Federer talks about long-standing hand injury

Roger Federer has revealed that he has been suffering with a hand injury since the summer, but said it is no longer a worry as he heads into his home Swiss Open which started yesterday.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner told Germany's Sonntag Zeitung the problem began when he trained for the grasscourt season.

"I hurt my hand training at the start of the grass season," Federer told the newspaper. "It's had more consequences than I thought. I dragged this pain for about three months.

"It's not an excuse and we're not going to make a fuss over it.

"(Sometimes) I felt pain during the first 10 minutes of a match warm-up. But now I can let go of my forehand normally without thinking of it."

NINTH BASEL TITLE

The 37-year-old Federer will start his bid for a ninth Basel title today when he plays Serbia's Filip Krajinovic and could face a revenge match in the second round if he and John Millman both advance.

The 33rd-ranked Australian shocked Federer in the US Open fourth round last month.

The Swiss, who will be playing only his second ATP tournament since the US Open, has a huge reputation to live up to at home, having won the trophy in three of the last four editions.

The defending champion, ranked third in the world, takes the top seeding with German Alexander Zverev seeded second after losing in the first round in his only previous appearance here four years ago.

Marin Cilic takes the third spot and starts against Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov while Zverev plays Robin Haase in the opening round. - AFP

LATEST RANKINGS

Women's singles

1. Simona Halep (Romania)

2. Angelique Kerber (Germany)

3. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

4. Naomi Osaka (Japan)

5. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)

6. Sloane Stephens (USA)

7. Elina Svitolina ( Ukraine )

8. Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic)

9. Kiki Bertens (Netherlands)

10. Daria Kasatkina (Russia)

Men's singles

1. Rafael Nadal (Spain)

2. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

3. Roger Federer (Switzerland)

4. Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina)

5. Alexander Zverev (Germany)

6. Marin Cilic (Croatia)

7. Dominic Thiem (Austria)

8. Kevin Anderson (South Africa)

9. John Isner (USA)

10. Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)