Roger Federer: This win takes pressure off me

Federer beats defending champ Isner in Miami final to clinch 101st title, calls it a baby step towards returning to French Open clay court championship

Roger Federer lifted the 101st title of his remarkable career on Sunday in dominating style, beating ATP Miami Open defending champion John Isner 6-1, 6-4. Federer, who has skipped the whole clay court season for the past two years, declared the triumph over the big-serving American in just 63 minutes was an ideal performance from which to launch a French Open bid.

"I will have to take baby steps going back onto the clay, I have played so little in the last few years so I don't know what to expect but what this win does is takes even more pressure off me," Federer said. "Already just how I've been playing and moving here makes me believe just going on vacation now, a bit of a break, and then preparation, you physically I should be fine, but again, we'll see how the body is going to react.

John Isner

"I am excited. It's a good challenge," added Federer of trying to dethrone Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros when the second Grand Slam of the season begins on May 26. Federer has been in brilliant form in South Florida, recovering superbly from losing the final in Indian Wells earlier this month to emphatically beat Isner, who was badly struggling with a foot problem at the end of the title match at Hard Rock Stadium.

Federer will not appear at the next Masters event in Monte Carlo but is slated to play in Madrid at the beginning of May. "Madrid will be 'let's see what happens' and then obviously I want to be ready for Paris and I hope all that hard work is going to pay off for the grass and hard court season," he said.

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