Defeat by Safin still hard to accept for Federer

Roger Federer believes his shock defeat in the semi-finals of the Australian Open provided him with a timely reality check.

"I've come used to winning so much that when you lose, it can get to you easily as tennis is a very mental sport," the world number one said at the World Indoor Tournament on Wednesday after winning his first match since that Melbourne defeat.

"Everyone was praising me before and saying 'No one can beat Federer' which creates pressure. But I don't want the pressure off my shoulders as I always want to win."

Federer had entered the season's opening grand slam as one of the hottest favourites in the tournament's history after capturing 11 titles in 2004.

Enjoying a run of 21 consecutive victories, he even had a match point against eventual champion Marat Safin in an epic five-set contest.

However, his decision to return a Safin lob with a shot between his legs eventually proved to be his downfall.

"It's hard to take, because I felt that maybe it was just another grand slam that went away from me," said Federer, who won three of the four slams last year.

"But then again I was happy with the way I fought."

q Canadian tennis player Simon Larose announced his retirement on Wednesday after receiving a two-year suspension from the ATP for a positive cocaine test. According to the Montreal Gazette, Larose tested positive after attending a recent party with some friends where he smoked a cigarette laced with the drug. Larose's biggest win on the ATP Tour came in 2003 when he upset Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in the opening round of the Canadian Masters.