Roger Federer heads into next week's Australian Open in devastating form after crushing good friend and compatriot Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3 today to win the Kooyong Classic.
Roger Federer heads into next week's Australian Open in devastating form after crushing good friend and compatriot Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3 today to win the Kooyong Classic.
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The lethal victory in 57 minutes marked the second title for the Swiss great at the eight-man warm-up tournament after winning it in 2005.
"I played a really great match today," said Federer. "It was nice, but I don't want to get too excited. This was my best match of the week.
"I'm very excited that I played well in the wind and the heat. They are what you have to get used to."
Federer, seeded second next week, plays with Wawrinka in the Davis Cup and they together won the gold medal in the doubles in the Beijing Olympics last year.
But all friendship was put aside as 13-times grand slam winner Federer blew the 23-year-old Wawrinka away.
Wawrinka, 16th in the world, was unable to make any impression in the first set, falling to 0-4 before getting onto the scoreboard.
But Federer broke for a third time in the rout to claim the opening set in 26 minutes.
Wawrinka's resistance stiffened a touch in the second set as he pulled his game together after trailing 4-1. The "younger brother" to Federer on the Swiss Davis Cup team saved a break point in the sixth game for 2-4.
But Federer stepped up a further gear, cutting off a return at the net with a crushing volley winner for 5-2.
Two games later, Wawrinka saved a match point with a return winner before Federer provided a fitting conclusion with an overhead smash for victory.
"I'm very happy with my game for the week," said Wawrinka. "This was good preparation for the Open. Conditions were windy but not too bad. It's always tough against Roger."
"It was nice to play a good friend of mine," said Federer. "We had an incredible time in winning the gold medal in Beijing. I don't play against Stan very often.
"We have to be tough against each other but we were both very excited about the match."
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