Federer beats Philipp Kohlschreiber in his opening round match on Monday.
However, the Swiss star needed the full three sets to wrap up a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory.
This afternoon Federer takes on Spaniard Verdasco for a place in the quarter-final which would also take him one step closer to his 100th career title.
But he prefers the ball to whiz off the court faster than is it doing in the Middle East.
“Obviously we’ve had a double change here now: we have different balls, different speed,” he said.
“There are two aspects to it. Yeah, apparently they resurfaced the courts two weeks ago. Who knows. This is through third parties, so I’m not maybe telling massive rumours here, but that’s what I’ve been told.
“I just think it’s more gritty now, a bit more Indian Wells like, which I think is a good thing.
“It used to be really a fast court tennis tournament here. Even in practice here, all the weeks I’ve spent here, it’s been very difficult to control the ball.”
Federer believes his struggles may have been visible against Kohlschreiber.
Maybe you also saw that [against Kohlschreiber],” he added.
“I think it’s much more because of the wind that it was hard to control, not because of the speed.
“I think it’s a different feeling overall this week. You can’t just serve your way out of trouble all the time.
“You have to do it with hitting the lines off baseline shots.
“It’s just going to take a different type of approach in how you’re going to try to win your points. That’s it. I got to make that mental adjustment very quickly.”
“If Dubai may have one of the lowest court speeds in recent times, Shanghai Masters probably has the fastest.”