Roger Federer, who went two and a half years without a Grand Slam title before winning the record 17th major of his career last month at Wimbledon, said he never doubted he would return to the top.

In his final session with reporters ahead of today’s start of the US Open, the 31-year-old Swiss top seed said on Saturday that he always knew he had the form to bounce back and regain the World No 1 ranking.