Tournament director Ralf Weber has welcomed record champion Roger Federer (ATP 3) at the 27th NOVENTI OPEN. “We are very much looking forward to the tournament week with you. It’s always a great pleasure to see you back”, Weber stated. The 9-times winner of the ATP 500 competition had landed in Paderborn on Saturday morning and then arrived at the GERRY WEBER SPORTPARK HOTEL midday. In front of the hotel, the 37-year-old world star received a cake by tournament director Ralf Weber – the writing on the cake was “Welcome Home”. “That’s to the point”, Federer said. “It’s such a comfortable place for me, a piece of home in the tennis world. I always feel good here.”
The top-seeded Federer is “ready” for the next try for the 10th title in Halle/Westfalen: “I am fit, have rested enough, I have no physical problems”, Federer said, who had put in a training-free day yesterday, on Friday. Now it could “start officially with the grass season”, Federer stated. “I’m just looking forward to this week.” Traditionally the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s long-time coach, Severin Lüthi, joins the “Team Federer” in Halle.
