No pressure, no problem for super-fit Fed-ex

Federer likes the attention of being top seed and says he has no trouble getting motivated for his eighth US Open.

World number one Roger Federer says he's feeling super fit and primed for another championship run at the 2006 US Open which gets underway on Monday at the USTA National Tennis Center.

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"I think it's easier to come back a third time and try to defend a title," said the Swiss star, who is bidding for his third consecutive US Open win.

"By now I have got used to how to defend big tournaments and I don't look at it as a big pressure."

Federer, who turned 25 earlier this month, likes the attention of being top seed and said he has no trouble getting motivated for his eighth US Open.

"When you come around a second time and you are defending that title for the first time, you feel a lot of pressure and everybody is talking about you," he said.

"I just try to prove to myself again that I can do it all over again."

The game's supreme player is seeking his third Grand Slam title of 2006 and the 1.2 million dollars in first place prize money.

He understands and accepts that most of the attention this year will be on Andre Agassi, who is retiring at the end of the tournament.

"I was lucky enough to play (Agassi) more than 10 times," Federer said. "It's obvious that he gets the attention. He deserves it because of the 21 years he's played here at the Open. I'm so happy he's going to play and hopefully have a great run."

Federer will be aiming to become only the third man in the professional era after John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl to notch up a hat-tick of singles wins at Flushing Meadows.

He is going to have to earn it though as his main rival, Rafael Nadal is bidding for his second major of the season after beating Federer in the French Open.

"With the two of us being first and second in the world, I think it always makes it a bit more interesting," Federer said. "We have had good matches, especially this year."

Federer, who has a record of 63-5 this year, did lose his last match in straight sets to another rising star Andy Murray in Cincinnati.

But he doesn't anticipate any fallout from that loss to the young Brit, who is seeded 17th here.

"I had days off. I took some rest," Federer said.

"I feel mentally fresh because I haven't played much since Wimbledon. Physically I feel fine. I have no injuries that need tweaking."

Federer's opening match is against unseeded Taiwanese Wang Yeu-tzuoo, who he has never faced.

"Things are looking good for a good start at the Open here," Federer said.

One darkhorse, that Federer says to watch for, is 2003 US Open champ Andy Roddick.

Roddick has fallen on hard times but he recently linked up with American legend Jimmy Connors and it appears to have paid off with a victory in the Cincinnati Masters last week.

"I've always said Andy's not gone," Federer said. "People were laughing at me when I said he was one of the dangerous guys in Wimbledon. Just a lack of respect sometimes."

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