Roger Federer keen to get comeback back on track after Stuttgart stumble

Federer was stunned 2-6 7-6 6-4 by 39-year-old Tommy Haas and now faces Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun in Halle desperate just to get a win under his belt again

Monday 19 June 2017 07:32 EDT
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Roger Federer is keen to get back on track in Halle
Roger Federer is keen to get back on track in Halle (Bongarts)

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Roger Federer is eager to get his comeback back on track after it was unceremoniously derailed by veteran Tommy Haas last week.

The Swiss hasn't played since winning in Miami in April missing the entire clay-court season to focus his efforts on the summer and another tilt at Wimbledon.

But in his first match back Federer was stunned 2-6 7-6 6-4 by the 302nd ranked German in Stuttgart and now faces Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun in Halle desperate just to get a win under his belt again.

"A comeback is never simple, especially on grass where margins are so slim," the 18-time Grand Slam winner said ahead of a tournament he has won eight times.

"It's important for me, especially after the Stuttgart week, to come here and make sure I win my first-round match and get going ... The history I have here, having come and played well so often, definitely should help me to play good tennis this week.

"I want to take the right decisions on the tennis court. I don't want to question myself too much. I'll have the right focus and mindset, that point-by-point mentality."

Federer had no regrets about missing the French Open to focus on the All England Club but said it was a move he was unlikely to repeat.

"It was a decision that was taken within a couple of days," he added. "For a long time the schedule was to play Paris but all of a sudden I just felt that I wouldn't be comfortable doing it.

"I didn't want to compromise the goal of the grass court season, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and beyond ... But it's not a trend that I might follow in the future. I don't know what the future holds. This was just a one-off decision."

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