Roger Federer
Roger Federer will be hoping to revive his form as the play switches from Clay to Grass. Reuters

Roger Federer takes on Joao Sousa in the second round of the 2014 Gerry Weber Open in the first action at the Stadium Court, Halle, on Thursday.

Where to Watch Live

The game is scheduled to begin at 11am BST. Live coverage is on British Eurosport. Real-time internet updates and the live streaming link are available on ATP's official website.

Overview

Federer, being defending champion and one of the top seeds in this tournament gets a direct entry into the second round. The world no 4 comes into Halle on the back of a shock defeat in the fourth round of the 2014 Roland Garros against Ernests Gulbis in five sets.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion will be keen to raise his confidence ahead of the upcoming 2014 Wimbledon Championships. The 32-year-old Swiss maestro has reached the finals of this ATP tournament eight times in the last 11 years, winning six times.

Federer will be keen to further extend his record to seven titles but first has to overcome Sousa in round two. The 25-year-old Portuguese overcame wildcard entrant Jan-Lennard Struff, 6-4, 6-2, in straight sets needing 70 minutes on Monday.

Sousa will be looking to cause the former world no 1 a shock upset at this stage of the tournament, but Federer is undoubtedly among the favourites to retain his title.

The winner of this clash will put his skills to the test against the winner of the match between Yen-Sun Lu and Ivo Karlovic in the third round on Friday.

Head-to-Head

Federer and Sousa are facing each other for the first time in any competition.

What They Say

Roger Federer: "It's an interesting period because I have my title to defend here, and actually at Wimbledon, I don't have anything to defend. But I have to prove myself somehow. So, actually it's the kind of the wrong way round for me, because usually the pressure in Wimbledon is much bigger because of the points and because you want to play well. But this year, I might go to Wimbledon a bit more relaxed. The pressure here is quite big, because I want to play well. The draw at the Gerry Weber Open is tough. Therefore it's not easy to target the title. But to me it's obvious why I'm here. I want to capture the title and play well. So, that's absolutely my priority."

Roger Federer