Roger Federer: My game is better than last year

Roger Federer plays a shot during a practice session ahead at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon on Thursday

London: Roger Federer says he is in the perfect condition to win Wimbledon for a record eighth time as the Swiss great bids to avenge last year's "heart-breaking" final defeat.


Roger Federer plays a shot during a practice session ahead at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon on Thursday. Pic/AFP

Federer's last appearance at the All England Club 12 months ago ended in the despair of a five-set loss against Novak Djokovic that left him shedding tears during the post-match presentations.

The distraught seven-time champion was so overcome by emotion that Prince William and his wife Kate, who were the All England Club's guests of honour, stopped to console Federer when he passed them on his way back to the Centre Court locker room.

But Federer is adamant he has moved on from that painful day and he returns to his favourite Grand Slam determined to finally surpass Pete Sampras and William Renshaw as Wimbledon's most successful male singles champ.

"If I look at last year, I see more the positives than actually the heart-breaking loss in the final," Federer told reporters at the All England Club on Saturday.

"I didn't expect myself to right away make the final. To be honest, I was still somewhat on the way back (from injury). But things went faster than I thought they would. It goes to show that last year, I wasn't playing great and I made the finals.

Whereas now I feel my game is better. I can really aim for Wimbledon this year. I feel like I see a big picture more now." Federer starts his 17th All England Club campaign with a first-round tie against Damir Dzumhur.