Swiss Indoors: The Draw

The draw for the Swiss Indoors in Basel, Roger's home town, took place yesterday.

Our champ will play Potito Starace (ATP 50) in the first round on Monday. Roger has won all five matches against the Italian, the last one going back to the Davis Cup encounter in 2009. In the second round Roger will face the winner of the match between Thomaz Bellucci and Jarkko Nieminen. Our champ hasn't lost any of the 11 matches against Nieminen. He has never played Bellucci so far.

In the quarter-final Andy Roddick or Radek Stepanek could wait for Roger, before a possible duel with Andy Murray in the semis. In the end, a final against world number one Novak Djokovic is possible - which would certainly be an exciting event for Roger's home crowd.

Date: 30.10.2011, Source: RF Official

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Federer says 'Body is ready' for Basel

World No. 4 Roger Federer returns to his hometown of Basel next week to play his first tournament since falling in the semi-finals of the US Open to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. The 30 year old helped Switzerland defeat Australia in the Davis Cup World Group Play-offs 2011 following his loss at Flushing Meadows. “It was nice to have some time off after the Davis Cup in Australia,” Federer said Saturday. “I felt like I had to get away a little bit and take care of a few things. Now my body is ready and I'm looking forward to this week in Basel.”

While the Swiss has secured his place at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, he is looking to win his first title since triumphing at the start of the season in Doha (d. Davydenko). If there is a tournament where Federer can get back on track, it’s the Swiss Indoors Basel. Federer, who, as a child served as a ball boy at the event, has posted a 38-7 record, and fittingly became the first player to win four titles last year when he avenged his 2009 final loss to Djokovic. “This year is a bit different from last year when I had already played Shanghai and Stockholm before coming to Basel,” said Federer. “Now I'm starting the indoor swing here, which makes it a bit more difficult.”

Djokovic returns to contend for his second Basel title in his first event since winning the US Open Final against Rafael Nadal. The field also features third-ranked Andy Murray, who enters on the back of an Asian title hat-trick and a 15-match win streak, and London Finals contenders Tomas Berdych, Mardy Fish, Janko Tipsarevic and Andy Roddick. “The draw has always been very strong here and maybe this is even the strongest ever,” declared Federer. “You only have good players here.”

Federer, seeded third, will open his title campaign against Potito Starace and is in the bottom half of the draw with No. 2 seed Murray, sixth-seeded Tipsarevic, No. 7 seed Roddick and compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic’s half of the draw includes fourth seed Berdych, No. 5 seed Fish and eighth-seeded countryman Viktor Troicki.

Date: 30.10.2011, Source: ATP

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Roger Federer inaugurates locomotive in Basel

Tennis star Roger Federer uses the time before Swiss Indoors in Basel, a locomotive to baptize in his name.

A locomotive (type Re 460) the insurance Nationale Suisse and the SBB travels from today, with a picture of Roger Federer of Switzerland.

"I'm quite proud," says a cheerful Federer. He found the machine quite successfully. Previously he had been traveling on the train a lot, now it is more convenient because of the many luggage but to travel by plane or car to tournaments.

The action is not purely a PR stunt. Federer said in a video interview with Blick.ch: "57 for each Km Nationale Suisse pays ten francs in the Roger Federer Foundation. "

The Federer-Lok will inaugurate the new Gotthard tunnel - another solemn moment that will appreciate the impressive career of 16-time Grand Slam champion.

Date: 28.10.2011, Source: Blick

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Roger Federer’s long awaited comeback in Basel

Roger Federer is currently recovering from a couple of “niggles” brought on by the heavy workload during the American summer swing. Federer pulled out of the Shanghai Rolex Masters, a tournament he loves to play in front of his millions of loyal Chinese fans.

The World Number four reached the semi-final of the US Open in September where he lost to Novak Djokovic despite having had match points. Straight after the New York Grand Slam Federer travelled to Australia to represent his country in the Davis Cup World Group playoff. He ended up winning his two singles rubbers against Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic. The former world number one and his compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka navigated their country back into the Davis Cup World Group.

The Swiss superstar is looking to win his second title this year in his hometown of Basel. A young Roger was once a ball boy at the Basel tournament. The Swiss Indoors have attracted some great stars over the years. Amongst the previous winners are Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Boris Becker, John McEnroe and Stefan Edberg.

Having won the tournament in 2006, ’07, ’08 and in ’10, it’s going to be hard for any player to stop the hometown hero from winning his fifth title here next week. The Fed Express is looking to lift his 68^th trophy at the end of the week.

Other top players confirmed for this year’s ATP World Tour 500 Swiss Indoors tournament are Novak Djokovic, Mardy Fish, Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet, Andy Roddick, Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic and Switzerland’s number two ranked player Stanislas Wawrinka.

Federer has already qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour event in London in November. He will be joined at the O2 Arena in London by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and David Ferrer. Three spots are still to be filled.

His many fans around the world are looking forward to his return in Basel next week. Hopefully Roger Federer has got his niggles under control and will be able to play the planned end-of-year schedule – Swiss Indoors, Basel, BNP Paribas Masters and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Date: 26.10.2011, Source: 10SBalls

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