Tennis
No panic stations for Federer as Miami mission begins
By DPA
Mar 27, 2008, 21:06 GMT

Miami - Ice-calm Roger Federer refused to panic despite not winning a title this so far season, insisting that he's on track with his long-range planning at the Miami Masters.

'It was just a matter of getting enough matches in the last events,' said the world number one whose semi-finals at the Australian Open and Indian Wells are considered sub-par by his usual gold-standard measurements.

The Swiss is coming off a loss last week at Indian wells where he was out-played by American Mardy Fish.

'When you tend to lose you want to play again so you can forget,' said the 12-time Grand Slam champion. 'But especially during these two tournaments.

'For me, it's just a matter of getting back on the winning road. It was good for me to win three matches at Indian Wells. Now it's back to normal again, which is a good thing.'

Federer is planning to peak during a hard approaching slog, starting with the clay season at Estoril and continuing onto the grass, more hardcourts and the Beijing Olympics.

'I picked this schedule to be in my best possible shape for what's coming up, and that's in the next few weeks and months ahead of me.

'Especially through the French Open until the US Open where I'll have four massive tournaments in a short span. This is really when I want to be at my peak.'

Business as usual could still be under fire as the top seed begins play on Saturday at Crandon Park against the winner from Gael Monfils and American John Isner, who challenged the Swiss for a set in the US Open third round.

Federer said that as far as he can tell, the mononucleosis virus which sapped him in Australia has run its course.

'I guess there's never a guarantee that it comes back, but I hope it doesn't come back. It didn't disturb me in a crazy way, you know. If you think about it, I still played the semis of the Australian under the circumstances.

'I didn't miss any tournaments at all, which is not a bad thing, considering.

'I'll probably go and do one more check up probably after Miami just to see how I'm doing. But really my heart rate's doing well, you know. I've been monitoring that with my condition trainer. I'm happy the way I'm playing again out there.'

He added with confidence: 'Things feel good, anyway and I haven't been close to any setbacks, which is a good thing as well.'

While Federer was calming the waters, the world looked close to collapsing for Marat Safin as the former number one crashed out to American Bobby Reynolds 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).

Both men fired 19 aces apiece with Reynolds losing serve twice to once for the Russian.

But tiebreakers made the winning difference as the number 104 winner advanced, leaving Safin to ponder a sad season which has left him standing 1-5.

The injury comeback of Dominik Hrbaty ended badly, with the Slovak going down to Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Hrbaty, making his 12th consecutive appearance at the event, was playing his first ATP tournament since elbow surgery last September 4.

On the women's side, Austrian 17-year-old Tamira Paszek advanced over fellow , Austria, def. Alize Cornet, aged 18, in a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory.