Federer insists Nadal, Djokovic are favorites
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Roger Federer prefers to think of Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic as the favorites for the Australian Open title, despite entering as defending champion and coming off a worry-free preparation.
鈥淚 play down my chances just because I don鈥檛 think a 36-year-old should be a favorite of a tournament,鈥 Federer said on the eve of the year鈥檚 first grand slam tournament. 鈥淚t should not be the case. That鈥檚 why I see things more relaxed, you know, at a later stage of my career.鈥
The 19-time major winner can afford to relax slightly longer, given the half of the draw that he shares with Djokovic doesn鈥檛 start until day two. Top-ranked Nadal will get under way tonight against Victor Estrella Burgos on Rod Laver Arena, where he lost the final in five sets to Federer last year.
All four singles finalists were 30 or older last year in what became a tournament for the ages, and three of them are back.
Last year鈥檚 finalist Venus Williams is seeded fifth and has a challenging opener against Belinda Bencic. She鈥檚 4-0 in career head-to-heads against 20-year-old Bencic, who reached a career-high No. 7 ranking in 2016. She helped Federer win the Hopman Cup title for Switzerland earlier this month.
At 37, Venus Williams is among the top contenders at Melbourne Park. Simona Halep is the No. 1 seed.
Federer returns in contrasting circumstances to his appearance in 2017, when he was coming off a six-month break for an injured left knee and had low expectations about ending a grand slam title drought that dated to Wimbledon in 2012.
鈥淭his year I hope to win the first few rounds and get rolling hopefully, whereas last year I was just hoping to win,鈥 a match, Federer said. 鈥淚t was more of a 鈥榣et鈥檚 see what happens鈥 kind of tournament, maybe similar to what Novak or Stan (Wawrinka) or others are going through this year.
鈥淩afa, with the year that he鈥檚 had, and Novak with the six titles he鈥檚 had here, even if it鈥檚 unknown how he鈥檚 feeling, they could very well be the favorites, too,鈥 Federer said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e in the draw, you give yourself a chance. That鈥檚 what happened for me last year 鈥 all ended up way better than I thought it would, as you know.鈥
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