"I'm excited to be here. I do believe this surface also lends itself very well for me to play well here."
Monday 25 February 2019 11:59, UK
Roger Federer says the prospect of winning his landmark 100th tour-level title in Dubai is "extremely exciting".
Federer will be chasing a record eighth title at the Duty Free Tennis Championships, but the 20-time Grand Slam champion will be eyeing another milestone when he opens his campaign against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber on Monday evening.
The draw is tough. I haven't played in a few weeks so you reset everything, get ready for your first round, hope everything is going to click again here in Dubai.
The 37-year-old will be playing his first match since his shock defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last 16 of the Australian Open and he will face stiff competition for the title with the likes of Milos Raonic and top seed Kei Nishikori in the draw.
"I'm trying to reach my eighth title here and then, of course, that would then be also my hundredth ATP title in my career. I would love it to happen here in Dubai, no doubt about it," said Federer, who last won the tournament in 2015.
"I think that's got to be the mindset, that you try your best every match, every week anyway. Things fall into place or they don't. It's not because of lack of effort. Of course, coming to Dubai where I've enjoyed a lot of success sort of makes you believe maybe it could happen here. Then again, the draw is tough. I haven't played in a few weeks so you reset everything, get ready for your first round, hope everything is going to click again here in Dubai."
Federer has slipped to seventh in the rankings but the Swiss legend believes the surface in Dubai will lend to his game as he looks to claim his first title since Basel in October.
"In the past, Dubai always used to be a tournament where you played, you got out of it at the end, you're like, 'I'm not sure I'm playing actually that good' because things are fast, points get decided on one, two shots here, there. It's reaction. I think you can really grind a player down now. It's been actually quite a big change. I'm excited to be here. I do believe this surface also lends itself very well for me to play well here."
Federer has won each of his previous 13 meetings with Kohlschreiber ahead of their latest encounter.
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