Federer is fitter and raring to go

A year after withdrawing from the Kooyong Classic with a mystery virus, Roger Federer returnes and declared himself fit and ready to finalise his Australian Open preparations.

Roger Federer is hoping his Australian Open preparations go smoothly, unlike last year.

MELBOURNE // A year after withdrawing from the Kooyong Classic with a mystery virus, the world No 2 Roger Federer returned yesterday and declared himself fit and ready to finalise his Australian Open preparations. Federer was forced out of the invitational eight-man field at the Kooyong Club in suburban Melbourne last January with what later transpired to be glandular fever, an illness that affected his form for much of the first half of last year.

He was beaten in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to the eventual champion Novak Djokovic and then lost the No 1 world ranking that he had held for a record 237 weeks to the Spaniard Rafael Nadal last August. A back injury in the second half of the year also restricted his performances but he still managed to win his fifth successive US Open at Flushing Meadows. "I'm feeling really good," Federer, 27, said when asked about his health. "I was feeling quite bad here last year, which is why I couldn't play.

"It's why I'm really happy to be part of it this year. It's a great tournament and I love playing here because it is great preparation for me for the Australian Open." Federer, who plays Spain's Carlos Moya in the second match of today's opening day, said the beauty of the Kooyong event was that players were guaranteed three competitive matches ahead of next week's Australian Open. The Swiss, who arrived in Australia over the weekend after losing to Andy Murray in the semi-finals in of the Qatar Exxon Mobil Open in Doha, ridiculed those who tipped the Scotsman to win the Australian Open, from Jan 19-Feb 1.

Federer will equal the record 14 Grand Slam titles won by Pete Sampras if he wins his fourth Australian Open final and was surprised to hear Murray was the tournament favourite. "It doesn't help him a whole lot," Federer said. "I've been in that position before as well and didn't make it." He said Murray, 21, was a contender due to his form and No 4 ranking, but winning a grand slam was not that easy.

Federer and Nadal have won 14 of the last 15 grand slam titles between them, with only the No 3-ranked Novak Djokovic breaking the sequence when he won the last Australian title. "He's [Murray] put himself in a great position. He started off well, going well in Doha. He finished strong last year." But Federer added: "He's never won a slam. Novak is the defending champion here. Rafa had an incredible season last year. I won the last slam of last season. It's surprising to hear [that Murray is favourite]."

Murray's record in Australia is two first-round losses either side of a fourth-round loss in 2007. He won five ATP tour titles in 2008, second only to Nadal's eight, and is 5-2 against Federer, including three wins since the US Open final. "He's shown for a year now he's knocking on the door, trying to make his move," Federer said. "Sure, he's put himself in a position, but winning a Grand Slam is a different animal.

"Not many guys have been able to win a grand slam in the last few years. Rafa and me took a lot of them, Novak won here last year. They don't come easily." Meanwhile, in the men's second round ties played today at Sydney International, the Australian Lleyton Hewitt beat Julien Benneteau of France 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. The Serb Janko Tipsarevic beat the American Mardy Fish 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu also beat the Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

In the women's singles, Alize Cornet of France beat the Russian Alisa Kleybanova, 7-6, 6-1. The fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 2-6, 7-6. Ai Sugiyama of Japan beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. The top seed Serena Williams had a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Sara Errani of Italy, the second seed Dinara Safina of Russian beat her compatriate Vera Dushevina 6-3, 6-0 and Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, who is seeded sixth, beat Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-3, 7-5.

The third seed Elena Dementieva of Russia beat Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4. The Dane Caroline Wozniacki beat the British player Melanie South 6-2, 6-0. * With agencies