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Federer wins 10th Basel title

Roger Federer won his 10th Swiss Indoors Basel title, defeating Alex De Minaur 6-2, 6-2 to secure what the Swiss legend described as "an unbelievable" success at the home-town tournament.

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Federer to play 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Roger Federer will go for gold in 2020. The Swiss star confirmed that he will compete for Switzerland at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

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Federer wins 10th Halle title

Roger Federer made history in Halle, defeating David Goffin 7-6 (2), 6-1 to win a record 10th Noventi Open title. It is the first time that Federer has earned 10 crowns at one tournament.

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Federer wins fourth Miami Open title

Roger Federer produced a championship masterclass under the Florida sun, dominating reigning champ John Isner 6-1, 6-4 to win his fourth Miami title.

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Federer makes history in Dubai, wins 100th title

Roger Federer made history at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, defeating reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 to win his 100th tour-level title.

17.02.2009

OFF COURT - DUBAI AND DAVIS CUP

Dear Fans, Today I am disappointed to announce that I am withdrawing from both Dubai and the Davis Cup tie in the United States. This was a hard decision to make as I am missing not only one of my favorite events on tour in Dubai but I am also missing out on an opportunity to help my country try and move on to the next round of Davis Cup. After injuring my back last fall, I did not have enough time to strengthen it completely. As a precautionary measure, I will use the next few weeks to make sure the back injury is fully rehabilitated and I am ready for the rest of the 2009 season.

As always, thanks for your continued support.
Roger

Link:
Dubai Tennis Championships
Davis Cup

09.02.2009

OFF COURT - THANK YOU

Dear Fans

I would like to thank you for the overwhelming amount of messages and letters you sent me this past week. Losing the Australian Open final certainly hurt, but it is important to move on and focus on the challenges lying ahead. I feel fine and fit and am eager to get back on court. I have enjoyed a few days off, which was great, and will soon be training again.

Thank you once again for supporting me and giving me such a lot of positive input! A lot of you have noticed that my website was slow after the final Down Under. The reason for that was the enormous amount of traffic – more than we had ever experienced before. New hardware for the server has been ordered and will be installed as soon as possible so that you can enjoy rogerfederer.com without hassles in the future!

Kind regards
Roger

ATP News - 2009

02.02.2009

ATP - AUSTRALIAN OPEN - WEBNEWS

Federer's major problem (the boston globe, boston.com)

Pete Sampras couldn't defend himself. But a friend in need turned out to be a young Spanish guy who responded when Sampras screamed, "Stop thief!"

The prospective thief, named Roger Federer, had his eyes and grasping hands on Sampras's treasure, the record 14 major singles championships he earned over 15 years of roaming the world with a dominating tennis racket.

Federer came to this sunny town with 13 majors in his satchel, three of them Australian Opens, ready to cut in on Pete's goodies, and soon to have the record all to himself.

Not so fast, said Rafael Nadal, who had never won anything here, but would protect the sainted Sampras. Nadal let everybody in town know the reign from Spain was going to fall on the concrete plain in Rod Laver Arena. Thus he swooped and scooped Federer's best stuff and whacked it back like an avenging angel so that Sampras could sleep soundly with the record yet under his pillow.

Rafael Nadal has Roger Federer in tears (seattletimes.com)

It was not quite another tennis masterpiece. The much-anticipated rematch between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Roger Federer of Switzerland lacked the consistent quality and, above all, the crescendo to the finish of their five-act drama in fading light at Wimbledon last year.

But the Australian Open final Sunday was epic entertainment. It also lasted five sets and more than four hours. It also featured plenty of abrupt reversals of fortune and unexpected breaks of serve. And it also ended with Nadal triumphant and Federer devastated.

Federer, 27, needed a victory to match American Pete Sampras' career record of 14 men's Grand Slam tournament singles titles. But Federer faded badly in the final set and was unable to keep his composure after Nadal's 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2 victory.

In the ceremony after the match, Federer choked up after receiving the runner-up plate from one of his idols, Rod Laver, and was unable to get more than a few sentences into his speech before he began to cry in earnest.

Another win for Rafael Nadal in rivalry with Roger Federer (chicagotribune.com)

Federer takes loss in Australian final hard

Perhaps no individuals have met more often with more on the line than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Sunday's Australian Open final was the 19th match they've played. All but four have been in tournament finals, seven of them Grand Slams. Nadal has won the last three Slam finals, five overall. Perhaps most impressive is Nadal has won on three surfaces—the clay of Roland Garros, Wimbledon's grass and now the Australian hard courts.

Nadal's finale in Melbourne brings Federer to tears (seattlepi.com)

Three years ago Roger Federer wept in the arms of Rod Laver as he accepted the winner's trophy at the Australian Open. There were more tears this week Down Under, with the Swiss not too happy this time.

How could he be, after dropping yet another five-set thriller to nemesis Rafael Nadal? Federer must have thought he had Nadal right where he wanted him, given the bullish Spaniard spent more than five hours on court in his captivating semifinal against another Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco, two days earlier.

Nadal's 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 win in 4 1/2 hours denied Federer the historic 14th Grand Slam and has to be an even bigger blow to the world No. 2 than last July's Wimbledon defeat that ended 9-7 in the fifth. Federer sobbed during the trophy presentation, Laver nearby, receiving consolation from none other than Nadal, who acted like a big brother.

"In the first moment you're disappointed, you're shocked, you're sad, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you," Federer said. "The problem is, you can't go in the locker room and take it easy and take a cold shower. You can't. It's the worst feeling."

Nadal outlasts Federer to win his first title at Australian Open (USA Today online)

Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another five-set Grand Slam final, keeping Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles intact for now.
Nadal became the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open when he beat Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in a momentum-swinging, 4-hour, 22-minute final on Sunday night.

Federer, trying to equal Sampras' record, sobbed at the trophy presentation.

"Maybe I'll try later. God, it's killing me," Federer said, crying. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: "You deserved it. You played a fantastic final."

Rafael Nadal leaves little doubt who is No. 1 (washingtonpost.com)

First clay, then grass. Now Rafael Nadal has proven he can win on any surface, entrenching his hold on the No. 1 ranking.

The former crown prince of tennis is now the "King of Australia" _ to quote one Spanish newspaper headline _ after outlasting Roger Federer in five gritty sets in the Australian Open final Sunday for his sixth Grand Slam title.

Now, Nadal can look ahead to Roland Garros, where he already controls center court.

"Everything was very special," the Spaniard said. "I didn't have time yet to enjoy the title because I am too tired."

There will be plenty of time for that.

Rafa triumphs in a classic (the australian online)

In overwhelming Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2, he prevented Roger Federer from joining Pete Sampras in the history books as a holder of a record 14 Grand Slam titles in an epic lasting 4.23 hours.
Adding further significance to the effort, the six-time Grand Slam champion claimed his first major on hardcourt. Given his dominance on clay having claimed the past four French Opens and his success at Wimbledon over Federer in another epic last year, it is not beyond the realms to suggest it is possible he can become only the second man to win the Grand Slam.

It will further the heartbreak for Federer, whose own attempt at joining Rod Laver was twice denied when he was unable to beat Nadal at Roland Garros but claimed the other three titles in 2006 and 2007. After the match Federer broke down in tears as he received his runner's up trophy from one of his heroes, Rod Laver.

Nadal's effort to position himself is extraordinary, for this was a final played at a heavenly level.

01.02.2009

ATP - ROGER DEFEATED IN EPIC FINAL

Roger had to put on hold his quest to match Pete Sampras with 14 Grand Slam singles titles today. He was defeated by Rafael Nadal in another epic five-set final 5-7, 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3, 2-6.


After 4 hours and 23 minutes on court Roger could not hold back his tears during the prize ceremony, showing how much this title would have meant to him. Our star was trying to equal Pete Sampras' record 14 major titles but has now lost to Nadal the last three times they've met in Grand Slam finals.

31.01.2009

OFF COURT - TAKING THE RIVALRY TO A NEW LEVEL

Sunday's match between Roger and Rafael Nadal will be their 19th encouter as professional tennis players. But the final of the Australian Open will take their rivalry to another level. The two have never met Down Under before. And it is the first time that Nadal will enter the court as world number one.

Roger has been defeated 12 times in 18 career meetings. The question now is whether Rafa can beat Roger on hard courts. This will be the Spaniard's first major final on the surface he has found hardest to master and on which Roger has ruled for five years. Roger won both matches they played on hard courts so far: 2006 and 2007 at the Tennis Masters in Shanghai. Our champ has won eight of his 13 Grand Slam titles on hard courts and has certainly proved that he is in great shape with impressive displays in Melbourne.

Roger is moving forward in many aspects of tennis history. With this weekend's final he is just one shiy of Ivan Lendl’s unprecedented 19 major final appearances. And a win would lift him into a tie with Pete Sampras for 14 Grand Slam titles. “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for me, not being No. 1 anymore, trying to beat No. 1 in the world and getting the 14th Grand Slam,” Roger said.

29.01.2009

ATP - ROGER BLASTS THROUGH TO FINAL!

Roger showed another great display today to reach the Australian Open final! He defeated Andy Roddick in straight sets 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 and is on course for a record-tying 14th Grand Slam title.

"Andy's been playing really playing well so I knew I had a tough match ahead of me," Roger said. "I thought I played really well tonight because Andy played good too, so it was fun."

With Rafael Nadal as the favourite for his semi final, Roger commented: "He's showing why he's the best player in the world. I would love to play him in the final, that's for sure."

The victory also meant that Roger emulated Pete Sampras by reaching 18 grand slam finals. The only person to beat Roger in a major final is Nadal, three at Roland Garros and once at Wimbledon. Ivan Lendl played 19 grand slam finals.

It was demoralising for Andy Roddick today, who came into the match revitalised by a change in coach but got off to an appalling start and argued with the chair umpire as the first set slipped past in 32 minutes. Roger had the seventh seed on a string and he reeled off 12 straight points to take the second, breaking for 6-5 and serving out with grim precision for the two-set lead.
Roddick tangled again with the umpire when he swore loudly and received a code violation, and was left staggered when Roger dug himself out of trouble with a brilliant drop shot, lob and stop-volley to hold for 5-5. The American was then guilty of a howler as he patted the ball to Roger's feet with the court begging, gifting the crucial break point which our champ converted with an unstoppable forehand before calmly serving out the win.

Roger can join Roy Emerson, André Agassi, Jack Crawford and Ken Rosewall as the only men to have won four or more titles in Melbourne. Way to go, Roger!