3), 4-2 win under the Fast4 format.

    “Great week. Can’t thank Belinda enough, she’s been, in my mind, in the doubles the MVP. She got back those returns when it really mattered and it made us win the match,” said Federer of his partner.

    “She made the difference, I truly believe that. Because those three winners mattered…

    “If I did come back I would want to have Belinda as my partner, that’s for sure.”


    Meanwhile, Federer also paid tribute to the influence of countrywoman and former Hopman Cup team-mate Martina Hingis on his career.

    Federer’s success with Bencic on Saturday gave him a second title in Perth, having also been part of Switzerland’s previous victory back in 2001, when he teamed with Hingis.

    At that time, Federer was just 19 and was yet to win at an ATP event. He said the time spent with Hingis in Perth had a profound effect on his career, which now includes 19 Grand Slam singles titles.

    Hingis was the youngest ever Grand Slam champion and world number one, spending 209 weeks at the top of women’s tennis and winning five Grand Slam singles titles.

    Federer visited Perth with Hingis twice, once as a hitting partner and then in 2001 as her team-mate, and said it shaped his career.

    “I could look up to her and think, wow, how is she being so mentally strong and so consistent at such a young age,” the Swiss star recalled. “It made me also believe with hard work and dedication you get really far, because I didn’t believe it that much at that point when I was younger, I thought it was more all talent.

    “Definitely she helped me to become the player I am today.”

    Federer was thrilled to add a second Hopman Cup to his glittering resume and said it was a very different feeling to the first.

    “It is totally different to when I won it with Martina because I was the apprentice and she was the master,” he said.

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