Saw the match at yesterday night 1.30. Thanks to power cut the match got stopped at 2. Del Potro was visibly pissed at a line call during the 1st or 2nd game and he was complaining for sometime. So it is again Nadal/Fed.
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Saw the match at yesterday night 1.30. Thanks to power cut the match got stopped at 2. Del Potro was visibly pissed at a line call during the 1st or 2nd game and he was complaining for sometime. So it is again Nadal/Fed.
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Roger Federer clips Juan Martin del Potro 63 62 to set a possible SF showdown with Rafael Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Photo: Getty Images
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Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal 63 64 and Sunday will look to equal Rafa's record 19 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles against John Isner in final of BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells Tennis Garden. http://bit.ly/FPzEbC
ROGER FEDERER: FEARLESS AT 30
DEUCE Australian Open 2012
by Joel Drucker | 02.01.2012
Roger Federer is now 30 years old – typically the tipping point year for a professional tennis player. But dare call Federer "typical" at your own peril.
December in Dubai
The coach issued a suggestion: try this drill.
Now let's try that one.
Here's one that ends the point sooner.
How 'bout this one that makes the point last longer?
This time you get to hit only one serve.
Come in on the return.
Stay back on the return.
The coach was Paul Annacone. More than 30 years into his tennis life, Annacone had honed his game at fledgling Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, reached a career-high No. 13 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, played Davis Cup and gone on to coach Pete Sampras.
So here was Annacone on a December afternoon in Dubai, putting yet another player through the paces, looking for ways during tennis' short off-season to enhance his charge's tools.
And the player was incredibly happy, eager to soak up every one of Annacone's words.
"Roger has the enthusiasm of a 20 year old."
That he happened to be Roger Federer hardly mattered. What Federer does in Dubai has long intrigued. Away from tournaments and rivals, fans and cameras, surely this spot in the Arabian desert is the place where the secrets are stashed; where the genius that has triggered swooning in everyone from literati, like the late author David Foster Wallace, to glitterati, such as Vogue editor Anna Wintour, to zillions of tennis aficionados, is concocted in an elaborate laboratory.
But the recipe was marked by utter transparency. Here Federer was, age 30 – the tipping point year in the life of a professional tennis player – spending anywhere from two to four hours a day hitting ball after ball under the eyes of Annacone and Severin Luthi. Add to that a few more hours with fitness trainer Pierre Paganini and physiotherapist Stephane Vivier. The picture emerged of a man simply conducting business. As another all-time great graced with genius, Rod Laver, recently said, "There's really no substitute for hard work, for putting in all that practice and time."
"I love this game more than anybody, so I'm not all of sudden going to wake up in the morning and say I don't like it anymore," says Federer. "It's a lot of sacrifice. It's a lot of effort I have to put in every day."
But in this case, Federer might be mistaken. Based on the pleasure he took in Dubai, it would be inaccurate to call something Federer enjoys so much a sacrifice. Says Annacone, "For Pete there was more wear and tear by this stage. Roger has the enthusiasm of a 20 year old. There is no need to motivate him. He's relentlessly studious about trying to improve."
If more memorable chapters emerge in the Federer saga, mark 10 September, 2011 as a good day for his prominent last phase to commence. That day there had been a brilliant US Open semi-final versus Novak Djokovic. Despite holding two match points against the Serb, for the second year in a row in New York, Federer had come up empty. His 2011, became the first year since 2002 he’d failed to win a Grand Slam singles title.
There followed a press conference where Federer described Djokovic's dazzling forehand return winner at match point down as "the lucky shot". A backhanded compliment that did not do justice to the victor. Dare a man who has struck as many breathtaking winners as Federer reduce himself by speaking this way of a rival's good fortune?
Later that afternoon, a trip to the ground – that is, Federer is on the floor of the US Open's day care center, playing with two-year-old daughters Charlene and Myla. And as he simmered and frolicked, Federer began to concoct his plan.
With the diamond-cutter's focus practised by such longstanding World No. 1s as Sampras and Jimmy Connors, Federer has long been meticulous about his competitive schedule. After mid-September, Federer took six weeks off, skipping the ATP World Tour's Asian swing. He emerged incredibly fresh, winning 15 matches in a row to take the titles at the Swiss Indoors Basel, the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris – his 18th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown – and, for a record sixth time, the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
"I've always been an emotional tennis player."
The London run was highlighted by a comprehensive 6-3, 6-0 dismantling of Nadal and two sparkling three-set victories over the man who'd beaten Federer at Wimbledon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Said Federer after the final, "For me it was important to step and sort of have that bird's view from up top and say, 'Where am I right now in my year? It's been a good year. I know I've been playing well, I've been healthy. When is all this hard work going to pay off?'"
Having worked with Andre Agassi into his 30s, ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert is quite familiar with the evolution of an aging champion. "Last year I was selling Roger's stock a little bit," says Gilbert. "But what he showed me late last year, I'm buying. That was as aggressive as I've ever seen him."
Like all of us, Federer marches to his own seemingly contradictory yin-yang. What's less frequently seen, but quite important to Federer, is the line that goes from his head to his heart, the deep-rooted passion that has publicly revealed itself only occasionally – such as at the 2006 Australian Open when Federer accepted the champion's trophy from Laver, or at the same spot three years ago following a loss to Nadal.
But as Federer points out, don't think all those fluid shots are issued from an automaton. "I've always been an emotional tennis player," he says. "I used to be so emotional when I used to lose. But I try to keep my emotions in check while the tournament is going on because I like to save it in case there is something more. It can't be an emotional rollercoaster throughout the whole career, season, or match."
"He never gets hurt, he’s sharp, he doesn't overplay."
Paired with Federer's subdued but present emotions is a remarkable tranquility. Watch Federer around a tournament, and you will see a man consummately at ease, never rushed no matter if about to conduct a series of interviews in various languages, in a line for food, killing time in the locker room, on his way to practice, or for that matter, about to pull out a new racquet deep into a match. Says Annacone, "It's like he's at a cocktail party. He's just enjoying every part of the tournament."
And so, as he has so often with his racquet, Federer has his own distinct ability to manage time on his terms. Week after week, he conducts himself with constancy, precision and reliability. Says Gilbert, "He never gets hurt, he's sharp, he doesn't overplay. You see him play a tough match and he’s right out there the next day."
"I'm shocked every time that I've reached so many finals or won against so many players or whatever record it is," says Federer. "It strikes me and makes me obviously very happy and very proud that I've been able to do it for so many years at the highest of levels."
It's that sustained level of excellence that has always made Federer popular with marketers all around the world. According to Forbes Magazine, Federer is the second-most trusted athletic brand in the world – a testament not just to logos and ad campaigns but to sustained performance. Federer's current endorsement portfolio is tidy but significant, including such tennis brands as Wilson and Nike, as well as Rolex, Lindt Chocolate, NetJets, Gillette and others. "It's not just that Roger's arguably the greatest tennis player," says Greg Via, global director of sports marketing for Gillette/P&G, who has been part of advertising shoots with Federer in such wide-ranging places as Barcelona, Dubai, Orlando and Shanghai. "But that he stands for something even bigger - a grooming icon, a man who looks good, a man who conducts himself with class and works with us in any number of ways." In Shanghai, for example, Federer went on-stage to teach 1,000 young men how to shave.
The last time Federer entered a year without a Slam title, Barack Obama was a state senator. Like the President of the United States, Federer enters 2012 eager to prove a point. Three major chances for Federer take place in London – Wimbledon, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and the summer Olympics that this year take place at the All England Club. The Olympics have often been a wellspring for Federer. At the 2000 Sydney games he commenced his romance with a touring pro named Miroslava "Mirka" Vavrinec. Eight years later, taking the Olympic gold medal in doubles with countryman Stanislas Wawrinka helped propel Federer to his fifth US Open singles title.
Even beyond the Olympics, Federer is poised to make his share of major runs in 2012. After all, can Djokovic compose another year-long masterpiece? How well will Nadal perform? Others such as Andy Murray and Tsonga remain more intermittent nuisance to Federer than sustainable rivals.
So what are keys to capturing big titles well into one's 30s? While a world-weary Sampras was able to eke out one last run at age 31 when he won the 2002 US Open, such former World No. 1s as Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe were unable to find the winners' circle past 30. Even after the great Laver swept all four Slams at age 31, he never made it to another major semi-final.
Read: Roger Reaches For World No. 1
Then there were those who succeeded significantly at this stage – Connors and Agassi with two Slams apiece past 30, Ken Rosewall with four. Study this trio closely, and you will see that Federer shares much: superb footwork, driven by incredibly-alert eyes that send the feet into ballerina-like motion. Tempting as it is to call this a gift – which it might well be – it also clearly a skill, one Federer continues to hone year after year, month after month, day after day, hour after hour, minute to minute.
Over the remaining years of his career, Federer will listen and read to all sorts of conjecture and commentary. There will come losses, at once sobering, at once frustrating, certainly those that signal a possible curtain call. But it's likely the words he'll respond to most will be two that come from Annacone: try this. Knowing that all he can do is control the process, Federer in 2012 figures to do all he can to generate more memorable outcomes.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEU...r-Federer.aspx
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Thanks to all my loyal fans that supported me in Indian Wells this week. I am on my way to Miami tomorrow but very excited about winning the title today!
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Rotterdam Title pic.
http://www.tennis.com/articles/templ...16952&zoneid=4
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Roger Federer has been named the greatest player of all time by America’s Tennis Channel.
The television network’s “100 Greatest of All Time,” a five-night series, aired this week and culminated Friday.
Federer edged Rod Laver for the top spot. Rounding out the top 10 were Steffi Graf in third, followed by Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg, Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King.
The rankings were determined by an international panel.
Tennis channel is a good one. They telecast some great matches from the past. Great award this one.
Nadal Chris Evertukku mele irukkaar. idhu saridhaanaa?
Roger Federer
Current tournament:Sony Ericsson Open (Men's Singles)
2nd Round
R. Federer R. Harrison
6-2 7-6
Mar 25, Completed
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic into Miami Masters third round
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Roger Federer beats Ryan Harrison 62 76(3) and will play Andy Roddick in Sony Ericsson Open 3rd RD.
Read more: http://bit.ly/H22eFG
Photo: Getty Images
^ played flawlessly for the major part of the match....had a minor glitch in the second set when he slid from 4-1 to 6-6....but in anycase wrapped it all up in the tie breaker thereby setting up a nice showdown against roddick....
FIRST QUARTER REVIEW 2012
CONSISTENT FEDERER AIMS FOR MORE GLORY
Roger Federer
by ATP Staff | 06.04.2012
© Getty Images
Roger Federer has a 23-3 season record.
ATPWorldTour.com reviews five storylines from the first quarter of the 2012 season. In the final instalment, we look at Roger Federer's consistent start.
Roger Federer is 30 years old and for 12 straight seasons he has lifted silverware. Last month, when he was asked to define success, the Swiss superstar said, "I'm a tennis player, [so] I judge success on the tennis court if I'm winning or losing... I love winning tennis tournaments, especially when you put in all the hard work."
This year, Federer has maintained his late-2011 season form and compiled a 23-3 match record, with a 4-1 mark against Top 10 opponents. By lifting three straight ATP World Tour titles at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam (d. del Potro), the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (d. Murray) and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (d. Isner), he improved to a 73-30 record in tour-level finals.
Brad Gilbert exclusively told ATPWorldTour.com, "He is playing great tennis. No one can rule him out of a return to World No. 1 or adding to his major haul."
Discuss On Facebook
Federer started the last of his 285 weeks at No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings on 1 June 2010. Over the course of the next two months, Federer must defend 1,830 points through Roland Garros. By comparison, Rafael Nadal has 4,700 points and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic 2,970 points to defend.
Read Rivalry Stories: Federer-Djokovic | Federer-Nadal
Federer's consistency in his six tournaments this year has proven he could potentially make up ground on his higher-ranked rivals, and, ultimately, put himself in contention to break Pete Sampras' record of 286 weeks at World No. 1.
Certainly, Federer was in a positive mood in the build-up to the Sony Ericsson Open last month. He said, "I have played some of my best tennis now, since I have turned 30 last August."
A look at the record books indicates that seven players aged 30 plus have picked up major titles in the Open Era. Rod Laver was 30 when he completed his second calendar year Grand Slam in 1969, then Ken Rosewall (37 at the 1972 Australian Open), Andres Gimeno (34 at 1972 Roland Garros), Jimmy Connors (33 at the 1983 US Open), Andres Gomez (30 at 1990 Roland Garros), Pete Sampras (31 at 2002 US Open) and Andre Agassi (32 at the 2003 Australian Open).
With 16 Grand Slam championships titles, Federer should never be ruled out. As Gilbert told ATPWorldTour.com, "Roger is the youngest 30 year old I've ever seen. He never misses a Slam. He is always prepared for the big tournaments and has never had surgery. He has a team of geniuses. Andre was 35 when he reached the 2005 US Open final. I am sure he is an inspiration to Federer to keep playing."
Over the past three months, Federer has added 865 points to his South African Airways ATP Rankings. The World No. 3 is currently 900 points behind No. 2-ranked Nadal, which means the Spaniard and Djokovic will be looking over their shoulders, as the focus shifts to Europe and the road to Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Ten...er-Review.aspx
http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2012...he-debate.html
Debating the Debate 04/11/2012 - 12:06 PM
The Greatest of All Time debate: a well-established recipe for tedium, but irresistible nonetheless. The Tennis Channel was the latest media outfit to wade into it, with its ambitious, well made, and predictably controversial list of the Top 100, which ran a few weeks ago.
I feel whatever pain the creators of this program have experienced since then. Six years ago, for the 40th anniversary of Tennis magazine, we counted down our own list of the Top 40 Players of the last 40 years. When we ended up with Martina Navratilova at No. 2 and Steffi Graf at No. 3, I received an email about how we had made a “grave mistake,” and that the sport would never be the same because of it. People take it seriously.
Like Tennis Channel, we put men and women together, which is obviously tricky—how, exactly, do Pete Sampras’s 14 majors stack up against Steffi Graf’s 22?—and which a lot of people hated. But I like the uniform finality of a single list, even if you have to compare an apple to an orange now and then along the way.
But like everyone else, I had my issues with this one. Lendl below Connors and McEnroe? Agassi and Billie Jean ahead of Serena? Emmo ahead of Muscles? Thirty-four players ahead of Pancho Gonzalez? The latter judgement just shows that, along with the difficulty of combining men and women, there’s an even greater difficulty in simply comparing statistics across eras—Roger Federer is No. 1 primarily because of his Grand Slam total, but for 20 years Gonzalez wasn’t even allowed to enter Grand Slams. If your primary criterion for greatness only exists for certain players on your list, you're in trouble.
What’s the alternative? Not to do it at all? That would have meant not seeing all of the archival footage that the Tennis Channel dug up, not learning about and imagining a fabled talent like Norman “The Wizard” Brookes of Australia, not hearing the opinions and assessments and memories of various legends and quasi-luminaries—not, in short, getting a rare chance to appreciate how rich the history of tennis is, and how much farther it goes back than many of us realize.
Looking at this 100 Greatest, two broad thoughts came to mind. First, the meaning of “tennis player” has changed in the last 40 years. Now, when we say "greatest," we mean the greatest singles player ever. Before the 1970s, the decade when the top men stopped dedicating themselves to doubles, a player’s greatness would likely have been a combination of his or her singles and doubles abilities. "Tennis,” in the total sense of the word.
Of course, you can’t go back in time, and if you include doubles in your criteria, you’ll end up slighting Federer, Borg, Graf, Lendl, Jimbo, and all of the recent greats who didn’t prioritize it. It would be hard not to make Margaret Court, with 62 total Grand Slams, the Goat. Still, I like the idea of thinking about a complete tennis player, of considering their ability to battle through physically and mentally grueling singles matches, and then turn around and have the skills—the serve, the hands, the volleys, the quick movements, the team leadership—to dominate in doubles as well. It adds dimensions to the sport, and what we expect from its players.
Two modern greats stick out in this regard, and their stock would rise even higher if doubles were part of the equation: John McEnroe, who won a nicely symmetrical 77 singles titles and 78 doubles titles; and Martina Navratilova, who won an ungodly 350-something total titles in singles, doubles, and mixed. Navratilova and McEnroe had plenty in common: Both are lefties, both were hotheaded and smart, both arrived as the sport was transitioning from amateur to pro, and both were blessed with speed, hands, and flashingly aggressive styles. They were great tennis players, in a pure sense of the word.
The second thought that comes to mind is that your own Top 10 or 20 list can say as much about you as it does about any player on it. I mention this because since TC’s 100 Greatest came out, two writer-historians, Richard Evans and Joel Drucker, have commented on it and offered their own more idiosyncratic choices. The results were illuminating.
For Drucker, it’s “sustained long-term excellence” that earns his respect. “Perhaps this is because all my life I’ve been more planner than crammer,” Drucker writes. “In college, my belief was that those who stayed up all night to crank out a paper were less concerned with sustainable learning and knowledge and more focused on a short-term goal. . . . So in that sense, I favor those who persistently ask things of themselves, who continually improve and therefore seek to endure.” He lists multi-decade champs like Navratilova, Evert, Rosewall, Sampras, and, of course, Joel’s hero, Jimmy Connors.
Which leaves me wondering, as it often does with tennis fans: Does Joel value Jimbo because he was enduring, or does he value endurance and longevity because he likes Jimbo? Does our choice of a favorite player happen because he or she fits some philosophy of life that we have always had? Or do we create a philosophy to justify the fact that we just really like this player and who knows why? I’m starting to think it's the latter—that inarticulate fandom comes first. Either way, what matters is that Drucker’s indentification with Connors has led him to create some of the best writing about what it means to be a tennis fan.
Evans, on Twitter, offered his own top-of-my-head Top 15, which went like this (I’ll leave it in the form of his tweet):
1 Fed 2 Hoad 3 Navratilova 4Laver 5 Rosewall 6 McEnroe 7 Seles 8Borg 9 Graf 10 Hingis 11Sampras 12 Kramer 13 Agassi 14 Court 15 Connors
Evans went on to say that he openly favored talent over titles. I love the individuality of his choices. Hingis over Sampras? Seles over Graf? Lew Hoad over everyone except Federer? No Pancho? Clearly, he went with his gut and didn’t apologize for it. What does it tell us about him? Perhaps, as an Englishman, in his privileging of talent, Evans carries more residual respect for something that's inherited than an American like Drucker does. Nature versus nuture—a debate beneath the debate.
Since Evans was willing to jot his Top 15 down off the top of his head, I’ll do the same with my own Top 6. Your first instinct, done in a blink, is usually your truest response, right? I'll limit mine to Open era, since I watched those players and can bring a personal response to it.
1. Federer—16 Slams, 23 straight Slam semis, domination for four straight years, and a blend of beauty and purpose, of the aesthetic and the useful, that I've never seen from any other player.
2. Navratilova—Six straight Slams, utter domination for five years, three-decade longevity, and the thought of the slashing, instinctive way that she moved toward the net.
3. Graf—All four majors at least four times, her fearsome desire to win, which never seemed satisfied, and a forehand that broke all the rules and was still one of the most important shots in history.
4. Laver—Two calendar-year Slams, and a hard, practical purity of form shot through with sudden explosiveness and flights of artistry.
5. McEnroe—There have been plenty of unique styles over the decades, but to my eyes McEnroe made contact with the ball differently from you, me, and everyone else.
6. Sampras—At his best, the closest to unbeatable that any player has ever been. Forget art and beauty—though he had both of them—Pete took the racquet out of your hand.
I guess this list tells you . . . that I identify with left-handed people.
Whenever these canonical countdowns are made, we hear that the best thing about them is that they spark discussion. That’s true, but I think tennis’s lists go past that. The fact that they're impossible to do in any absolute sense makes anyone’s personal choices as valid as anyone else’s.
We shouldn’t say that we “can’t compare players from different eras." Subjectivity should be encouraged, because that's what makes these lists worthwhile—that's what allows us to engage and act out as fans, and to think seriously about what made certain players special. When we decide which legend we would "take" over another, we might even tell each other a little bit about ourselves.
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Having fun shooting(Dai, dai :evil: ) the new Lindt commercial...trying hard not to
eat too many Lindor truffles during the breaks.....rn1/541083_10150790715449941_64760994940_9477897_20801 80922_n.jpg[/IMG]
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Roger Federer won 90% of second serve points in his 64 64 win over David Ferrer in the Madrid QFs. Can anyone recall a better conversion by Roger? Photo: Getty Images
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Roger Federer passes $70m in prize money after beating Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-3 in the Madrid semis. The No. 2 ranking is on the line for Fed in Sunday’s final; will he make it? Photo: Getty Images
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3rd Madrid Masters Title (only person to have won 3 times)
20th ATP 1000 title (joint record holder with Rafael Nadal)
74th career title....
The odyssey continues!!!!
Still Roger is not confirmed that he will play Rome. He said he is tired and exhausted and he will decide on Wednesday based on his fitness.
Omega, So after when is he back to 2nd rank??
Adhu velayadaradhukku summa irukkalam.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VinodKumar's
MUTUA MADRID OPEN 2012
FEDERER CAPTURES 20TH MASTERS 1000 CROWN
Madrid, Spain
by ATP Staff | 13.05.2012
Roger Federer will return to No. 2 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings on Monday after winning a record-equalling 20th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title on Sunday in Madrid. The Swiss defeated Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open.
"It’s been a great spell and I couldn’t be more happy right now coming off a break winning right away," said Federer, who was playing his first tournament since early April. "It’s always an ideal scenario for what’s to come."
The 30-year-old Federer tied Nadal’s short-lived record for most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies. The Spaniard clinched his 20th title last month at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (d. Djokovic). Federer is the all-time leader with 258 Masters 1000 match wins and won his first of the coveted trophies in Hamburg in 2003.
Federer’s return to No. 2 will see him hold the position for the first time since the week of 14 March, 2011. The Basel native has been in blistering form over the past eight months. Since losing out to Novak Djokovic in the US Open semi-finals, Federer has compiled a 45-3 match record and has lost prior to the semi-finals just once in nine tournaments (l. to Roddick 3rd Rd in Miami). :shock: :clap:
Federer captured an ATP World Tour-best fourth title of the season, adding to triumphs in Rotterdam (d. del Potro), Dubai (d. Murray) and Indian Wells (d. Isner). He was contesting his first clay-court tournament of the year, and was extended to a third set tie-break in his Madrid opening match against Milos Raonic.
“I was worried about getting through the first round and was not even thinking about who was going to be my second round opponent," he said. "I was very realistic coming into this event. Confidence is coming back. I was away and it didn’t take much for me to get my confidence back, especially now that I’ve been playing so well for the past nine months."
Berdych made the better start to the final, breaking straight away for a 2-0 lead. The Czech was denied a set point chance in the eighth game, but closed it out on serve in the following game. Federer looked set to level the match after an early service break in the second set, but squandered a set point in the ninth game as Berdych fought back to level. A double fault from the Czech proved costly in the 12th game, though, as Federer broke once more to steal the set.
After saving two break points at the start of the third set, Federer broke through in the eighth game courtesy of successive double faults from Berdych, who had just rallied from 0/40 with three aces. However, Berdych again hit back, breaking immediately to level up at 5-5. The Czech’s lives ran out in the 12th game. He recovered from a 0/40 deficit, but could not deny Federer on his fourth match point as he prevailed in two hours and 38 minutes.
"It was tough. I was almost down the entire time," admitted Federer. "Finally I got the break in the third, and then he broke back. Things got tough again. I played great. It's always special winning a title 7-5 in the third. The crowd was amazing so I'm very happy."
It was Federer’s 11th win in 15 meetings with Berdych. He came into the clash with the Czech player having lost three of their past five matches, including defeat in the 2010 Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Federer triumphed in Madrid for the third time in five finals. The right-hander lifted the trophy for the first time in 2006 (d. Gonzalez), when it was an indoor hard-court tournament, before regaining the trophy in 2009 (d. Nadal) on clay. He was runner-up in 2007 (l. to Nalbandian) and 2010 (l. to Nadal).
World No. 7 Tomas Berdych was bidding to win his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, following victory in Paris in 2005. This season’s Montpellier champion (d. Monfils) dropped to a 7-7 record in tour-level finals. He had been in impressive form throughout the week at La Caja Magica, storming through to the final without dropping a set, including victories over Fernando Verdasco and Juan Martin del Potro.
"I would just say that it was a very close game," assessed Berdych. "You sometimes need to make those small adjustments to win a match like this, but it wasn't my case today.
"The week was great until the last day," he continued. "Right now I am really upset and I am sad because of how I finished it. I lost the final but in a couple of hours I am going to see it in a more positive way. I had a great week, I beat a lot of great guys and made it to the finals."
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Ten...s-Berdych.aspx
He had to play. He had to produce medical fitness certificate if he can't play. Otherwise there will sanctions.Quote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
Monte Carlo is non-compulsory.
As there are no announcements yet, I think Roger will play @ Rome tommorrow.
It looks like he could reach Semis on paper w/o much ado..
The season ahead looks very packed with no time to recover.
Next week will be the only time off between Now & Wimbledon.
If he runs deep into FO like last year, he would prefer to skip Halle, the only grass event (ATP 250) prior to Wimbledon.
Whenever he has won Halle, he has done well @ Wimbledon too. This time around Novak & Nadal also will be at Halle.
http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/6753
Quote:
Federer passes $70 million in Career Tournament Prize Money
New world No. 2 Roger Federer passed $70 million in career tournament prize money following his title last week at the Mutua Madrid Open. Federer has earned $70,512,279 throughout his celebrated career which started in 1998. Federer, a winner of 74 singles titles including 16 majors and 20 Masters 1000s, has earned $3,082,343 so far this season.
Federer wins his 2nd round match against Berlocq 6-3, 6-4 @ Rome Masters....
Fed was broken once in the 2nd set...
Next up Ferrero...
Hope Ferrero doesn't play like a former No.1 today.
Seeing some similarity to Miami Masters, when Roger lost to another former No.1 (Roddick) in 3rd round coming fresh from winning IW title.
Olympics in Wimbledon courts just before Toronto Masters....Quote:
Originally Posted by omega
But one month gap between Wimbledon and Olympics. :)
If Nadal wins Rome Masters, then Fed moves down again to 3..
The difference between Federer & Nadal is 325 points.
Nadal winning Rome means he will take back No.2 spot next week.
To remain No. 2 Roger has to win Rome, which looks very unlikely..
A very interesting line up of events....Rome masters ( current), Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Toronto Masters followed by the Olympics.....Entertainment guaranteed for the next three months....:)
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Game On! Roger Federer sets first clash with Novak Djokovic since 2011 US Open after beating Andreas Seppi 61 62 to reach Internazionali BNL d'Italia semi-finals. What will happen Saturday? Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Looking at the way Roger is playing the last of couple of rounds, I have a very strong feeling that he is going to pull this on off against Nole....
Very crispy ground strokes with ever smooth swift traction... He looks very comfortable & effortless out in the middle....
Since his fall to no. 3, federer's had the problem of facing both Nadal and djokovic in their prime form to get a tournament win. He defeated Djoko in last year's French Open only to lose the final to Nadal. Considering his excellent form of late,it will interesting to see if Federer can hold back Djoko and Nadal in consequent matches.....
Exclusive Pete Sampras interview: Sampras tells The Tennis Space that his friend Roger Federer will carry on playing, and challenging for grand slams, “for many, many years” as he will avoid burnout. The Californian argues that Federer “is a young 30 who is very eager, plays a lot and loves the lifestyle of being on the road – I don’t see any decline”.
Sampras also talks about the influence that his former coach, Paul Annacone, has had on Federer, and how he is “getting used to Roger breaking my records” – this summer, Federer could go level with Sampras on seven Wimbledon titles, and one more week as the No 1 would see him match the American’s record of 286 weeks at the top of the tree.
Sampras on whether Federer can win another slam. “Yes, I still think Roger can win a slam. He still seems very motivated. He loves to travel, he loves to play. He’s sort of a young 30-year-old. He’s very eager, he plays a lot, he loves the lifestyle of being on the road. When I was his age, I just felt a little more tired and burnt out after the years of travelling. He enjoys the lifestyle, and as a result he’s going to play for many, many years.
“His level is still very high and he could very easily….winning in Paris is a tough one but I still think he’s the favourite at Wimbledon and the US Open in a few months’ time is still a realistic win for him. I don’t see any decline, I just think some guys have stepped it up in the last three or four years and they’re in their prime now. But Roger still has a great attitude, he’s still playing great and he loves it out there. I don’t see him getting burned out or tired, he’s still very eager.”
Sampras on Federer’s chances at Wimbledon. “Listen, he’s a strong favourite, as is Novak, as is Rafa, it’s really, not a lot separates the top three or four guys. At Wimbledon this year you’ve got a few guys who are stepping it up a little bit but when push comes to shove I still like the top three or four guys to be in there in the last weekend. Roger’s been there so many times, he knows what to do. It’s really anyone’s. The top four guys are so much better than the rest it really just comes down to when they play, getting the breaks and playing a little better, feeling better, who’s had the easier first week. But I still like Roger on the grass. He has the best game for the surface, but we’ll see.”
Sampras on Federer breaking his records. “Roger’s very eager, willing to put in the work, is still training very hard and I see him being a contender and a favourite at Wimbledon. I don’t think being No 1 again is as important to him as a Wimbledon would be but obviously everything goes hand in hand. So, I’m used to Roger breaking my records, that’s the way it’s been for a number of years. There’s nothing I can do about it. I would just sit here being impressed at what Roger’s been able to do.
“I know how hard it is to stay on top for many years, and I think it’s easier to have my records broken by a guy who I admire and who I consider a friend. It’ll make it a little bit easier. When we all play, we want to keep our records for ever but we know that records can be broken and most likely will be broken. Roger’s done incredible things on and off the court and really deserves all the accolades of being a great champion.”
Sampras on the influence of Paul Annacone, his former coach, who is now working with Federer. “I think Paul’s very smart. He knows what it’s like to be out there. He coached me for many years, he’s smart with different personalities, what I might want to hear, what Roger might want to hear, or Tim [Henman], for a few years. He’s not a guy who is going to need to tell Roger a lot of things but to have Paul in his corner can help him figure out a few things, like how to play a lefty in Rafa, how to cope with Novak and his speed, try to think of different ways to beat these guys, if it’s coming in a little more, being a little more strategic, because Roger played one way and he was so much better than everyone.
“Now the guys are moving a little better, playing a bit better, he’s got to find new ways. Paul’s very smart, he knows the players. He’s been with Roger quite a while now so he knows what Roger can do and what he can say. It’s been a good fit. I know from talking to Paul, he really likes Roger and enjoys the time they have together, and it’s a good match.”
Sampras on how Annacone stays calm. “He is very relaxed, doesn’t get too wrapped up on anything, and he’s there for you. But when he needs to step up, he’ll step up and say what he has to say, be very honest. But he does it in a very calm demeanour, he’s not a distraction to Roger. When I was playing I never thought, ‘God, he’s scheduling interviews, he’s doing…..’ Paul was about the job and about the player. In a day and age, when you have coaches looking to do other things, looking at other opportunities, Paul was always in my corner and I always liked that loyalty.”
http://www.thetennisspace.com/opinio...-with-federer/
Will be a tough French Open for federer....Doubting if he can beat Djoko and Nadal on the trot to get the slam....Paapoam...