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Cape Town - While he admits he is no longer the hot favourite to win Grand Slams like he once was, Roger Federer insists he's still confident of adding to his major tally.
The 38-year-old hasn’t won a Grand Slam since the Australian Open over 18 months ago, though he did come desperately close to claiming a ninth Wimbledon title earlier this summer.
And even though he’s expecting another difficult challenge at the US Open next week, he has warned it would be foolish to write him off.
“I know it’s going to be tough,” Federer told the media in New York on Friday.
“I’m not coming in as the overwhelming favorite like maybe back in 2006 or 2007. I’m very much aware how I need to approach this tournament mentally.
“It’s going to be a tough tournament to win, no doubt. I feel like I’m part of that group who can do it.
“What I’m very proud of is I’ve had a very consistent last year and a half since my back locked up on me in Montreal [in 2017]."
Federer hasn’t played much since losing a brilliant Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic, but he's taking confidence from that performance despite not coming out on top.
“I think the win over Rafa [Nadal] in the [Wimbledon] semis was big for me. Also the final, the way I played that, is going to give me some extra confidence,” he said.
Once again, the big three of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are the overwhelming favourites to settle the destination of the title between them, and Federer agrees that it’s hard to see any other realistic contenders.
“Yeah, it seems like the same guys are the favorites again this time around,” he added.
“It will be a surprise if anybody else won other than the guys I said.”
