I’m ready to take out Federer, says cocky Tomic

BERNARD Tomic claimed he was ready to topple four-time champion Roger Federer at the Australian Open after narrowly defeating German qualifier Daniel Brands at Melbourne Park yesterday.

The 20- year- old Australian secured a 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-8) win in two hours 55 minutes to reach the third round and continue his unbeaten start to the year after claiming his first tour title at the Sydney International.

Tomic has won 10 straight matches this year, including the non-sanctioned Hopman Cup in Perth, and will meet Federer in round three tomorrow after the 17-time Grand Slam champion beat Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko.

“What a match it is,” Tomic said. “Ten out of 10 now with matches. I feel so confident. This is the perfect time to play him.

“I think I’ve got a good attitude to win. I’ve beaten a lot of good players over the past two weeks, especially Novak ( Djokovic). I think I can do it if he wins his match.

“I’m ready. I’m not going to say I don’t have the belief. I do have the belief now. It’s possible. I showed that in Perth, that you can beat these players. Now I’m going to try to beat him.”

Federer, 31, beat Tomic in straight sets in the fourth round at Melbourne Park last year but the Australian, who upset world number one Djokovic at the Hopman Cup in Perth, claimed he was a different player now.

“I don’t want to speak too soon, but I have my tactics on what I have to do,” he said.

“We’ll see. Obviously I’m serving good. That’s on my side now, so I’ve got to use that. I’m serving the best I’ve ever been serving. Obviously I’m going on the up.

“I’ve got a lot more things to prove to myself. That’s the most important thing. I’m not going to stop here. It doesn’t satisfy me. Winning last week and being on this winning streak doesn’t satisfy me.

“I want to win Grand Slams.” – AFP