Federer: “I’m on cloud nine after the ninth win here”

Roger Federer was beaming as he spoke with atpworldtour.com following his victory over Alexander Zverev in the Halle final.

The victory, a 6-1 6-3 thrashing completed in just 53 minutes, delivered the Swiss his ninth Gerry Weber Open title and saw him firm as a favourite for Wimbledon, beginning 3 July.

Federer admitted he was doubting himself coming into the tournament, having just a week earlier lost in the opening round to Tommy Haas in Stuttgart – the only time, Federer said, he’d fallen at the first hurdle of a grasscourt event in 15 years.

So he was understandably thrilled – “on cloud nine”, as he put it – to win without dropping a set.