Federer unfazed in run-up to defence of Aussie Open

ROGER Federer has shaken off a stomach virus and is 100 per cent fit to defend his title at this week's Australian Open tennis championships, he said yesterday.
The world number one, who will be bidding for his 13th grand slam title, one behind the record held by Pete Sampras, will go into the event having not played a competitive match for two months.
Andre Agassi, in 1995, was the last man to win the event without playing competitively in the build-up, but any thoughts that he will be under-prepared were dismissed as a calm and confident Federer said he was raring to go.
"Yeah, I would consider myself 100 per cent," Federer told reporters.
"I've been playing sets the last couple days, which was very important for me. I'm happy with my form, to be honest. Very pleased. Physically I'm fine now, too. No more issues."
A stomach virus caused Federer to change his pre-tournament plans, skipping the exhibition event at Kooyong in favour of rest and gentle practice at Melbourne Park.
The prospect of going into a grand slam event without any competitive tennis for a couple of months would fill many competitors with dread. Not Federer.
"I'm very much used to it, not playing for four weeks or six weeks, and then coming in and playing a big tournament. So for me it's not much of a change,"he said.
"I practiced very well in Dubai before coming here, so I definitely created a good base for this fortnight. That's what I feel now when I get back on the practice courts. Tennis comes back very quickly."
Federer said the new Plexicushion courts at Melbourne Park seemed to suit his game, but criticised the tournament for the change.
"I think the surface is a little bit too slow, in my opinion," he said.
"Everything is already slowing down. Everybody's already complaining that we're playing too much from the baseline.
"I think it's not good to change surfaces at the grand slams because what if the French [Open] would all of a sudden go to hard courts?
"Then] it's not the same tournament any more. They've changed the surface too many times in the last years here. So they had better keep this one for the next 50 years."
Federer, who begins his campaign against Argentine Diego Hartfield, has played in 10 consecutive grand slam finals and said he felt comfortable under the intense pressure on him at the start of each one.
"There's always a lot of pressure, but somehow I always get through," he said.
"I have got the right approach and I'm confident. I've got different styles of play I can use to win matches."