Federer / Mahut enjoy doubles success in Brisbane

Debuting a larger racquet head, Roger Federer enjoyed success on the doubles court on Tuesday at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp. The Swiss teamed with Nicolas Mahut for a 7-5, 7-6(5) victory over top seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau.

Federer practised with the new frame in Dubai during the off-season and is using it in competition for the first time as he makes his debut in Brisbane. He will open his singles campaign on Wednesday night 7 pm against Jarkko Nieminen.



Mahut, a winner of two grass-court titles in 2013, claimed his second win of the day, having earlier rallied past Dutchman Igor Sijsling 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 47 minutes. He goes on to face eighth seed Jeremy Chardy, who won an all-French clash with Adrian Mannarino 7-6(4), 7-5.

Date: 31st December 2013, Source: ATP

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Roger Federer plans to 'serve and volley more during 2014'

Roger Federer believes his best chance of winning a Grand Slam title during 2014 will come at Wimbledon, with the former world No 1 hinting that his best route for tournament success would be to play more serve-and-volley tennis.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion recently hired the services of Stefan Edberg who was considered the best serve-and-volley player of his generation.

Edberg, 46, won six Grand Slam titles between 1985 and 1992, with Federer describing him as 'my boyhood idol.'

The Swede joins Federer's coaching staff with the Swiss star saying: "Let's say I play my best, probably I always feel that Wimbledon is going to be my best chance.

"Then the US Open, Australian Open, and then the French Open."

As for his latest appointment, Federer added: "It's going to be interesting to see what he (Edberg) thinks.

"If it's possible to play a lot of serve and volley on the slower courts we see all around the world now, or if there are different ways for me to find my way to the net.

"I've tried many things. We can debate with Severin Luthi, my coach, about ways to come to the net or not.
"Clearly it's important to take time away from your opponent, to dictate play as well, as much as you can.

"Also, you have to be able to not miss too much and physically stay in the rally, and mentally as well.

"So it's a combination of many things now against the good players we know at the top."

Date: 30th December 2013, Source: Sky Sports

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Roger Federer delights fans at Kids Day

Roger Federer had another busy day on Monday at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, where he is making his debut. After an early two-hour practice with Kei Nishikori, the top-seeded Swiss played mini-tennis with lucky competition winners at Kids Day before addressing the media in his pre-tournament press conference.

Talking about renewing his rivalries with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray at the impending Australian Open, Federer commented, “I think Murray, we hope he's going to come back strong. It's nice that he already played a few matches this year now, even though it was an exhibition match. It's a big step forward for him in his mind.

“I'm eager to see him again. I haven't seen him since the US Open, so I'm hopeful for him that it's going to be fine for the Australian Open, which is going to be a huge test for him now because it's a best-of-five-set matches and so forth.

“I think Rafa and Novak are going to be the ones who are going to be the ones to beat this season, particularly in the beginning,” continued Federer. “Then as we move forward, you have to see if they stay injury free and keep on winning. I kind of expect them to go deep in most of the tournaments they'll enter, of course.”



As well as implementing a new coaching arrangement in 2014, Federer will also debut a new racquet. He trialled a larger racquet head after Wimbledon and after testing another version in Dubai during the off-season, is ready to play matches with the new frame.

“It's one again that Wilson worked on and adjusted after my comments,” said Federer. “They wanted to do some more work on that racquet anyway.  They sent me one round of racquets after the US Open, and now another one after the World Tour Finals. I tested again a couple and chose the one I'm playing with now, that I've been practising with two and a half straight weeks in Dubai.

“I feel very comfortable, more comfortable than I did with the one after Wimbledon, which felt very different but very good as well. This one feels more of an extension that I had before, but it's more futuristic in form, I guess. I'm actually very eager to see how it's going to react in the matches now.”

The 32-year-old Federer also expressed his pleasure at seeing more former legends back involved on the ATP World Tour, following Djokovic’s appointment of Boris Becker and his own involvement with Stefan Edberg. With Murray about to begin his third season under the tutelage of Ivan Lendl, the thought of ‘80s rivalries renewing themselves from the stands is a thought that excites Federer.

“I'm happy seeing former greats and legends excited to be doing such a job and wanting to help the next generations,” said Federer. “To bring them back into the game, I think it's a good thing.

“Maybe they get a taste of it and other greats and stars see that as well, that they're very welcome and we're so happy to see them.  Not just you guys, but also the players and everybody involved, the tournaments. I think it sends out a good message. It's going to be a good Australian Open, I'm sure.”

Date: 30th December 2013, Source: ATP

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Roger Federer arrived in Brisbane, singles & doubles draw, new racket and other news you need to know

Swiss champion Roger Federer touched down in Brisbane early on Saturday morning and immediately faced the press.

“I feel very energised to be here even though it’s seven in the morning,” quipped the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

Top of the agenda was the recent announcement made by Federer that he will be joining forces with fellow former No.1 Stefan Edberg who will join his coaching team that also includes Severin Luthi.

“Severin, who has been part of my team for the last seven years, will do most of the weeks and Stefan has agreed to work with us for at least 10 weeks starting at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

“There was only a few I thought of … he was a childhood hero of mine,” said Federer when asked why he chose to bring Edberg into his team.

“I’m sure he can bring a new angle to my game, which is good.”

Federer will make his Brisbane debut this week where he will be hoping to start his 17th season on Tour with his 78th career title.

“I was able to do more than I thought which is very encouraging,” he said.

“I didn’t play any exhibitions which allowed me to train extremely hard and for a longer period of time.

“It’s the first time in a year that I could practice three, four weeks in a row without any setbacks which has been the problem the last one and a half years.

“Every time I had training in the past I had setbacks, little aches and pains, especially in the back from time to time… which cost me confidence.

“These last few months have been important for me, feeling that movement is not an issue any more and I can go full out especially mentally more than anything,” said Federer who is shooting for his fifth Australian Open title later this month.

“It’s pretty simple here and in Melbourne, you want to do very well and get into the groove again.”

Early success for the Swiss ace will be high on his agenda following a difficult 2013 season that yielded just one title, in Halle.

“It was a more difficult and challenging year for me … hopefully I can have a better season.

“Deep down I’m still doing it because I love the game … I’m very fortunate.”

“Tennis is very important but it’s not everything,” added Federer whose wife Mirka will give birth to their third child in 2014.

So with an expanding family, is retirement on the cards?

“If retirement was the case I wouldn’t tell you anyway,” smiled Federer.

Roger on the new frame

“Yeah, I'm going to play in Australia with a similar model as in my first attempt. Actually, I wanted to take the test right after the U.S. Open again. But then I had so much to do with myself and my game, that I let it stay. Now I had more time to still make further small changes and to file with my outfitter company Wilson on the details,” said the Maestro.

“I feel it was the right time”

The Roger added ”It is a fact that the sport of tennis is constantly developing and the racket technology with him. Nevertheless, one must always think twice if you change something on his racquet. Because the club is extremely important. But now I have the feeling that the right time for a change there is. I've played through two and a half weeks with the new model and am confident. The racket suits me very well in the hand. But the truth is on the court. We will see in the tournaments in Australia as it affects.”

Federer's singles draw

Federer' projected Brisbane path to the final: Bye, Nieminen/Duckworth, Benneteau/Tursunov, Anderson/Chardy, Nishikori/Dimitrov

Federer and Mahut teams up for doubles

Tecau and Rojer have 25 doubles titles between them and were looking to get matches under their belt in Brisbane, but Federer and Mahut are now a looming threat with doubles credentials such as an Olympic gold for Federer in Beijing and a French Open final for Mahut in 2013.

If Federer and Mahut manage to upset the top seeds, they set up a possible spectators’ dream encounter with Jeremy Chardy and Grigor Dimitrov - the 2013 singles finalist often hailed “baby Federer” for his uncanny resemblance to the Swiss king.

Date: 28th December 2013, Source: Brisbane International

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Roger Federer adds Stefan Edberg to coaching team

Roger Federer has announced that he will work with his childhood idol, Stefan Edberg, for 10 weeks in 2014.

Edberg will join Severin Lüthi starting at the Australian Open, which begins on 13 January.

"I am happy to announce that beginning in Melbourne, Stefan Edberg will join Severin Lüthi on my coaching team," said Federer in a statement on his website. "Severin, who has been part of my team for the last seven years, will do most of the weeks and Stefan has agreed to work with us for at least 10 weeks starting at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Stefan was my childhood hero, and I am really looking forward to spending time and learning from him."

Earlier this month, Edberg took part in a training week with Federer in Dubai.

"I'm really excited to be part of Roger's team and I hope together we can bring out his best tennis," said Edberg, a six-time Grand Slam singles champions and former World No. 1.

Federer has been without a second coach since he parted company with Paul Annacone in October.

Lüthi added, "Roger will play a full schedule next year so we both wanted to make sure we had a solid team in place. I want to continue to improve and innovate Roger's game and I really look forward to be working with Stefan. Like Roger, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Stefan and I am sure he will bring a lot to our team as Roger continues to chase titles in 2014."

Date: 27th December 2013, Source: ATP

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Stefan Edberg: I'm more than happy to coach Federer if he ask

Former tennis great Stefan Edberg has left open a possible coaching role with Roger Federer, with the Swede telling local media that he is ready to work with the 17-time grand slam champion if asked.

"It's a matter for us to find time to fit it in," the 47-year-old told Stockholm's Svenska Dagbladets on Thursday.

"If we can, I would be more than happy."

The six-time grand slam winner, who retired in 1996, has always been the childhood idol of Federer, who invited the Swede to work with him for a few days this month at his base in Dubai.

"The idea of the camp was that I would give my views and come up with some feedback. He wants to try some new things," said the serve-and-volley king.

Edberg added that he advised the 32-year-old Swiss to play a more attacking game in hope of avoiding long rallies with baseliners Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

"I was very surprised that Federer asked because it's so long since I left tennis," he said.

"But I was also very flattered. I've never really thought about coaching and if it had not been Federer doing the asking, honestly, I would not have been interested."

While admitting there might be room for a meeting of the minds, Edberg displayed his traditional, discreet nature, refusing to go into details about what arrangements the tennis pair might have discussed.

"Of course I have some comments as to what needs to change and evolve, but it's not the done thing that I sit here and talk about it," he said.

"I think he will be coming back. He's a great player and all the pieces are in place, he can definitely win some more grand slam titles."

Recently Federer posted "Stefan Edberg just finished doing a training week with me and my team. It was great spending time with one of my childhood heroes!" on his Facebook and Twitter page.

In an interview with Swiss media, Roger Federer talks about his one-week training stint with former grand slam champion Stefan Edberg and left the door open on the possibility of a future collaboration.

"He left on Monday. I had contacted a few weeks ago to ask if he could consider spending a little time with us. He was my idol and I wanted to have his eyes. He is not a coach. But he still plays three times a week. He failed to see us on a tournament but eventually we thought it was better to wait and let him come here instead, away from everything. It was interesting for me and Seve (Lüthi). And Michael Lammer who is also with us. To spend time with him was pretty amazing actually.

"He has a completely different look. Ok, I'm new in here. I would like to tell you this, this and this. It was rewarding. Given all the success he has had during his career, I know from where he speaks. It is a bit the same level and we understand. And having Seve also there in the middle, it was really interesting. It discusses things with freshness and if he came here because he wanted to.

"So who knows ... there may be something to learn from it for next year. Maybe he can join us somewhere. Seve is my coach and is super good job. He spent 35 weeks with me. Almost a full-time coach. I am very pleased with himself. But if you can add a little something. Why not?"

Date: 20th December 2013, Source: AAP

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Federer: I'm a better player than a decade ago

Roger Federer insists he is a better player now than when he won the first of his four Australian Opens a decade ago, and thus remains capable of adding to his 17-major singles haul at Melbourne Park next month. For the first time, he will start the year in Brisbane, with a resolution to improve a poor recent record against his leading rivals.

In a Friday teleconference with the Australian media to promote his January 8 charity event on Rod Laver Arena, A Night with Roger Federer, the Swiss champion also discussed his struggles from mid-season, when he made a shock second-round exit at Wimbledon, until reaching the final of his hometown event in Basel in October.

"I always believe that I have improved over the last 10 years, you know, that I've not gone backwards, and I've been able to win (the Open) 10 years ago, so I always feel as I move forward I am a more complete player, a better player," Federer said.

"That's why I will always believe that I can win, as long as my body is holding up and mentally I'm really hungry travelling the world and playing matches, and that is the case right now - I'm very healthy and training extremely hard.

"Some success has come back also at the end of last year, which is quite important for me, for my confidence, because I was really in a difficult spot from Wimbledon all the way till Basel, I'd say, with just fighting my confidence and then, particularly, also my back issue. I couldn't really train the way I wanted to for some time, and now it's really picked up again and I think I'm really moving in the right direction."

Eschewing his usual Middle Eastern preparation, Federer will resume tournament play in Brisbane from December 29, before contesting a 15th Melbourne Park grand slam. "I really hope to be playing my absolute best (there), which I really think is possible, and then anything is possible for me, I personally believe that.

"It's just important for me that I play better against the top guys. It's not been bad this year, but I just didn't land enough wins, so that's something I want to improve for this year."

Federer's ranking has slipped to sixth after his first season without a major finals appearance since 2002, although he won nine of his last 13 matches, reaching the Basel final, and performing solidly at both the Paris Masters and ATP World Tour Finals, after splitting with coach Paul Annacone in October. Overall, he won just four of 14 matches against other members of the top 10.

Still, he remains the sport's biggest name, and the 32-year-old who has long been courted by Brisbane officials, will return to the Queensland capital for the first time since a family holiday almost 18 years ago. He had, he said, contested every other Australian tournament - including the Hopman Cup with his now-wife Mirka - and was excited to complete the set.

"For me, it was clear for me that hopefully one time down the stretch I'm also going to go to Brisbane, especially now that it's such a good advantage. I know that Pat (Rafter's) from there, the arena is named after him, I used to play against him," Federer said.

"I vacationed in Brisbane as well when I was about 14 years old, so for me it's something I was really excited about, and maybe also just coming down early with the family is something we're looking forward to, to keep it simple, 'let's just go to Australia, settle down, and then go from there and play a nice good tournament'."

The charity function is timed to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Roger Federer Foundation, which supports the education of more than 86,000 children in southern Africa, as well as the superstar's first Australian Open triumph - in the 2004 final against Marcos Baghdatis.

A strong supporter of previous fundraising events on Rod Laver Arena for victims of the Haitian earthquake and the Queensland floods, Federer will play an exhibition match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and welcome a guest appearance from Laver himself, among the night's entertainment.

"I just thought it was the perfect place to do this. I'm excited it's really happening now," said Federer, whose philanthropic work began early in his career, and whose mother, Lynette is South African. "For me, it was somehow always clear, even though it wasn't like a planned thing, that eventually if I had an opportunity then I would try to give back, and then it was just like 'well, how do you give back?'

"And 10 years ago I already decided then to have the focus on education for kids between the age of sort-of three and 12, and have really quality education. It's something I'm very, very excited to support."

Date: 13th December 2013, Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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Roger Federer and his agent Tony Godsick start their own firm representing athletes

In the latest shift in a sports management business that appears to be trending toward the boutique, Roger Federer has joined with his longtime agent Tony Godsick and two American investors to form an agency called Team8.

The company, based in the Cleveland area and headed by Godsick, will represent the interests of Federer, the 32-year-old Swiss tennis star, who is one of the world’s highest-earning and most popular athletes. But Team8 also has signed one of Federer’s main rivals, the fifth-ranked Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina, with input from Federer, who spent considerable time with del Potro on an exhibition tour of South America last year.

Grigor Dimitrov, a rising 22-year-old Bulgarian whom many tennis experts view as a potential Grand Slam champion, confirmed in an email that he would also join Team8, effective Jan. 1.

That would give the new agency a strong foothold in both the present and the future of tennis and would be a symbolic move for the 23rd-ranked Dimitrov, a player who was once nicknamed Baby Fed and whose flowing, all-court game and one-handed backhand have long elicited stylistic comparisons with Federer.

Godsick declined to confirm Dimitrov’s signing, but he did make clear that the intent was not to create another big agency in the mold of the International Management Group, where Godsick, an American, worked for nearly 20 years before he and Federer left in 2012.

“We’re trying to be a boutique agency that will manage just a small stable of iconic athletes,” Godsick said in a telephone interview from the firm’s new offices in Pepper Pike, Ohio, in Cleveland’s eastern suburbs. “We’re really going to try to be selective here. Some of the other groups, they look to sign as many players as they can and hope a few of them stick and make it, and they really go after the juniors. We’re not going to.”

Godsick said that Team8 was also interested in acquiring or creating events and in representing athletes in sports other than tennis, as well as entertainers. He said that Federer, who is training hard and testing new rackets in Dubai after a difficult season in which he dropped to No. 6 in the rankings, would be a client and not an active partner for now. But Godsick said the agency had been created in part to give Federer a platform when he retires.

“I can sell Roger Federer really well, but nobody sells Roger better than Roger,” Godsick said. “I always joke with him, ‘Look, you’ve been really successful on the tennis court, but I promise you, you’ll be more successful when you’re done playing tennis.”

Max Eisenbud, a leading agent with IMG whose clients include Maria Sharapova and Li Na, said that a big agency had significant advantages in representing global stars because of global resources and manpower.

“I just don’t think I could manage my global clients on my own,” Eisenbud said.

Godsick said that he was particularly interested in signing a leading golfer in the near term.

“I think small is the new big,” he said. “We’re for more of a personalized approach, and you’ve seen it now with so many different athletes.”

The other investors are Ian McKinnon and the billionaire financier Dirk Ziff, the eldest of the three brothers who started Ziff Brothers Investments in 1992 after their father, William, sold his publishing interests.

Godsick, 42, began working with the former No. 1 player Monica Seles when he was at IMG on a summer internship. He later represented Lindsay Davenport, Anna Kournikova and Tommy Haas.

Godsick is married to Mary Joe Fernandez, a former French Open and Australian Open finalist with whom he has two young children. Godsick began working with Federer in 2005 when Federer returned to IMG after managing many of his own business interests for a brief stretch.

Other leading agents expressed surprise that Godsick and Federer had decided to include other athletes in their project.

“Roger is going to have a legacy and a business that is going to live on well past his playing days, similar to a guy like Arnold Palmer in golf,” said John Tobias, president of Lagardère Unlimited Tennis. “I figured that would be enough, and I had to figure those figures post-career would be so solid that Tony would be just fine financially. Why he wants to take on additional responsibility, I’m not sure. I’m guessing it’s because Tony is a pretty competitive guy.”

Godsick said he had felt the desire to build something new, not just to manage Federer’s existing business, however lucrative. Forbes reported that Federer was the second-highest-paid athlete last year, at $71.5 million, behind Tiger Woods. Godsick and Federer’s move comes as IMG is on the verge of being sold. It also comes as Federer’s longtime rival Rafael Nadal has left IMG with his agent, Carlos Costa, and as Costa has reportedly expressed interest in signing a promising 17-year-old Chilean player, Christian Garin, to a management contract.

“Certainly with Carlos Costa and Tony Godsick, those are two big-name agents moving out on their own,” Tobias said. “I get a lot of questions - ‘Is this the trend?’ I really don’t think so. I think this is a case of just two employees not entirely happy in their situation with two incredible athletes to build around. Not everyone has that luxury. I don’t see that as a trend. If they didn’t have Federer and Nadal, I don’t think they’ve have taken the risk. Carlos and Tony are both very good agents, but the margins are very tough in athlete representation.”

Date: 12th December 2013, Source: The New York Times

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Roger Federer: "Positive thinking boosts my morale for 2014"

2013 was Roger Federer's most difficult year since the beginning of his career - with back problems, uncharacteristic defeats, unbroken runs that ended, and a drop in the world ranking from two to six. But he still reached three finals and won his 77th major title at the grass-court tournament in Halle. And in the fall, at the indoor tournaments in Basel (final) and Paris (semi-final), things improved again quickly. This meant that, in the end, he qualified safely for the World Tour Finals in London for the 12th time in a row, where, thanks to wins over Richard Gasquet and Juan Martin Del Potro, he reached the semi-finals for the 11th time, in which he lost to Rafael Nadal. Afterwards he was looking forward to the forthcoming season with due confidence.

Marco Falbo: Roger Federer, you are ending 2013 ranked No. 6, after starting it ranked No. 2. How do you assess your season that has just ended?

Roger Federer: It was a very difficult year. It may have begun well with the semi-final in Australia, and it ended well. But it would be better to forget the months from March to October, despite the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and the win in Halle. My back problems began at Indian Wells in March; after the match against Ivan Dodig, I shouldn't have kept playing, the games against Stanislas Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal were too much. After that, I fell behind with my training and was unable to catch up again because my back problems soon returned. In the summer too, it would have been better to have given up in Hamburg and Gstaad. These problems cost me a lot of time and threw me off course.

Was 2013 a lost year?

No year is lost. In the circumstances, it was actually an interesting season. It's no joke being injured, of course. But I had to get through it, I had to question everything. Along with the back problems, I had other setbacks of a kind I had seldom had in the previous ten years. But nonetheless it was an interesting experience – to see how different people reacted, and how I dealt with this situation myself. Sometimes, I could hardly move properly, and yet was sharply criticized by some people.

After always reaching at least the quarter-finals at 36 Grand Slam tournaments in a row, you lost in the second round at Wimbledon to Sergiy Stakhovsky. Was that the low point of your year?

Of course, that defeat was one of the biggest disappointments of my season. I went to Wimbledon convinced that I could win the tournament for the eighth time. But it wasn't a complete surprise for me. Because I hadn't played really well in Paris. Then Wimbledon was the start of the bigger problems.

Haven't these unaccustomed defeats against low-ranked players taken away your enjoyment of tennis?

Defeats are part of tennis. What matters is how you react. What is also important for me is that I am honest with myself. I am the sort of person who often questions everything; I did the same when things were going really well for me. That's why I am not affected much by the criticism, which I don't think is justified.

Where do you see yourself in terms of your performance? Have you come up against certain limitations, or do you think that you are still capable of top performances?

I can see no reason why I shouldn't play better again in 2014, and have some great wins. I have still got some major goals, because I certainly haven't forgotten how to play tennis; after all, I was still number one in the fall of 2012, and at the end of the season, once my back was better, my results also improved. I reached the final in Basel and the semi-finals at Paris-Bercy and the World Tour Finals, and beat top-ten players without playing my best tennis. If my serve or my forehand had been a bit more solid, the results could have been much better.

You achieved some of your best wins at the indoor tournaments. You contested 13 matches in three weeks, and beat top players such as Juan Martin Del Potro twice, Richard Gasquet, and Grigor Dimitrov. Were you surprised?

The end result is good, even though I would have liked to win a tournament. But that would perhaps have been asking too much, after such a year. After all, I was able to concentrate again fully on my tennis and on tactics for three weeks, and my body didn't give me any problems. In the preceding months, that had been different. That is a big step, and makes me want more. My self-confidence has also returned. By the end, everyone around me was talking positively again, the mood was much better than in the summer. That boosts my morale for the coming year, and it's a big relief. The fun has definitely returned.

What are your specific goals for 2014?

I would like to win about five tournaments again and play in great finals, that's where I have most fun. My ranking is less important to me, unless it's about being number one. But it would be good to be in the top four or top eight, to get good seedings.

Are there any changes in your planning in 2014?

Yes, they're already being prepared. I'm concentrating fully on my training; for once I won't be participating in any show tournaments, in contrast with 2012 when I went to South America. What is important is that I can train hard in Dubai in December without any setbacks. I think that it will take until April for me to catch up completely with my training. For once, I'll be opening the new season at the ATP tournament in Brisbane, after which it's the Australian Open.

Will you be testing rackets with bigger heads, as you did in the summer when you even contested two tournaments with one?

I will, for sure. Because this summer's tests don't tell us much because I wasn't able to play properly in Hamburg and Gstaad because of my back problems.

Stanislas Wawrinka has become a top ten player. Might that mean that you would be more willing to appear in the Davis Cup again? In particular, will you be there against Serbia in the first round in February 2014?

The situation is the same as two years ago. I've long known that Wawrinka could beat the best players, he hasn't had to prove anything to me for a long time. In the next few weeks I will make a decision about the Davis Cup. But at the moment I have no idea what it will be. But I am happy for Stan that things are going so well for him. It was a fantastic end of season, with two Swiss players in the semi-finals of the World Tour Finals. And neither of us knew right up to the final tournament at Paris-Bercy whether we would even qualify.

Novak Djokovic said in London that you were still very strong but that you had become a bit slower and didn't move as well as in the past. What's your response to that?

What he says is true. But it would also be strange if I could move wonderfully and at my best after a year when I couldn't train enough and in between times lost quite a bit of my self-confidence. I don't feel that I am as fast as in my best years, either. But despite that I can still compete with the best. That makes me feel positive. For months, I played while being afraid of back pains and got into bad habits in the process. On court, I was orientating myself to the back rather than to the front, I lost my usual aggressiveness. And somehow I became a different player. Now I need time to get all of that out of my system again.

Why did you split from your American coach Paul Annacone after more than three years? And what do you expect from a new coach?

It was a mutual split. We talked to each other in Dubai before the tournament in Shanghai and both of us had the feeling that it was the right moment. The split went as well as it possibly could. Paul will remain a good friend and we're still in close contact with each other. In Severin Lüthi, I still have a coach who has been extremely helpful for me for a long time. But I don't know if he can or wants to be on the road with me for 40 weeks next year. At the moment, I don't know if I am going to appoint a new coach at all. I'm very happy with my team.

How do you assess the situation at the top, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as numbers one and two?

The two players' achievements this year have been massive, and they are clearly better than the others. I think Nadal is the right number one, because he won two Grand Slam titles. I'm looking forward to seeing how the two of them start next season, they are quite clearly the ones to beat.

Date: 4th December 2013, Source: Credit Suisse

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Sampras: I'm impressed that Federer travels with his kids

Pete Sampras says that he is impressed that Roger Federer travels with his family when he is on tour. Sampras said that he would never have been able to pull all three things - that is being a father, a husband and a tennis player all together.

After eclipsing Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam titles back in 2009 at Wimbledon, Roger Federer seems to have left idol Pete Sampras behind in an aspect of life too it seems. The American says that he is mighty impressed with the fact that Federer travels with his wife and kids when he is on tour, and seems to be very happy doing that.

“I’m impressed that he has carried on travelling with his children. To be a father, and a husband, and a tennis player, all at the same time, and on the road, that’s very hard. I don’t know I would have been able to pull it off, but Roger always looks as though he has a good situation on the road with his wife and his kids. I don’t know if I would have had the patience with my kids. I think I would have wanted to have been in a different hotel room to my kids, but Roger is able to handle it well. He wants his wife and kids with him everywhere, and that is great. Maybe I was just a different breed to Roger. I just don’t know if I could have done everything on the road, as Roger does.

He then continued:

“We both have two kids and we talk about that. I’m interested to hear how he travels with his kids. I was never in that position. It’s obviously hard enough work to be looking after two kids at home, but when you’re travelling with them, that’s going to take up even more time and energy, even if you have help with nannies.”

Date: 28th November 2013, Source: Tennis Earth

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Roger Federer is a Prankster says Pete Sampras

Former World No.1 Pete Sampras termed Roger Federer as a Prankster, saying that the latter is a light hearted and a down to earth guy.

We all consider Roger Federer to be a guy who doesn’t show his emotions a lot of times, but Pete Sampras has a different outlook. The American believes that the Swiss Maestro is a real prankster when he isn’t playing a match and loves to have fun like everyone else does.

“He’s obviously very serious on the court. You walk into a press conference, and you still have your game face on. But once the cameras are off, Roger is very light-hearted. He loves practical jokes, and he loves laughing. He’s just a normal guy. When you’re playing and competing, you’ve got your game face on; it’s only when you hop in the car and head back to the hotel that you’re done with your day.

I’ve always found him very easy to be around, and all-round good guy. We were travelling in Asia in 2007 on an exhibition tour and I thought to myself, ‘this guy is like he’s in high school’. I’m slightly embarrassed to be telling you this but he would come up and blow in your ear or scream in your ear. He did it to his trainer a few times, and I thought they looked like a couple of kids from high school. That’s sort of a silly story, but it tells you about his light-hearted attitude. He loves talking and laughing. He’s just a down-to-earth guy.” Sampras said.

He further continued, “I first became friends with Roger during that tour. I didn’t know Roger that well before then. On the first day, we were both shy, and we weren’t really sure how to act around each other, but once we got past that, it was great, and we realised that our personalities are similar. Roger is a bit of a prankster - that’s a side to people that people don’t tend to see. With modern technology, it’s easy to stay in touch with Roger. We email and text and call. It’s become a good friendship, and I’m sure we’ll stay in touch after Roger stops playing.”

Date: 27th November 2013, Source: Tennis Earth

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Chris Evert: Why I love Roger Federer

Chris Evert spoke to The Tennis Space about her love for Roger Federer on last week. Here is what she says about him:

“Why do I love him? I don’t know, I just love him. There is something about Roger which just tugs at the heartstrings. I don’t know what it is, I can’t say exactly, but he gets to me. Maybe it’s because one of my sons idolises Roger, and I can see similarities between the two. It’s almost as though Roger could be my son.

“I’ve been in this game for more than 40 years, and there has never been a player who has made me as emotional as Roger has, not even close. And I’m not the only one. I have sometimes looked around when Roger is on court, and seen that others were affected in the same way. There would be a whole bunch of us getting choked up. I’ve never been as emotional watching a tennis match as I have done after Roger has lost. This may sound strange, but his losses affect me much more than my own defeats.

“I was watching him play Tommy Robredo in the fourth round of this year’s US Open, and I had to walk away. I could see that Roger was going to lose, and I just couldn’t watch any more. I didn’t want to feel what I was going to feel. And his defeat to Sergiy Stakhovsky, in the second round of this year’s Wimbledon Championships, wasn’t that awful? It’s the defeats at grand slams that affected me the most.

“Roger is a special breed - some of those defeats just rolled off his back, but I never found them easy to take. And I haven’t really spent that time with the guy. I hardly know him. I’m not a stalker, I promise you.”

Date: 27th November 2013, Source: The Tennis Space

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Roger Federer leads all-star Brisbane line-up

Four of the Top 20 men - including tennis superstar Roger Federer - will headline Brisbane International 2014 presented by Suncorp.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will lead a strong men’s field, which features Top 20 players Kei Nishikori, Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson alongside a raft of rising talent.

Brisbane International 2013 runner-up Grigor Dimitrov returns to the Sunshine State looking to go one better in 2014, but will be forced to overcome a world class field including local hopes Lleyton Hewitt (SA), Marinko Matosevic (Vic) and 18-year-old wildcard Nick Kyrgios (ACT) in his pursuit of the title.

Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said the 2014 field was one of the strongest in the event’s history.

“The calibre of the field assembled for Brisbane International 2014 is one of the greatest on record, and we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming the world’s top players to Queensland Tennis Centre in December,” he said.

“To have Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline the event, and a line-up that features four of the world’s Top 20 men and six of the Top 10 women, is a remarkable result and testament to the high regard the players have for the tournament.

“It’s thanks to the incredible support the event receives from Queensland tennis fans that so many of the world’s leading players have chosen to start their 2014 campaigns here in Brisbane, and consider the tournament their ideal lead-in to the Australian Open.

“Tennis fans can certainly look forward to eight days of world class action from some of the biggest stars of the game in 2014.”

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said she looked forward to seeing the world’s top tennis players step onto Pat Rafter Arena in December for one of Queensland’s most highly anticipated sporting events.

“We look forward to welcoming some of the biggest names in world tennis to Brisbane International 2014, now in its sixth year, and wish all the players the very best,” Ms Stuckey said.

“I have no doubt this exceptional line-up of tennis talent will attract bumper crowds to Brisbane for the event.

“The Queensland Government is proud to support Brisbane International 2014 as part of its goal to double the annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.”

The official ATP field for Brisbane International 2014 is as follows:

Player - Emirates ATP Ranking
Roger Federer (SUI) - 6
Kei Nishikori (JPN) - 17
Gilles Simon (FRA) - 19
Kevin Anderson (RSA) - 20
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) - 23
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) - 27
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) - 28
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) - 29
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) - 34
Julien Benneteau (FRA) - 35
Marin Cilic (CRO) - 37
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) - 39
Robin Haase (NED) - 43
Denis Istomin (UZB) - 45
Sam Querrey (USA) - 46
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) - 50
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) - 60
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) - 61
Marinko Matosevic (AUS) - 62
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) - 67
Igor Sijsling (NED) - 69
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) - 186 [WC]
WC - wildcard

Date: 21st November 2013, Source: ATP

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A night with Roger Federer and Friends at Rod Laver Arena

Roger Federer is set to commandeer Rod Laver Arena for a gala charity exhibition match on Wednesday 8 January 2014.

Four-time Australian Open champion and winner of a record 17 Grand Slam singles titles, Federer will take on his friend and foe, world No.10, charismatic Frenchman and Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime tennis and entertainment event.

“It’s going to be called “A night with Roger Federer and Friends”, it’s going to be very entertaining, and it would be great if you could be part of it,” Roger Federer said as he announced the event today.

“Good acts, entertainment, music, light-show, clearly the match - I hope that’s what you’re coming for, to see me play against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. We’ve had some great exhibitions in the past where we really light up the crowd. I know I’m going to be playing good tennis and it’s a great way to kick off the Australian Open.

“I’m celebrating ten years since my first victory in Australia, and I’m celebrating ten years of the Roger Federer Foundation. I spoke with Tennis Australia to see if we could do something a bit fun, a bit different as well, and I hope that’s why people are going to join in the action.

“I hope it’s going to be a sell-out night and we will raise awareness and raise a lot of money if possible and just have a good time. That was the idea behind it and it is all coming true. I’m looking forward to the day that I step on to Rod Laver Arena and do it.

“You can get involved by going to get a ticket … they are on sale this Thursday. I hope there are still some left because they’re very hot and very exclusive,” Federer joked.

Federer is passionate about the work of the Roger Federer Foundation, which will share in the proceeds of this special event.

“The foundation is very personal to me clearly. We are celebrating the tenth year of the Roger Federer Foundation on the 23 December, I can’t believe it’s actually been ten years, but we try to help kids, particularly in Southern Africa to have a quality education and so far we’ve been able to help 50,000 over the course of the last ten years … we have big goals for the future to hopefully help one million kids by 2018 so it’s really something I’m looking forward to, to try and help as many kids as possible have a quality education in the future.

“My Mum’s from South Africa so I was in touch with poverty quite early and I saw also other great athletes, inspirational people, do many great things for other people.

“As I was quite young when I had success on the tennis tour I wanted to start charity work early, because I remember a quote, I think it was from Andre Agassi, he always said “I wish I would have started earlier”, so you know what, I said I want to start really early, learn a lot about it, I’m still not done learning, I learn something every single day when it comes to the foundation and even from tennis, but it’s something that’s very important to me, it’s very personal, and it’s hopefully going to follow me for many, many years to come.”

A night with Roger Federer and Friends is presented by Rolex, a major supporter of the Roger Federer Foundation.

The event will take place at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, on Wednesday 8 January 2014.

Ticket prices start at $64.90 and a variety of packages, including courtside seating and hospitality options, are also available.

Tickets go on sale at 12:00 noon (AEDST) on Thursday 14 November at www.ticketek.com.au or telephone 132 849.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Roger Federer Foundation and the Australian Tennis Foundation.

> More information on tickets and the event

> View ticket prices

> Purchase tickets from Ticketek

Date: 12th November 2013, Source: Tennis Australia

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Roger Federer: "Confident and Excited" for 2014

A “confident and excited” Roger Federer is ready to make a strong statement in 2014.

Following a 7-5, 6-3 defeat to rival Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday, the six-time champion reflected on his satisfying finish to a tumultuous 2013 and outlined his goals and ambitions for the year to come.

A record 10th final in Basel and impressive 11th semi-final in 12 appearances at the season finale are building blocks that the Swiss says will drive him to work harder moving forward.

“I think it was a stronger finish than I thought it was going to be in Basel, Paris and London,” Federer said. “I'm more positive now looking ahead than I would have been a few months ago where I wasn't quite sure what to expect after the US Open.”

Perhaps the most galvanising aspect of Federer’s recent form has been his ability to play pain-free after a season plagued with back issues. The 32 year old identifies his improved health as a key factor to his rejuvenated state on the court, “physically and also mentally”.

“Beating two Top 10 players is a good thing for me after not having beaten any for almost seven or eight months,” Federer added. “Considering the back issues I've had, I'm pleased that I'm pain free for a long period of time now with a lot of tennis.

“What I learned is that I can play three weeks pretty easily. I played a lot of matches as of late, a lot of three setters, a lot of tennis. From that standpoint, it’s very satisfying knowing that the body can do it, the mind can do it, life allows it to happen.”

As the 77-time titlist on the ATP World Tour looks to build on his lone crown of the season, on the grass of Halle, the Swiss will begin his 2014 campaign just three match wins behind Guillermo Vilas for third place on the all-time list.

“I think always the end of the season carries over in some way, shape or form, good or bad. Clearly you look at the whole season as a whole. But then again, it's just about hard work, about relaxing a little bit, recovering from all the inflammations you might have in your body, because those also need to disappear to start the next season as physically good as you can; mentally refreshed.”

As the Basel native embarks on his 17th season on the ATP World Tour, he has no plans of hanging up his racquet anytime soon. As Federer puts it, “Tennis is something that’s always there in your DNA.”

“For me, it's pretty simple: This is what I used to do as a little boy. It's almost like I started walking at the same time I started playing tennis in some ways. It's like one of those moments where you're happy out on the court, you're happy improving, happy trying to change things, adjusting now. As long as I have this choice, I'll keep on playing.”

Federer will open his 2014 season at the Brisbane International, in January, in his first ever appearance at the tournament.

Date: 10th November 2013, Source: ATP

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Federer lost to Nadal in the semifinals of London Finals

Top seed Nadal, who lost to Roger Federer in the 2010 final at The O2 in London, beat his greatest rival - a six-time champion at the elite season finale - 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday afternoon to reach his 14th final of a remarkable year.

It was the fifth time that Nadal and Federer had played one another at the season finale. Federer had previously won all four matches - twice in Shanghai (2006-07) and twice in London (2010-11) - at the eight-player championship.

Nadal looked to be making inroads into Federer’s serve as early as the third game, when the Swiss lost three straight points from 40/0. Federer was attempting to keep as close to the baseline as possible, as Nadal targeted his single-handed backhand.

Nadal showed great mental strength at 2-3 when he saved three break points during a game where the forehand striking of both players was exceptional. By contrast Federer’s next service game lasted 68 seconds.

The first of three straight service breaks in the pair’s 32nd meeting came at 4-4, when clever court-craft by Nadal saw him draw Federer to the net in order to strike a forehand winner down the line.

Federer won a 30-stroke rally at 30/30 in the following game, when a powerful forehand beyond Nadal earned him a break point, which he converted when Nadal hit a forehand long.

Nadal bounced back from the set-back, showing great physical strength at 15/40 on Federer’s serve to wrestle back a crosscourt forehand that the sixth seed snatched at to hit a forehand into the net.

"I think Roger played really aggressive, that's my feeling," said Nadal. "At the beginning, his serve worked very well. My feeling is in the first set, he played very well. So in my opinion until 4-4, he was playing better than me.

"I saved a few break points, very important ones, and then I played a good game when I had the break… The key of the match was probably at 5-5, after he had the break back in the first set, when I was serving for the set. I got the break another time to be 6-5 in my favour. That was very important."

At 6-5, Nadal closed out a hold to love with his eighth forehand winner to end the 43-minute set. Federer, who needed to be aggressive struck 11 winners and committed 15 unforced errors in a high-quality opener.

"I went for it when I had a chance for a break point in the first set," said Federer. "Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did. I just struggled to stay consistent enough throughout the match and that's why he deserved to win. He was better today."

In the second set, leading 1-0, Federer missed a mid-court forehand at 30/30 on Nadal’s serve. It was a half chance, but Federer was not quite in position to strike it cleanly.

Federer committed another forehand error in the fifth game to give Nadal the break. At 4-3, Federer missed a mid-court forehand again when Nadal was serving at 30/30.

Nadal tightened up his game and at 5-3, created one match point opportunity at 30/40. Federer serve and volleyed, but Nadal’s backhand return was low enough to get Federer into trouble. He hit a backhand volley long to end the 80-minute encounter.

"He was playing more consistent," said Federer, who ended his season with a 45-17 match record. "He was playing more solid. I just couldn't come up with the shots when I needed them, forehand or serve, moving forward."

Date: 10th November 2013, Source: ATP

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Federer sets up Nadal SF after comeback win

Six-time champion Roger Federer battled back from a 0-3 deficit in the third set to beat fourth seed and 2009 runner-up Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-5 to finish in second position in Group B for a semi-final clash against top seed and 2010 finalist Rafael Nadal on Sunday.

Del Potro broke Federer in the first and fifth games of the first set, as Federer committed seven forehand errors to trail 1-5. Federer staged a rousing comeback, but despite hitting 15 winners and clinching nine of 10 net points won, del Potro saved two break points to seal the 41-minute opener.

Del Potro seized control of the match when Federer hit a backhand into the net at 1-1, 15/40 in the second set. Federer walked to his chair with his head bowed.

It proved to be a temporary blip as Federer broke del Potro to love in the sixth game after a double fault. Without any further chances against serve, a tie-break was inevitable. Federer opened up a 4-1 lead in the tie-break and clinched the 50-minute set with his seventh ace.

With del Potro serving first in the decider, the pressure was on Federer. When he buckled in the second game at 15/40, after he struck his 18th forehand error, del Potro went on to take a 3-0 lead.

"I was probably slightly angry more than thinking it's going to be over soon," said Federer, when asked about how he felt at 0-3 in the third set. "It's one of those moments today, because I kind of fought back the whole match - the first, second set. Here we go again."

But Federer drew on his reserves to fight back to 3-3 for a very tense finale.

At 5-5, 15/40, del Potro mis-timed a forehand to gift Federer the chance to serve for the match. Federer saved a break point in the next game and clinched victory with his 10^th ace. The match lasted two hours and 26 minutes.

"I wasn't in many of Juan Martin's service games, so I kind of felt like probably I will get one more chance to break back. It's exactly what happened," said Federer. "Once on even terms, I was able to play a little bit more freely.

"For the first time I was almost feeling like I was kind of in the lead. It was a great finish. I was very happy. To get the victory was a great feeling, so I was very happy."

Federer hit 13 of his 39 winners in the third set, when he lost four of his first service points.

"I think I got two chances to win the match," said del Potro. "I broke his serve in the second set and in the third one. But he played great when I was up, and he deserved to come back in both sets. But at the end, when you have to be focus and find the winners, I made the mistakes and he was there really focused to take the chance. I think that was the key of the match."

Federer improved to a 45-16 match record on the season and has now qualified for the semi-finals at the prestigious event in 11 of the past 12 years (except 2008).  He has a 4-0 mark against Nadal at the season finale, including two wins each at Shanghai and London in 2006 (SF), ’07 (SF), ’10 (Final) and ’11 (RR). Federer has won eight of the nine sets.

"I just have to have the right mindset to give it one last go, maybe play with a little less pressure than I have in previous matches with him," said Federer.

"I just feel like I need to look at it more as being an underdog a little bit because of circumstances, because of my year, because of his year. Maybe that free swinging is what I kind of need to do a little bit more tomorrow."

Federer's schedule has been a heavy one with a final appearance in Basel, then a semi-final run in Paris before arriving in London for his 12th consecutive appearance at the ATP's annual season-ender.

Despite feeling the strain, Federer said he will be ready to fight tooth and nail with Nadal, who had Saturday off.

"I don't get a day off, I've got to back it up and be ready to go again tomorrow."

"I see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's two more matches and that's it," said Federer, who is looking for a seventh title at the tournament and third since it moved to London in 2009.

"We know each other that well. He's going to do exactly what he needs to do, I'm going to try to do what I need to do. Hopefully it's going to match up good for me.

"If not, he deserves it. He's had a wonderful season. We'll see how it goes," added the ever-popular Swiss.

An added bonus for Federer is that fellow Swiss and close friend Stanislas Wawrinka is also through to the semi-finals in his first appearance at the tournament.

Wawrinka faces defending champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's second semi-final with the intriguing possibility of an all-Swiss final still a possibility.

"I don't know if I'm more excited that I won or we're both in the semis, to be honest," added Federer, who won Olympic doubles gold with Wawrinka in 2008. "I'm very happy for Stan.

"I was hoping to be there, too, make both of us get to the semis. Here we are playing the best two players of the season. I think it's incredibly interesting for the two of us, for Swiss tennis, for the Swiss media.

"I think we're gonna speak to each other a little bit later and I'll tell him a few things that I know and he'll hopefully tell me a few things he knows this week about the players we're playing."

The 32-year-old Swiss native is the oldest to reach the semi-finals in the season finale since Andre Agassi (33) in 2003. Agassi lost to Federer in the final.

This is also the second time the Big 3 of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer have reached the semi-finals together at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. In 2010, Federer defeated Djokovic and Nadal beat Andy Murray in the semi-finals. Federer defeated Nadal in the final.

Date: 9th November 2013, Source: ATP and Reuters

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Federer stays in semi-final hunt at London Finals

Six-time former champion Roger Federer kept alive his chances of qualifying for the semi-finals at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday when he won his first Group B round robin match (1-1) this week.

Sixth seed Federer won his 43^rd match at the season finale (since 2002) with a 6-4, 6-3 win over eighth seed Richard Gasquet in 79 minutes at The O2 in London.

"Richard does a good job of making you feel uncomfortable at the same time as well, because he uses heights and spins really well,” said Federer. “He likes extended rallies. I'm trying to force the issue. But I guess those are the kind of matches I need right now - straight sets against a good player."

Only once in his previous 11 years has Federer not advanced out of round robin play in 2008 (1-2).

Federer will close out round robin action on Saturday against Juan Martin del Potro, while Gasquet plays Novak Djokovic.

Federer broke Gasquet’s serve in the third game held to 15 for a 3-1 lead. But Gasquet’s persistence got him back into the set at 4-4, after Federer mis-timed a backhand at 30/40. The Frenchman’s hard work was undone by three groundstroke errors in the next game. Federer broke and calmly held serve to complete the 34-minute opener.

Federer may well have won five straight games to lead 3-0 in the second set – but Gasquet managed to regain his composure in the nick of time at 0-2, 30/40. Gasquet was never comfortable on court. His trusted single-handed backhand failed him on 11 occasions as Federer used the angles to open up space.

Federer was mightily relieved when he converted his sixth match point opportunity in a 16-point ninth game of the set.

"Comparing the 2013 ATP World Tour season to previous trophy-laden campaigns," Federer admitted, “I needed the hard fought wins back then to go on and win the tournament. Now I feel like the hard fought wins are there to get me back to a really good level, a very competitive level.

"I'm not coming back from a serious injury, but I'm coming back from a lot of sort of ups and downs, resetting things, trying out things, making sure I get my confidence back, my movement and so forth. So it's a totally different situation.

"Today was just a battle for myself, making sure I move the right way, I play the right way, I have the right shot selection," said Federer."

Federer committed 17 of his 30 unforced errors on the forehand wing. He struck 29 winners in total and won 16 of his 20 points at the net, having carefully crafted openings from the back of the court.

Federer now has an 11-2 Head to Head record against Gasquet, who also qualified for the season finale in 2007.

Should Del Potro lose to defending champion Djokovic in Thursday's late match, Federer's meeting with the Argentine would effectively become a straight shoot-out for a semi-final spot.

"That would certainly make things clearer, otherwise the arithmetic gets complicated like it did here in 2009 when nobody knew who was going through."

Federer beats del Potro in Paris last weekend.

"That win was big for me, he did beat me three times indoors straight, the Basel finals twice, and also here last year," said the Swiss.

"I'm glad I got one back in Paris because I knew we could be again in the same group, we could be playing each other. Think that win for me in Paris psychologically was very important. I could beat top 10 guys, I beat Richard, I beat Juan Martin last week.

"My confidence is higher, and that's what I need to beat the best, and Juan Martin is part of that group honestly."

Date: 7th November 2013, Source: ATP and AFP

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Roger Federer won the Fans Favourite, Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship and Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Awards

Roger Federer received three honours in the 2013 ATP World Tour Awards on Wednesday, in an on-court ceremony at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer was selected by his peers as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for a ninth time and by fans as the ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite for an 11th straight year.

On receiving the Sportsmanship award, Federer said, “It is very special as Stefan Edberg was my hero growing up, when all I wanted to do was play on the ATP World Tour. So to follow in his footsteps is wonderful and I hope I can be a role model for players growing up.

“It’s all a bit overwhelming to be honest,” admitted Federer, when he received the Fans' Favourite award. “I have been around a long time, so I guess that helps. I appreciate all the fans turning up to stadiums around the world. You (the fans) keep me working hard. I am forever grateful.”

In addition, the 32-year-old Swiss was named the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year for a second time (also 2006) in recognition of his foundation’s support of children in Africa and Switzerland. Since 2003, Federer has won a record total of 27 ATP World Tour Awards.



“It is something very personal on many levels,” said Federer. “I never thought that it would be possible as a young boy to establish a foundation. Arthur Ashe and Andre Agassi inspired me by their example.

“It is 10 years since we established the foundation. We hope to touch one million lives by 2018. It is an honour to receive this award for a second time.”

Andre Silva, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Tournament Director, presented Federer the three awards, which were crafted by Tipperary Crystal.

ATPWorldTour.com Fans' presented by Moët & Chandon
(voted by fans)

Roger Federer: The Swiss has been voted ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite presented by Moët & Chandon for a record 11th straight year, receiving 56 per cent of all votes cast. Rafael Nadal finished second, followed by Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro.


Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award
(voted by ATP players)

Roger Federer: Fellow players voted the Swiss as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the ninth time and third year in a row. He also won the award six straight years from 2004-09. Juan Martin del Potro, David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal were also nominated in this category.

Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year
(awarded by ATP)

Roger Federer: The 32 year old becomes just the third person to be named the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year for a second time, joining Andre Agassi and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi. Federer, who previously received the award in 2006, supports children in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa and Ethiopia and his native Switzerland through the Roger Federer Foundation, established in 2003. This past February, Federer visited the Hlukani and Govhu crèches in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, which have been supported by Foundation partner READ Educational Trust since 2010.

Date: 6th November 2013, Source: ATP

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Federer: World Tour Finals should stay indoors

Roger Federer hopes the ATP World Tour Finals remains as an indoor tournament at London's O2 Arena, as he countered comments made by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the subject.

Nadal believes the World Tour Finals would be 'more fair' to move away from the indoor environment to outdoor clay court, while Djokovic feels the tournament should move to various cities. Federer though, is happy where the season-finale is currently played.

"I truly believe the World Tour Finals should stay indoors, and I think indoors deserves a great event," record six-time Finals champion Federer said.

"I know there’s an argument to have it on clay, on grass, to have it outdoors - and I did play outdoors in Houston,” Federer said. “I just feel indoors doesn’t have enough play. The indoor season is small."

"What's good about playing indoors is that you know what you're getting into. Matches are going to be played and not delayed. Indoor clay is not something we should look at. That's why probably it has to stay indoor hard in my personal opinion."

And the Swiss expressed his desire for the World Tour Finals to remain in London beyond its contract expiry date of 2015, saying: "I kind of secretly hope maybe it could stay here at the O2, but that's for somebody else to decide."

Federer was given a tremendous reception as he entered onto court, and the player who collected the first of his record 17 career grand slams a decade ago at Wimbledon was delighted to receive such a reception.

"It was very nice to get the support I get all around the world. The O2 is special to me just because it's nice being the last eight of a tough year," he said. "I really appreciate all the support I get anywhere really, but particularly here in London where I've celebrated some of my biggest victories."

Asked whether he is going to feel pressure in his next match against Richard Gasquet - knowing a defeat could eliminate him from the event - Federer responded: "Maybe. So what do I do in those situations? I try to win, so thank you for the reminder," with a smile on his face.

Date: 6th November 2013, Source: ESPN

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Djokovic overcomes Federer in Group B

After a tough battle in the first Round Robin match of ATP World Tour Finals, Roger Federer was defeated 4-6, 7-6(2), 2-6 by Novak Djokovic in Group B.

Djokovic saved a break point at 4-4, 30/40 in the first set, when Federer missed a forehand into space by a whisker.

In the next game, Federer came under pressure. At 15/30, Djokovic hit a forehand to Federer’s toes and the six-time former titlist spooned a forehand out of the court.

Federer saved the first break point with an angled backhand volley, which Djokovic could only just lunge for. Djokovic made sure on the next point to clinch the 37-minute set. Federer, who needed to be aggressive to play close to the baseline, committed 15 unforced errors.

The second set was a tense affair, which Federer should have won sooner than he did. By attacking the net, Federer took time away from Djokovic. Although there were three straight breaks of serve – in games five, six and seven – neither player dominated.

Federer failed to convert a set point opportunity on serve at 5-4. Djokovic went on to convert his second break point chance after a forehand error. In the tie-break, Federer used the angles of the court to great effect and the crowd at The O2 was delighted when he sealed the 70-minute set for a decider.

"It was probably the toughest start I could get for this tournament," said Djokovic. "It was always going to be a tough match for both of us.

"Of course, Roger was fighting throughout," said Djokovic. "The second set was very close. I was not satisfied with my serve. I basically played with no serve. No first serves the whole second set. But when I needed to in the third, I served well. I'm just happy that I overcome this challenge.

"It was intense. It was emotional, up and down. But I lost my calmness. I have to say, in the middle of the second set. At 2-2, I had 40 love. I lost that game for no reason. He started playing better. He started making less mistakes."

Djokovic tightened up his game and committed fewer unforced errors in the third set. He broke Federer's serve in the opening game and once he came through an eighth-minute second game the two-time season finale titlist went on to take a 5-1 lead.

Federer kept battling, but Djokovic won 18 of his 20 first service points and struck 13 winners.

"I think Novak also struggled for a long period of time tonight," said Federer. "So did I. I'm not even sure if we played our best in the third set. It's just one of those matches you try to take advantage when the other guy's not 100 percent."

"I thought I had a chance today. So that's the part where I'm unhappy. I wasn't able to take advantage of it. Because I was actually feeling much better than I was in Paris overall, physically.

"I think at this point it's very mental, just making sure I don't get too negative on myself because of the loss today. I mean, it was against Novak after all. It's not against some journeyman."

Federer now has a 42-10 record at the season finale and won it for a record six times. He is competing for a record-tying 12th straight year.

Date: 6th November 2013, Source: ATP

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Federer ready for "interesting ATP World Tour Finals"

Six-time former champion Roger Federer believes that all eight qualifiers are playing good tennis coming into the ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer, who has qualified for the record-tying 12th straight year, told reporters on Sunday, "I think everyone who is playing in the ATP World Tour Finals is actually in good shape and is playing good tennis. It’s not that someone is coming in and is not playing well. It makes it for an interesting tournament."

"If you look at all the guys, they have played a full schedule. It is definitely a physical and endurance fight to win the title after two or three straight weeks."

Federer has been drawn in Group B alongside defending champion Novak Djokovic, 2009 finalist Juan Martin del Potro and Richard Gasquet, who is competing at the season finale for the first time since 2007.

Federer beat del Potro in the BNP Paribas Masters quarter-finals this week, before losing to Djokovic in the semi-finals.

“Novak is playing great,” said Federer, who practised at The O2 mid-afternoon prior to his media conference. “He has won every tournament he has played over the last few. He has a lot of confidence and is playing really well.

“Juan Martin the same, I just played him too. He has reached semis or finals or better in the tournaments he has played. The question is, how fit or how much energy has he got left? I expect him to be tough to beat.

“Richard has played a lot of tennis this year, especially at the back end ever since the US Open. He has really tried to make it to the ATP World Tour Finals. He made it, credit to him. He is playing well as well.”

Federer realises that he has his work cut out, but admitted, “I usually play good tennis here - I don’t’ know why, but it gets the best out of me.

Coming into the season finale in London with a 43-15 match record on the season, Federer confessed that “the year has been more difficult. Most of the time, I was focusing on myself to get things right in my life with my back.

“Now, finally that I did, I feel like it is coming together at the right time for me. It has a different feel because it hasn’t been as consistent, as good and solid as it has been than in previous years.”

Federer plays Djokovic on Tuesday night in what we be a repeat of the 2012 title match at the ATP World Tour Finals. Federer leads their Head to Head 16-14.

Date: 4th November 2013, Source: ATP

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