Date: 28.04.2010, Source: RF Official
Slide 1 Code Start -->
Slide 2 Code Start -->
Slide 3 Code Start -->
Slide 4 Code Start -->
Slide 5 Code Start -->
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Roger proceeds in doubles
Date: 28.04.2010, Source: RF Official
Federer, Nadal Open New Centre Court Stadium
"I want to thank everyone who made it possible to build an incredible stadium like this," said Nadal, who has a 22-1 record at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tournament. "I'm delighted to be here.
"It's a fantastic stadium and different from others because the audience [is] so close to the court. I am also happy that the tournament has been in this beautiful location, in respect of a great tradition."
Two-time runner-up Federer described the new court as "a beautiful stadium in a fascinating location."
Pericoli hosted the official ceremony at the Foro Italico sports complex, while Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno, the under-secretary for president of the Sports Committee Rocco Crimi, the chairman of the Italian National Olympic Committee Gianni Petrucci and Angelo Binaghi, chairman of the Federazione Italiana Tennis, also attended the inauguration.
In 2006, the old centre court stadium was named after 1957 and 1961 titlist Pietrangeli.
Date: 28.04.2010, Source: ATP World Tour
Roger Federer slips and accepts Rome reality check
The world number one peppered Rome’s slick Foro Italico court with unforced errors before succumbing to 40th-ranked Ernests Gulbis 2-6 6-1 7-5 in the second round of the Rome Masters on Tuesday.
The Swiss maestro chalked up 38 unforced errors in the damp conditions before the nervy Latvian converted his seventh match point to set off minor alarm bells for Federer a month away from his Roland Garros defence.
Federer looked to be cruising when he took the first set with ease in drizzly conditions, with Gulbis dogged by erratic play.
But the Latvian cleaned up his act and took advantage of some uncharacteristically sloppy play from Federer to notch a run of five consecutive games and win the second.
Federer then saved two match points on his serve in the ninth game of the final set, having been broken in the fifth, before Gulbis wasted four more in the following game to let his opponent back in the contest.
But the Swiss dropped serve immediately and Gulbis held his to love to claim a memorable victory.
* Federer says Rome defeat will help him keep perspective
* World number one not worried about French Open defence
“My game wasn’t up to speed,” Federer told a news conference.
“My serve wasn’t working. I couldn’t get my first serve in. It was a frustrating end to the match. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
“You can’t go 100 percent winning throughout the season,” the Swiss told a news conference after his error-strewn 2-6 6-1 7-5 second round defeat."
“Sometimes when you are winning, it seems too easy. When you lose you realise how tough it is to dominate the tour. So I won’t get carried away with the defeat.”
The Swiss said his numerous past triumphs, including his 16th grand slam at the Australian Open in January, cushioned the disappointment.
“It’s easier to take because I’m used to so much winning,” said Federer, adding that he was not worried about his French Open title defence after making the worse possible start to his claycourt season. The French Open starts on May 23."
“I’m not worried. It’s always like that when you touch a new surface and lose. I think there could have been some good tennis at the back end of the tournament if I’d made it through.
“The French Open is at the back of my mind. Winning three, four, five matches in a row is on my mind and that’s why I’m happy to be playing in Estoril next week.”
Date: 27.04.2010, Source: Reuters
Federer gets rare doubles win at Rome Masters
The top-ranked Federer paired with Swiss Davis Cup teammate Yves Allegro to defeat Johan Brunstrom of Sweden and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands Antilles 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Federer held serve throughout and showed effective volleying skills in his first match at the new 10,500-seat stadium at the Foro Italico.
The 16-time Grand Slam winner is playing his first tournament on clay since winning his only French Open title last year. It also marked Federer first doubles match this year.
He won the gold medal with Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Federer and Allegro will face sixth-seeded Simon Aspelin of Sweden and Paul Hanley of Australia.
In singles, Federer will open against 40th-ranked Ernests Gulbis on Tuesday. Gulbis cruised past Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 6-2.
Date: 26.04.2010, Source: AP
Clay Time
After a first round bye Roger will then open his quest for a first singles title in Rome against Ernests Gulbis (LAT, ATP 44). He could be in for a tough match as Gulbis is currently showing great tennis.
Later on, he could face Sam Querrey (ATP 23) before a quarterfinal against Croatia’s Marin Cilic (ATP 11) and a meeting with Rafael Nadal (ATP 3) is possible.
Date: 26.04.2010, Source: RF Official
Foolish to write off Rafa, says Federer
World number one Federer, who will renew his rivalry with the Spaniard at the Rome Masters this week, likened the criticism aimed at Nadal to the experience he went through a year ago.
Back then, many people were claiming that Federer was past his best as he had not yet won a tournament that season and had dropped to number two in the world rankings.
And yet he finished the year as world number one once again, having won two more majors and having completed a career Grand Slam.
Until a week ago, when he claimed a sixth straight Monte Carlo Masters crown, Nadal had not won a tournament since Rome last year, an 11-month drought.
"I was surprised to hear that everyone thought that Rafa was not playing so well," said Federer.
"He surely should have won Qatar in January because he was playing so well over there and for those who saw the match against (Nikolay) Davydenko (in the final) he was clearly the guy but Davydenko got lucky, saved match point and played incredibly in the third set," said the Swiss.
"Things would have been very different going into the Australian Open but then he pulled out injured (in the quarters) and so everybody gets negative.
"So even if he wins everything after that then people are not going to be happy because the focus is on the Australian Open.
"So I think that there was a little too much negativity around Rafa and I went through the same thing (last year).
"It's true, 11 months for a player like him is a long time without winning a title but you'll have to assume that once the French Open was on and the clay season on, then he would be back on again."
Date: 25.04.2010, Source: AFP
Federer feels less pressure for clay season
The top-ranked player is preparing to play both singles and doubles at the Rome Masters this week.
“Questions are already very different. It doesn’t start off with, ‘Oh, are you going to win the French Open this year?’ So it’s just a bit more relaxing,” Federer said at the Foro Italico Sunday.
“I also got a lot of confidence from winning the French Open last year. You feel like if you can do it once you can do it twice.”
Still, Federer rated rival Rafael Nadal as the top player on clay after the Spaniard’s dominant performance at last week’s Monte Carlo Masters, which Federer skipped.
“He’s been on an absolute tear for the last five years. He’s hardly lost any matches—you can almost count those on one hand—and he’s only lost one match at the French Open, so I would think he’s still the favorite,” Federer said.
“I would love to say I’m the big favorite but I don’t think it’s quite right, even though I won the French Open last year. He’s just proven again in Monaco how tough he is.”
Federer said he is feeling refreshed after a month off, having taken a vacation and then prepared for the clay season with 10 days of intense workouts.
“Practice is (the) key during this stage getting ready for clay and the long stretch from Rome on to Wimbledon,” he said. “It’s a long one and I need to be fresh at the back end as well at Wimbledon, when it comes to hopefully playing another final.”
Nadal’s victory in Monte Carlo snapped an 11-month title drought during which the Spaniard struggled with various injuries. Nadal decided to withdraw from this week’s Barcelona Open to stay fresh.
“When I have physical problems it’s more difficult,” Nadal said. “For me, it’s important to run well, to move well and practice well. If I can’t do these things it’s very difficult to have the chance to win a tournament, especially the important tournaments.”
Nadal’s run of four consecutive French Open titles ended with a fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling last year, and the two players could meet again in the quarterfinals here.
Nadal is also in Federer’s half of the draw, while 2008 champion Novak Djokovic is the top player in the other half.
Djokovic is coming off a lopsided semifinal loss to Fernando Verdasco in Monte Carlo, a match in which the Serb struggled to hold serve.
“There’s a lot of things going on in my mind when I need to serve. But this is the crisis I guess everybody has to go through, and I’m trying to work on it mentally and technically,” Djokovic said. “It’s going to pay off. I know it’s going to come back. I know I’m going to serve as I was. But in this moment there is a little struggle.”
A new 10,500-seat stadium is making its debut at this year’s tournament, and players are already raving about how close the fans are to the court.
“It looks like the Colosseum of tennis,” Djokovic said. “It’s all very close, it’s great.”
Federer will pair with Swiss Davis Cup teammate Yves Allegro in doubles.
“I haven’t played doubles in a while, so I asked Yves if he was in the mood to do it,” Federer said.
Federer and Allegro were given a wild card, and will open against Johan Brunstrom of Sweden and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands Antilles.
In singles, the top eight players have first-round byes.
Federer will play either Marcos Baghdatis or Ernests Gulbis, and Nadal will face either Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay or Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.
Date: 25.04.2010, Source: AP
Roger and Rafa in same half of draw & potential semi-final clash between “big two”
Defending champion Nadal, who finally got back to winning ways at Monte Carlo last week after a barren spell without a title to his name since Rome last year, is scheduled to face world No.1 Federer in the semi-finals (providing of course that all matches go according to seeding). Last year’s finalist and 2008 champion Novak Djokovic is No.2 seed this year and finds himself in what looks on paper like the slightly easier half of the draw, though with plenty of players having withdrawn through injury, others (Djokovic included) struggling for form and the European clay season barely more than a week old, anything could happen here at the Foro Italico over the coming eight days.
The top eight of the 16 seeds have a bye in the first round but there are already a number of big matches in store for the second round. Nadal will face the winner of Pablo Cuevas and dangerous German Philipp Kohlschreiber, ranked No.28 in the world and a tough nut for anyone to crack so early in the tournament. Federer meanwhile will have to take on whoever emerges victorious from the Marcos Baghdatis – Ernests Gulbis match which is one of the main ties of the first round.
Other interesting match-ups in the first round include Ivan Ljubicic – Paul-Henri Mathieu, Igor Andreev – Juan Monaco, Janko Tipsarevic – Jérémy Chardy (with the winner earning a crack at Djokovic in the next round), and an Italian derby between Andreas Seppi and Fabio Fognini for the right to take on Andy Murray. With the Scotsman out of sorts at the moment, whichever Italian wins will be confident of claiming a big scalp in front of a partisan crowd.
The potential quarter-final ties based on seeding are as follows:
Federer (1) – Cilic (6)
Nadal (3) – Soderling (5)
Tsonga (7) – Murray (4)
Verdasco (8) – Djokovic (2)
Date: 25.04.2010, Source: Internazionali BNL d'italia
Roger and Coffee
Dear Fans
You can find out more about my love for coffee in connection with Jura, the leading Swiss coffee machine manufacturer.
Date: 21.04.2010, Source: RF Official
Back on Clay
It's good to be back on the red clay! I've been practicing fitness and tennis these past days and I am really excited for the upcoming stretch of tournaments here in Europe.
See you all soon
Roger
Date: 16.04.2010, Source: RF Official
The 2010 Time 100 Poll
Time Magazine is currently running their yearly poll for the "world's most influential people in 2010" and Roger is one of the 200 people you can cast your vote for! Simply follow the link below and choose your favourites.
Time Magazine will announce the winner list on 29 April 2010, so watch out for the results.
Time Magazine will announce the winner list on 29 April 2010, so watch out for the results.
Date: 13.04.2010, Source: RF Official
Roger Federer's Twins Lunch
A pleasant 26 degrees, happy children and good friends. Elin Nordegren enjoys on Saturday at Mirka and Roger Federer again at last carefree moments. These have become rare, since last November invaded reports on the many scandals of her husband Tiger Woods to the public. In February, he presented live on TV before an audience of millions from the confession, the golf superstar is now his comeback on the green.
Three days before the U.S. Masters in Augusta, Woods said last night: "I am so happy to be here back again. My therapy has done me good and I value my family, mother, wife and children deliberately made. Now I'm fully fit. "His wife and children would be the comeback, but not be there.
Elin also wants to return to normality, it uses the free time for a visit to Federer at Key Biscayne. Roger retired from there at the tournament already in the second round, can take care of his family.
And to Elin Nordegren , the Swede attended Mirka and Roger, son Charlie in a luxury hotel for a few hours relaxing by the pool. Roger Federer makes towels, the little cheerful Charlie crawls around on the couch and Mirka is one of their twin daughters (Charlene and Myla drink) something. And nine months will not this the pint, but as a large already the cup. In the background relaxed Mirka's mother Drahomira.The Swiss Tennisass stayed with comments about the sex scandal in Tiger Woods returned to the public at all times. "Tiger needs to rest. He will return soon as the wonderful golfers, we know," let Federer announced in January. What exactly then he talked with his good friend, he did not reveal.
It could certainly was nothing to blame him Elin. It has not yet filed for divorce, but there is between it and Tiger Woods still ice age. For Federer, however, they can feel heat. The Model blooms in the shade of tropical flora in Florida. With a broad smile enjoys being with Elin Nordegren Mirka and Roger. The baby lies a gift of Roger for the nipper Charlie: a tennis racquet. Elin should shoot a little more to get place of his father, Roger, that would surely not the worst.
Whether Roger and Mirka gave her friend's advice on how they can save their troubled marriage? Who knows. Elin has received at least once a sense of how fulfilling life can be the family. And learn to know what we have long Swiss Roger Federer makes you happy.
Date: 07.04.2010, Source: Blick
Federer ready for clay court season
They’re clay.
The men’s tour switches to clay this week, and Federer has already started preparing to defend the French Open title he won last year to complete a career Grand Slam. He no longer approaches with trepidation the surface that for so long tripped him up, and in the wake of a so-so showing last month on U.S. hard courts, he’s ready for a switch.
“It helps to move on to a different surface,” Federer said. “I’m looking forward to the clay court season.”
Ranked No. 1, as he has been for most of the past six years, Federer won his 16th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. He withdrew from Dubai in February because of a lung infection, then lost in March at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, both Masters 1000 events.
Marcos Baghdatis beat him in a third-set tiebreaker in the third round at Indian Wells after Federer held three match points. Thomas Berdych beat him in a third-set tiebreaker in the fourth round at Key Biscayne last week after Federer held one match point.
“Maybe the sickness did take it out of me more than I thought,” Federer said. “I could have done much better.”
Federer’s record in Masters 1000 tournaments—one level below the majors— has been mixed for several years. Since the beginning of 2007, he has won seven of the 13 Grand Slam events (54 percent) but only four of 28 Masters 1000 tournaments (14 percent).
That shows his priorities. Federer has entered clay-court events this spring in Rome, Estoril and Madrid, but everyone knows he’s pointing primarily toward Paris, where the French Open begins May 24.
Despite unimpressive results over the past month, Federer is expected to be a title contender at Roland Garros. Nemesis Rafael Nadal will be the favorite, but he has slipped a notch while battling knee problems that sidelined him for more than two months last year.
Nadal lost in the semifinals at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, and it has been 11 months since his most recent title, in Rome. He’s without a title victory in his past 13 tournaments after losing to Andy Roddick last week.
Nonetheless, Nadal expressed satisfaction with his 16-4 record this year on hard courts. The four-time French Open champion said he’s ready for a big season on the clay he loves, begin at Monte Carlo next week.
“I’m very happy how I am doing,” Nadal said. “I think I am ready to play my best.”
Nadal remains Federer’s biggest threat on clay, while other contenders at the French Open will include Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic. Soderling last week reached the Key Biscayne semifinals, and last year ended Nadal’s Roland Garros winning streak at 31 matches. Djokovic is a two-time semifinalist at Roland Garros.
Unlikely to be a French Open title threat is Key Biscayne champion Andy Roddick, who leads the tour with 26 victories this year. He’s only 7-8 at Roland Garros, although last year’s run to the fourth round was his best yet.
“We always say we play well for 20 percent of the year, badly for 20 percent of the year, and that middle 60 percent makes the difference,” Roddick said. “That middle 60 is a lot more vulnerable on clay for me. It’s never going to be my best surface. It’s always going to be the most challenging.”
On clay, Federer will happily take his chances with Roddick—or anyone who’s not Nadal. Since 2005, Federer is 0-4 at Roland Garros against Nadal and 30-0 against everyone else.
They haven’t met since May, when Federer ended Nadal’s 33-match clay-court winning streak in the Madrid final. Odds are the rivalry will be renewed this spring.
“It’s great for the game,” Federer said. “I think it’s great for our own game, because I have the feeling we always have tendencies to go back to the practice courts and say, OK, whoever has won or lost has to go work harder.
“It has been always a lot of fun playing against him, and I hope that day is going to come soon again.”
Date: 06.04.2010, Source: AP
Roger Federer returns to Clay
ROGER FEDERER: It’s the end. It’s the end of the hard court season. I don’t care anymore. I’m moving over to clay, a new chapter.
2010: ROGER FEDERER: I'm looking forward to the clay court season now. It helps to kind of move on to a different surface. Then this has nothing to do too much with the clay court season, and that helps. So I'm looking forward to that. Definitely need to practice harder, and that's what I'll do.
Date: 01.04.2010
Roger Federer Miami 2010 R4 Interview
ROGER FEDERER
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Obviously backhand was off tonight. A lot of errors. Unusual for you. What was the problem out there? He was playing well, obviously.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was a tough match. Look, it's no secret I've struggled the last, what is it, five matches I've played here in the States. It's disappointing, I think, my performance overall, if I've got to analyze right now after the match.
But I fought as much as I could under the understood circumstances with my game having issues at the moment. Definitely lack timing. I don't know where that comes from because I played so nicely in Australia. So it's disappointing to not be able to back it up.
Maybe the sickness did take it out of me more than I thought. Maybe the break was quite long. I'm kind of used to those things, and I still, you know, think I could have done much better.
I was a couple points away this week and then also in Indian Wells had my chances. It's disappointing having had a chance to move on. Maybe I had a chance to sort of turn around my game.
But, you know, we'll see how it goes forward.
Q. What will you do to step back and assess this one?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, this is not stuff you can go too harshly on yourself. I tried everything I could out there. I thought he played a good match. It's hard to judge his performance, because I look at mine only.
When I'm not playing my best, it's hard to judge my opponent, to be quite honest. But he's a good player, so I knew the danger coming in, especially with the timing issues I've had already the last couple weeks.
But I thought I worked hard enough to iron those things out. Maybe I did. It was still the confidence lacking, and that's what kind of cost me these last two tournaments.
Only fuels my desire to go back to the practice courts and come back even stronger. I don't like to lose these type of the matches.
I'm looking forward to the clay court season now. It helps to kind of move on to a different surface. Then this has nothing to do too much with the clay court season, and that helps.
So I'm looking forward to that. Definitely need to practice harder, and that's what I'll do.
Q. Your first match you said that you felt the conditions were a bit strange and the balls were flying all over the place. Do you think that was the case tonight as well, or was it different?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm a bit confused with how I'm feeling the ball at the moment. Sometimes it flies and sometimes it doesn't. It's a lot to do with how you feel at the moment.
Tonight it definitely felt really slow. Normally Tomas or myself serve around 10 to 20 aces a match. It was almost impossible to get it past the other guy, you know, with the serve.
So conditions are so slow sometimes here, and then during the day they fly like crazy. So I guess it's got something to do with the conditions, but the issue is really my game. The conditions, usually I get used to those after a couple matches at the latest.
Q. Berdych, you've known a lot years that he has top 10 talent, right?
ROGER FEDERER: I would think so.
Q. What is it, consistency you think?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, if you look at the top 10 the last years, they've always been tough. It's not so easy just to get in there and hang around, you know, just think it's normal to be in there.
It definitely needs a special effort and a special sacrifice, and, you know, then you need some serious mental skills to handle the traveling and everything. It's not so easy. With different surfaces and injuries, it's demanding.
Or you do it the easy way and just win a big one. Then you're in if for a little bit and then you get better chances and seeds. But I would have thought he would have made his move a long time ago to be in the top 10.
Seems like he's coming back strong. That's good to see, because he's and incredible player and he's got incredible shots. Almost let this match off the hook again. He got lucky tonight.
Q. Did you think after you won the second set that you were then gonna win the match at that point?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I thought it was back to even, if not maybe a slight advantage for me because I had the momentum.
It was a huge opportunity for him to maybe snatch victory in straight, because I kind of handed him the first set. Then in the second set I had so many chances it felt like I was gonna hump me at the end and then he didn't, so I was kind of happy with that.
Look, I never felt great the whole night. I just fought with what I had. I knew it was gonna be a tough third set, because thank God he wasn't in too many of my service games in the second set, which made it a bit easier for me to relax and concentrate on the return games.
But, look, I had tons of chances at the end. Match point was my serve, I mean, what more can I do? I tried everything I could. It's just not happening for me at the moment.
Date: 01.04.2010