Aggressive Roger Federer says he will play on his terms in Dubai

Federer had been a bit circumspect because of the wind last month, but last night, under similar conditions, he decided to take his chances against Mikhail Youzhny and it worked out well.

Roger Federer said caution was needed at times but yesterday’s tie against Mikhail Youzhny was not one of those occasions. Ali Haider / EPA

DUBAI // Roger Federer threw caution to the wind last night, brushing aside Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1 as he booked his place in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Playing his first match since losing to Andreas Seppi in the third round of the Australian Open on January 23, the six-time winner and defending Dubai champion showed no signs of rust as he defeated the two-time Dubai finalist in a mere 56 minutes.

Against Seppi a month ago, Federer had been a bit circumspect because of the wind, but last night, under similar conditions, he decided to take his chances and it worked out well.

Breaking Youzhny twice in each set, Federer struck 27 winners in the match, 19 of them in the first set, to dismantle the Russian.

“The last thing I want to do is lose back-to-back matches playing careful,” Federer said. “I know I can play careful tennis, but then you cannot leave it up to the other guys sometimes if you are going to win or lose.

“I feel over the years I have won my biggest matches in most tournaments by playing on my terms, and you can’t always do it.

“It’s difficult to come out and dominate every match, every point, and it’s also hard work always playing aggressive.

“So sometimes it’s nice to wait at times and not force it upon the other guy all the time.

“But I still do believe here in Dubai, if you want to do well, you have to play on top of the baseline, accept that you’re going to play a lot of half volleys, and, if possible for me, I think I’m going to try to come to the net a bit.”

ALSO READ:

Federer also conceded he was helped by the fact his Russian opponent, a former world No 8, has been “missing matches”.

Youzhny, who drew Rafael Nadal in the first round at the Australian Open, appeared in three tournaments before coming to Dubai and had lost in the opening round at the first two, in Doha and Melbourne, before reaching the third round in Zagreb.

“He’s been struggling as of late a little bit,” Federer said.

“I don’t think he’s gotten the best draws, either. So I think I was able to take advantage of that a bit.”

Federer will next meet the winner of today’s late clash between Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez tomorrow, but he will be in action on the outside courts, alongside his friend Michael Lammer, taking on Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau in the doubles.

“Lammer is one of my best friends on tour and in my life, and he’s a guy I have never played doubles with,” Federer said. “So I really want to do that before he retires because he’s not far off.”

Follow us on Twitter at our new home at NatSportUAE