World number one Roger Federer has shrugged off his lack of match practice in the lead-up to Australian Open 2008, saying he is feeling in top shape as he begins his campaign for a third-straight title at Melbourne Park.

Having not played a competitive match since winning the Masters Cup in November, although he did take on Pete Sampras in three exhibition matches later that month, Federer was then forced out of the AAMI Classic at Kooyong last week.

But the three-time Australian Open champion told reporters on tournament eve, a couple of days before he was to take on Argentine Diego Hartfield in the first round, that he is ready for action.

“Of course it’s been some sort of a different preparation to some other Grand Slams,” Federer said. “It’s always tough in Australia because you don’t have many matches coming in.”

“But 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.

“I’ve been playing sets the last couple days, you know, which was very important for me, to be able to play points. I’m happy with my form, to be honest. Very pleased. Physically I’m fine now, too. No more issues. I would consider myself a hundred per cent.”

Federer added that while the stomach illness that temporarily hospitalised him last week had taken a bit of a toll, he believes the work he did in December before coming to Australia will hold him in good stead.

“I practiced very well in Dubai before coming here, so I definitely, you know, created a good base for this fortnight,” he said. “That’s what I feel now when I get back on the practice courts. You know, I feel the way I would like to feel.”

“Tennis comes back very quickly. You know, it’s not like I haven’t been playing tennis for four weeks. It’s only been one week I couldn’t play tennis. When you practice so hard, like the way I did in Dubai, then you practice for a couple days, you’re right away back into things.”

“That’s for me important to know. I feel like I’m moving well. Surface seems to, again, suit my game, which is obviously important after all the talk about it. Now we’ll see how it goes.”

The 12-time Grand Slam winner, who needs three more major titles to eclipse the all-time record of 14 currently held by Sampras, also gave the Australian Open a ringing endorsement.

“It’s a great Grand Slam, great facilities, one of the best in the world,” Federer said. “So I think they deserve it. They’ve been able to maintain great crowds and a great event for us players.”

Federer is also set to take on Sampras again in March at Madison Square Garden in New York, and he is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the former world number one.

“For me it was a dream come true to get a chance to play at the Garden. It’s somewhere I never played at,” he said. “Pete really wanted to have an exhibition in the States, as well. So I said, Sure, where should we do it? Sort of Madison Square Garden came about.”

“Honestly, it was just nice to hang out with him, see what type of a person he is. We’ve become friends, you know. It was very nice, you know, that we have obviously the record going on.”

“I don’t think it matters too much to us. It’s just more about having respect and, you know, liking each other, you know, during that trip. It’s the last exhibition we got planned, and after that we’ll see where it takes us.”

Like many of his strong rivals who speak of the dangers that lurk in the early rounds of any big tournaments, Federer is likewise confident of another strong showing in the next fortnight.

“The danger always looms around, you know, the first few rounds because you know you want to get the feeling for the court, the balls. It’s been a year. You come back with a lot of pressure trying to defend the points,” Federer said.

“There’s always a lot of pressure, but somehow I always get through. You know, I got the right approach and I’m confident. I got different styles of play I can use, you know, to win matches.”

“Always in the first round, you know, I don’t play against a fellow top-10 player, which helps obviously. This is also one of the reasons I always maybe played very well throughout the Grand Slam.”

Source: Australian Open Site