The Swiss will be seeking a sixteenth grand slam title in Melbourne later this month. It has been a while, three years in fact since Federer last won the Australian Open and he rarely looks at his sharpest in the first month of the year.
Federers last Doha title was in 2006 and he will be a little relieved Andy Murray has opted out of the event this year as the Scot has tended to dominant it in recent years.
Federer didnt really begin 2010 particularly conspicuously in Abu Dhabi last weel where he lost to Robin Soderling for the first time ever. It will not concern Federer, he lost to Murray at exactly the same stage last year and he still went on to have a very good Australian Open.
Hes only played Rochus once before back in 2001 on the grass of Wimbledon. Federer dropped just 7 games and will expect to ease through in similar style on Tuesday. Rochus moves very well but for what he has in court guile, he lacks the weight of shot to trouble Federer.
