Federer says he'll be fit for Australian Open

Deepak Jain Fri, Jan 15 10 05:55 PM

Melbourne, Jan. 15 -- Roger Federer has assured that he will be ready to chase another Australian Open title after three-hour training sessions this week at Melbourne Park. The world number one, who arrived on Tuesday in Australia after losing last week in a Doha semi-final to Nikolay Davydenko, has been hitting the practice courts hard. Federer said his decision to bypass the AAMI Classic at Kooyong club, his usual warm-up event, was made for personal rather than fitness reasons. "This year is very different," he said while making an appearance for a chocolate sponsor before Monday's start of the Grand Slam. The right forearm that troubled him last week in a loss to Davydenko will not be an issue, Federer said, as he begins the quest for a fourth title at Melbourne Park. "When I came here, I wanted to enjoy the family, settle into Melbourne and then see where it takes us," he said. "I've had a couple of hits. It's been good weather." The 15-time Grand Slam champion said: "It was a precaution. I've played quite a bit of tennis already. I played six matches in eight days in the Middle East.

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