Federer to play in Singapore for the first time in December

Roger Federer will be in Singapore this December, playing in the Republic for the first time when he represents the UAE Royals in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

The Swiss confirmed his attendance at the three-day tennis event on Friday, setting up a likely US Open final rematch with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from Dec 18-20. The Serb is headlining home side Singapore Slammers.

"I love playing in countries where I have never played before. That is something that is always special to me. I know Singapore has embraced tennis in the past few years; so going there to play is very exciting," Said the 17-time Grand Slam champion and world No. 2.

This will be Federer's first visit to Singapore since a one-day stopover in January 2013, when the tennis star was invited by Credit Suisse as its global ambassador.

He added: "It's going to be a very special experience for me. I don't often get to play in new countries and I hope they are excited.

"I have been to Singapore before but not to play tennis and I have had a chance to interact with some fans. So, if that trip was any indication, I am very excited to be welcomed again and have a lot of fun with my fans."

The IPTL, now into its second year, is a mixed team tournament that features tennis played in an abbreviated format. World No. 1 Serena Williams and legend Andre Agassi played for the Singapore side last year.

This year, the event will feature 35 of the sport's biggest names, including Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. The event will make stops in Japan, the Philippines, India and United Arab Emirates before the climax of the final in Singapore.

Season passes, from $195, are on sale at Sports Hub Tix. For more information, visit www.iptlworld.com.

Date: 24th September 2015, Source: Straits Times

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Roger Federer fan wakes from 11-year coma and stunned his idol is still on top

A 23-year-old Roger Federer had just completed his first truly phenomenal season, winning three of the four grand slams, including thumping Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6, 6-0 in the US Open final.

On December 12 of that year, Jesus Aparicio - a huge Federer fan - was in a serious car accident while out celebrating his 18th birthday.

The incident left the young man from Seville in a coma he would not wake from until August 27 this year.

When he finally woke, Aparicio called out and his mother was in the bathroom of the room he was staying in. Over the coming weeks, Aparicio’s speech slowly recovered. He would ask about family, friends and current affairs - but he would also ask about his idol, Roger Federer.

“It came like a flash to my mind and I asked about Roger,” Aparicio said.

“I thought he had retired. When I knew that at 34 years old, he is still playing and is number two in the world, I thought they were kidding me. I could not believe it.

“When I heard that he reached 17 slam titles, I put my hands on my face.

“I knew Federer was very good but I never thought he could win all he has won.”

Federer was comfortably the best player in the world when Aparicio’s accident occurred, but the Swiss master’s best was yet to come - going on to reach 10 of the next 12 grand slam finals, winning eight of them on his way to a record 17.

Earlier this month, on September 13, Aparicio would watch Federer - now 11 years older than the last time he saw him - take on a total stranger to him in Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open.

“I was astonished to see him play well. It’s really amazing,” Aparicio said.

“It was a shame he could not win but that Djokovic, he plays good.”

Before the crash, Aparicio had been saving to watch Federer play at Wimbledon. He says he still hopes to watch him play live.

“I want to see his match before he retires, perhaps his 18th slam,” Aparicio said. “It would be the dream of my life.”

According to Spanish site Punto de Break, Aparicio’s mother Rosario never gave up hope her son would one day wake.

“It was a very hard blow for everyone but we never stopped believing this day would come,” Rosario said.

“Every night I spoke in his ear and told him I was there with him.”

Date: 22nd September 2015, Source: Tennis World USA and News AU

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Federer finishes off plucky Dutch in quick time

Against all the odds we had a proper Davis Cup tie here. By rights the under-strength Dutch team should have been heading home on Saturday evening, mentally if not physically, but instead they tenaciously hung around to bring the best out of the reigning Davis Cup champion and Roger Federer in particular.

Thiemo de Bakker, the Dutch No. 1, had taken Stan Wawrinka, the world No. 4, close to defeat in the opening rubber and it set the tone for a never-say-die performance from the visiting team. And then the Dutch effort hit the buffers, or, to be more precise, a Roger Federer in the sort of imperious form that had taken him to the final of the recent US Open.

Whether it was Federer’s last Davis Cup tie remains to be seen, but clearly his involvement next year is doubtful, which is a pity because a fully committed Swiss team should be too good for anyone.

“I don't know yet if I play Davis Cup next year, depends also on the draw. My idea was never to win it twice, the idea was always to win it once and we did that in front of a record crowd, which was a great moment for us all,” Federer told DavisCup.com.

“I see this tie in isolation. Next year is an Olympic year. The summer will be very long and packed with highlights. It’s all a question of priorities. I can’t play everything and of course if I do play Davis Cup other things have to drop out.”

Jesse Huta Galung, the Dutch No. 2, had said on Friday that playing Federer was like playing a ghost and the world No. 2 has certainly proved an elusive figure for de Bakker on the few occasions they have met these past three years. Once again he failed to win a set against him as Federer, seemingly in second gear throughout, took the rubber and this World Group play-off with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Federer improved to 40-8 lifetime in singles rubbers for Switzerland.

Date: 20th September 2015, Source: Davis Cup and ATP

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Dutch duo stun Swiss to halve deficit

Surely a Davis Cup champion is not meant to struggle like this, not against seriously weakened opposition. The odds are still heavily on Switzerland pulling through this Davis Cup World Group play-off, but their Dutch opponents are making them fight every inch of the way.

Before this tie began, Jan Siemerink, the Netherlands captain, said he expected his team to lose but if they did he wanted them to go down fighting. They have not disappointed him. Indeed it would be no stretch of the imagination to say that the Dutch could now be 2-1 up instead of 2-1 down.

Thiemo de Bakker had led Stanislas Wawrinka for much of the three hours and nine minutes of the opening rubber on Friday only to falter when in sight of the finish. He was not about to make the same mistake a second time in the doubles on Saturday.

At two sets to one down it was the reverse of his singles match, but this time, alongside Matwe Middelkoop, he showed a steady nerve as well as great resilience to beat Roger Federer and Marco Chiudinelli 7-6(7), 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and take this tie to the final day. Middelkoop and de Bakker saved 11 of 13 break points.

The fact that it was the first time the two Swiss players had played together in the Davis Cup was no excuse; de Bakker and Middelkoop had never played together at all. “The first time,” said Middelkoop. “And the last time,” joked de Bakker.

“We knew before that our type of game is really comfortable with each other,” said the 32-year-old Middelkoop, who was enjoying his finest moment on a tennis court. “We both have good serves, good returns and that made up really well for the match - I think the end result is great. To win against Roger, yeah that’s special.”

The Swiss team had all agreed that the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold-medal winning partnership of Federer and Wawrinka should be temporarily broken up in order to give the latter some much needed rest, but if Switzerland is to win this tie in four rubbers perhaps it might have been more advisable to rest Federer.

The great man has a slight leg strain which needed massage at the end of the third set, but should be fit to face de Bakker, against whom he has not dropped a set in three matches, in the first of Sunday’s reverse singles. Also, of course, de Bakker has now played 10 sets of tennis in 48 hours.

Questioned on why he also took a break at the end of the fourth set, Federer replied: “You have to go to the toilet because you just don’t sweat enough in doubles.”

Mind you, it was getting pretty sweaty for the Swiss in the fifth set - “a blistering fifth set”, as the Dutch captain called it - with his players racing to a 5-0 lead in winning seven consecutive games.

There had been little to separate the two sides for the first four sets, although Switzerland’s first serve percentage clearly let them down in the first set - 54 per cent as against the Netherlands’s 74 per cent. They picked up that percentage dramatically in the second set and by the end of the third seemed to be taking control, but the Dutch were not going to go away.

“I think we played very well for four sets,” said Federer. “They had a good tiebreaker and a good 10 minutes at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth and they deserved victory in the end. Indoor doubles is brutal, it’s very close, plus the surface plays rather quickly, especially in the doubles.”

Federer is scheduled to meet de Bakker in Sunday's first reserve singles, with Wawrinka playing Huta Galung in the fifth rubber.

Date: 19th September 2015, Source: Davis Cup and ATP

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Federer and Wawrinka propel Swiss ahead

This was one of those occasions when the scoreline doesn’t tell half the story. If the form book was a reliable guide - which thankfully in Davis Cup it often isn’t - the Dutch fans would have left the Palexpo Arena with red faces to go with their orange shirts.

Instead they came away glowing with pride over their team’s performance on the opening day of this World Group play-off, particularly that of Thiemo de Bakker, who was not so very far away from giving his team a shock lead in the opening rubber.

De Bakker led by 3-0 and two sets to one against the two-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka only to “lose my head a bit for a while”, as he put it, in the fifth set, enabling a much relieved Wawrinka to prevail 2-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours and nine minutes.

“I played a great match, but at this moment I’m still a bit sad that I didn’t take the match - I had my chances,” said de Bakker. “It’s tough. I lost my focus in the fourth set and lost nine games in a row, I think. Still had small chances, but he’s a great player and he kept going.”

After that it would have taken a brave Swiss fan to predict with utmost certainty that his country would lead 2-0 at the end of the opening day, but of course Roger Federer seldom fails them and he came through as expected 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 against Jesse Huta Galung, a player who with a ranking of No. 436 obviously comes from a rather different world to the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

“He’s doing everything different,” said Huta Galung of Federer. “He moves so fast on the court - if you don’t look for a second to the other side he’s on the net, he’s like a ghost.”

For a few minutes, though, at the start of the fourth set of the opening rubber it was the Davis Cup champion who was looking haunted.

While de Bakker left the recent US Open almost before the tournament had started, losing in straight sets in the first round of qualifying, his Swiss opponent had gone all the way to the semi-finals only to lose to his compatriot Federer. Only a week ago de Bakker lost in straight sets in the first round of a Challenger event. Who’d be a tennis pundit?

However, Jan Siemerink, the Dutch captain, had warned that de Bakker on his day can be a handful for anyone and that the Swiss were well aware of that fact. He was not wrong. De Bakker broke Wawrinka in the opening game and never looked back, well, for the next three hours or so he didn’t. He might now.

His aim was to come to the net and take away time from the world No. 4 and it was a tactic that worked wonderfully well for the most part. It even took Federer by surprise, never mind Wawrinka.

“We knew he had potential and could be dangerous, but he changed his game up and served and volleyed a lot, which was not maybe to be expected because he also likes to stay at the baseline,” said Federer. “I think he did as well as he could, probably should have won at the end, but Stan got a sniff and showed why he’s a top four player.”

How much Wawrinka’s exertions at the US Open played a part in proceedings is difficult to say, but certainly his timing, length of shot and first serve were often horribly awry. The fact that he was unable to summon a smile at the finish said all that one needed to know about how satisfied he was with his performance.

To his credit he stuck to his task and like all good players ground out a victory while playing poorly. Some players would have thrown in the towel at the start of the fourth set and said to himself, “Roger will get us back into it”. Not Wawrinka.

From 3-0 down in that fourth set he shook off the jet lag, weariness or whatever it was that had made him look like a rookie at times to win nine games on the trot, enabling him to square the match at two sets all and take a commanding lead in the fifth set.

“I just tried to stay positive, tried to fight and find a solution, tried to make him play more,” said Wawrinka. “I know how well he can play, how well he can serve. He hasn’t had a lot of big matches lately and I thought he might tire. He looked nervous in the fourth set and started to miss easy balls.”

Credit de Bakker, too, for not giving up when he must have felt the tide was turning against him in the final set, breaking back to level at 3-3. Serving first in the set was definitely an advantage for Wawrinka, but De Bakker took it to the wire and then some.

The Dutch couldn’t hide their disappointment, though. “I’m not saying he had to win this match,” said Siemerink, “but he had an opportunity to get into the position to win it. At the end of the day, we’re all sportsmen, we’re not coming here for holidays, we’re coming here for a good result and in the first match a good result was possible.”

Date: 18th September 2015, Source: Davis Cup

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Federer: "It is unlikely I will play the Davis Cup in 2016"

Roger Federer, back from the US Open final, will play the upcoming Davis Cup play-off against Netherlands to stay in the World Group: "We are confident because we have Stan in the team. We are the same team of last year. A strong team. And then we play on the court in which we won the semi-finals and quarter-finals last year. This is why we are clearly favourites.

"Then we have the support of the crowd. We hope there will be many fans. For us, it's great to get so much support from the crowd. Being able to play again in Geneva with the same team of last year, with Stan and Seve is great. Also we don't know how things will go. No one knows. It could be the last home match for a long time."

For how long, will we see him play in the Davis Cup: "I don't see this challenge as a farewell. In another scenario, I would have stopped to play Davis Cup in Lille. I played with this thought, but I knew it wouldn't be so, because of Olympics. It may be that I will continue to play in the Davis Cup, but next year it will certainly be difficult. May be at the end of 2016 or in 2017. There is still time to decide.

"I understand that I have to give answers, but I don't know where you play the next challenge. Cilic is in Brazil, Nadal is in Denmark and we are in Geneva, so this time we are lucky. Davis Cup makes everything uncertain and it is not easy to plan.

"I like to be organized, but I'm also willing to change. However, it is difficult to win the Davis Cup, becoming number one, winning a grand slam title and winning the Masters 1000. And then be criticized if I lose in the final in Dubai. I can't please everyone. It was always a goal to win the Davis Cup. Now that we have it done we are ready to do it again,"  said the Swiss Maestro.

Date: 18th September 2015, Source: Tennis World USA

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Federer: "I play for these huge moments but I should have done better"

“It was a tough night, but still thrilling at the same time. Surely I am very disappointed,” admitted Roger Federer on the heels of his tough 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Novak Djokovic at the US Open on Sunday. “I had my chances on my racquet. But Novak did a great job of fending them off. It was a great battle, and I'm happy the people stayed after the rain delay and that they were right there when I needed them to the very, very end.”

“The crowd support kept me going, and that's definitely one of the reasons I still keep playing, because of these goose bump moments,” said Federer. “It's great. The crowd was unbelievable tonight. Was it better than ever? Possibly. Was it louder than ever? Maybe. It was unreal.

“It's just so nice to feel that they want you to get back in the match, and that they want you to win,” added the five-time US Open champion. “They enjoy what they're seeing. Feels like they're getting their money's worth.”

Since the abolition of the Challenge rounds at the US Championships (1912) and Wimbledon (1922), only six men have won six or more titles at the same Grand Slam tournament. Federer was aiming to become the first man to win six or more titles at two different Grand Slam events.

The boisterous New York fans may have helped Federer obtain 23 break opportunities, but they must have been disheartened to see the World No. 2 only convert on four of those chances against Djokovic in the pair’s 14th Grand Slam encounter, which sets a new record for most meetings at the majors.

“I had too many break chances,” said Federer. “Of course some of them I could have done better, should have done better. Djokovic didn't give me much, that's for sure, but still I should have done better.”

With the loss, Federer fell to 21-21 against Djokovic in their ATP Head to Head rivalry. He will go another calendar year since winning Wimbledon in 2012 without a Grand Slam title, but the 34 year old was happy about making the US Open final for the first time since 2009 (l. to Del Potro) and putting together a solid showing against the top-ranked player in the world. A victory would have made Federer the first player in the Open Era to win six US Open titles and the oldest US Open champion since 35-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1970.

“I think in best-of-five-set matches, ones that exceed two-and-a-half, three-and-a-half hours, you go through some ups and downs naturally,” observed Federer. “You can't play two perfect points every single time. Naturally you're going to have to battle.

“That's when you learn a lot about your game, about your attitude, about your fitness. This is, I think, the longest match I have played all season. It was very interesting to see how I coped with it. I'm very happy I had no problems, and I'm happy I'm putting in the hard work aside from the matches, because the matches I have played this year have been really quick. I won't see another best-of-five match in some time except for next weekend,” said Federer, who is slated to play in the Swiss Davis Cup World Group playoff tie against the Netherlands, which starts Friday. “I'm happy that I'm able to stay at a great level of play for a long period of time, because I'm match tough and I have worked very hard in the off-season.”

Looking at the rest of the season, Federer will have two titles to defend (Shanghai and Basel), and will attempt to win a seventh ATP World Tour Finals.

“I am playing a good year,” said Federer, who defeated Andy Murray and Djokovic back-to-back en route to the Cincinnati title before the US Open. “I am happy with where my level is at. I'm able to beat the best players regularly. Cincinnati obviously was a great feeling beating the World No. 1 and World No. 2 in the same week. I don't think I have done that before. I lost too many times in finals this season. But at the same time, I did win my tournaments, the ones I was supposed to. The year is not over yet. I usually do have strong finishes to the season, and I hope I can do that again.”

Federer's coach, Stefan Edberg, figures an 18th major title is still not out of reach, even though no one Federer's age has won the U.S. Open since 1970.

“You still cannot count him out,” Edberg said. “If he keeps playing at this level, he'll get another shot.”

Djokovic gave credit to the 34-year-old Federer, stating that “I have to share my admiration for Roger and everything he is doing for tennis. He is still improving and keeps on going. I have tremendous respect for Roger and what his game presents to me and any other player, for everything he has ever achieved. Roger showed why he's a champion, making me play to the last point. He's never going to drop his level. I need to produce my best level against him and that's what was needed from me to win this trophy. We pushed each other to the limit as we always do. It was a huge relief when I saw that forehand return go out.”

Date: 14th September 2015, Source: ATP, AFP and AP

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Federer will face Djokovic in dream US Open final

Second seed Roger Federer has set a clash against Novak Djokovic in what will be his first US Open final in six years after defeating countryman Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 32 minutes. It will be Federer and Djokovic's 42nd meeting.

“I’m very happy, it’s been a great tournament so far,” Federer said in an on-court interview with ESPN. “I tried very hard in the last six years to get to another final, I came close a few times and tonight it worked against Stan, who also played a good tournament.”

The second seed described his current form as “definitely very good, maybe my best.” “I’m serving very well, playing positive tennis. I am going for my shots and I’d love everything to work just one more time this year.”

The semi-final marked the Swiss pair's 20^th career meeting, sixth at a Grand Slam and first at the US Open. Five-time champion Federer extended his ATP Head to Head lead over Wawrinka to 17-3 and his record at majors against the younger Swiss is now 5-1.

Federer saved a break point in the second game and proceeded to break Wawrinka in the following game after the 30-year-old Swiss sent a backhand long. The second-seeded Federer saved three more break points from 3-2 0/40, sealing the game with an ace.  He converted his second set point as a Wawrinka forehand sailed long.

In the second set, Wawrinka found his first serve and saved four break points in the fifth game, before being broken to love in the seventh. He gave up the second set after sending a forehand long. Federer broke twice in the third set before converting his second match point with his 10th ace of the night.

“It's playing really fast,” Wawrinka said of Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I didn't play my best game, didn't serve well and everything. But basically it's him, the way he's playing.

“He's moving really well, for sure. As I said before playing him, I saw him in Cincinnati, I think he's quite fast on the court. He's reading well the game, and so he's trying really to stay on the line, not to go back; stay really aggressive. He's serving really well, also. He's serving better than I’ve ever seen him serve.

“For me tonight he's getting more angles. It's more tough to really serve and to make something from.”

In a warning for top seed Novak Djokovic - the man he beat in the final to win his second major at Roland Garros this year - Wawrinka said Federer was playing at a different level since his defeat in the Wimbledon decider. “It is the best that I saw him play since a few years, that's for sure,” Wawrinka said. “But if you look at him - I think the second part from the year, after Wimbledon, he is starting already at the different level.

“He came back to Cincinnati at a completely different level. Here also. If you look at the first part of the year he was playing good, made the final at Wimbledon ... If you look now, if he keeps this level, he's going to be tough to beat.”

Federer’s 52 games lost this year at Flushing Meadows ties the fewest he’s dropped en route to a Grand Slam final. Before the 2006 Wimbledon final he had also lost 52 games. The Swiss No. 1 is also on a 28-set winning streak, which began in Cincinnati, the third-longest of his career.

The 34-year-old Federer, who is the oldest Grand Slam semi-finalist since Jonas Bjorkman reached the final four at Wimbledon in 2006, is also the oldest Open Era Grand Slam finalist since Andre Agassi, then 35, reached the final at Flushing Meadows in 2005. He'll next meet top seed Novak Djokovic, over whom he has a 21-20 ATP Head to Head lead.

Federer said both he and Djokovic don't need to adjust their games before they battle. “It's just a straight shootout, and I think that's the cool thing about our rivalry. It's very athletic, we both can handle whatever we present to one another and I think our matches are very even,” said the 17-time major winner, adding that if the crowd is in his favor, it could give him both energy and momentum. “That could swing the match a little bit, but other than that, obviously Novak is a great player... you've got to play well to beat him, there is no question about that.”

“We we all know how consistent Roger is and how good he is in the latter stages of a Grand Slams and any other big tournament,” said Djokovic, a nine-time major winner.

“He's always going to perform on a high level. Rarely he drops his level. He always makes you play your best.

“I know that he's also lately being very aggressive coming to the net, mixing up, and trying to shorten out the points. I think also he improved his speed. His defensive game is better than it was. Maybe healthier.”

Date: 12th September 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer sets Wawrinka showdown at US Open

Roger Federer remains in the hunt for an Open Era-record sixth US Open title after dismantling 12^th seed Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.

The battle, which counted World No. 1 Andre Agassi and celebrities Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon and Alec Baldwin among its onlookers, lasted 1 hour and 27 minutes.

In the opening set, Gasquet saved three set points at 2-5, 0/40 before the second-seeded Federer converted the first on his own serve in the next game, with a cross-court forehand winner. In the third game of the second set, Federer seized a break point with an inside-out forehand winner. He claimed the set when Gasquet landed his second double fault of the match.

The 29 year-old Gasquet gave up an early break in the third set as a forehand sailed long, and though he fended off one match point, he wasn't able to do the same on the second. Federer amassed a total of 50 winners, including 16 aces, to Gasquet's eight.

The victory allowed the Swiss to maintain his hard court dominance over the Frenchman, extending his lead to 9-0. Overall, Federer improved his ATP Head to Head record over Gasquet to 14-3.

"I think I played a very good match, I felt the ball great from the return and it helped playing Isner in the previous round and seeing those massive serves," said Federer. "This is going to help me also physically and mentally save energy; I hope because of that, I can play better in the semi-finals," he added.

Federer, who is yet to drop a set at this year’s US Open, next meets countryman and fifth seed Stan Wawrinka. Federer has a 16-3 ATP Head to Head record over his 30-year-old compatriot.

"Stan played wonderfully against me in Paris and I was happy for him that he won the title. He really deserved it," said Federer.

"He's improved a lot and I couldn't be happier to play him here. "It’s two Swiss in the semis of the US Open, it's very cool for the both of us and I'm looking forward to it," said Federer, who will on Friday contest his 38th major semi-final.

"I believe Stan can bring it. That's my number one focus, that I make it as hard as possible for him to beat me. Personally I'm very happy with where my game is at, it's just a matter of keeping it up and adjusting to Stan now," said Federer. "Looking forward to playing him, because he definitely is a big test and a big challenge for me," he added.

The father of two sets of twins, he said sleeping is also a big part of his preparation.

"Sleeping has become quite important. I make sure I sleep enough, as well," he said.

"I believe it's really the sleep that gives you energy again down the road. That's why the next two days are very important for me in terms of sleeping."

"Roger is playing really well here so I will need to be at my best. I will try to play my game, to play really aggressive. I’ll try to push him back. I will have to play really, really fast, to be the aggressive player, if I want to have a chance to beat him. He's had some amazing matches and I know it will be a big challenge but I think I'm ready," said Wawrinka of his compatriot.

Date: 10th September 2015, Source: ATP and Reuters

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Federer qualifies for 2015 ATP World Tour Finals

Roger Federer has punched his ticket to the ATP World Tour Finals after reaching the US Open quarter-finals on Monday night in New York. Federer, who will break his own record with a 14^th successive appearance, joins Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in the elite eight-man field at the season finale, to be held at The O2 in London from 15-22 November. He will be looking to win his seventh crown.

The 34-year-old Swiss is the most successful player to compete at the ATP World Tour Finals, compiling a 48-11 record and claiming a record six titles in 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11.

Stan Wawrinka, this year's Roland Garros champion, Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych, two-time former finalist Rafael Nadal and 2007 runner-up David Ferrer all feature in the Top 8 of the ATP Race To London standings, bidding to join Djokovic, Murray and Federer with five singles spots left up for grabs.

"It's a great feeling to be able to qualify so early," Federer said. "I can't believe it has been 14 years in a row and I look forward to returning to London in November.  The atmosphere there is truly amazing."

Federer has captured five ATP World Tour titles this season, including victory at the Western and Southern Open, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati two weeks before the US Open, where he beat Djokovic in the final. His other four trophies came at the Brisbane International (d. Raonic), the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (d. Djokovic), the TEP BNP Paribas Istanbul Open (d. Cuevas) and at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle (d. Seppi).

The right-hander was also runner-up to Djokovic in the Wimbledon final and at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Rome.

Date: 9th September 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer beats Isner to reach quarter-finals

Roger Federer defeated John Isner 7-6(0), 7-6(6), 7-5 on Monday night in the fourth round of the US Open. Bearing down against the big-serving American, Federer struck 55 winners and only made 16 unforced errors while saving all five break points faced.

“John is one of the best servers in the game,” said Federer during his post-match on-court interview with ESPN. “Especially the pace on his second serve, it’s unreal. You just have to hang around and not drop your own serve. I guess that was the key to the match.”

In his first set, Federer came up empty on three break opportunities, but raised his game at a critical moment to sweep Isner 7/0 in the tie-break. Prior to the match, Isner had never been shut out in 428 tour-level tie-breaks contested (272-156).

“I think it started with a good pickup by me,” reflected Federer. “He hit and charged the net so I had to hit a tough pass. Then I served really well, had a few looks on his second serves and had perfect timing on them. You have to get a bit lucky to win a tie-break 7/0 against John, but as long as you win the tie-break, the score doesn’t really matter.”

Federer has not lost to an American at the US Open since falling to Andre Agassi in the fourth round in 2001 (14-1 overall). The Swiss used his experience to escape a 0/40 deficit on serve in the second set to force another tie-break, which he won after going 2/4 down.

“At 0/40 down I thought the set could be getting away in a hurry, but I just tried to make him earn it,” Federer said. “I was hoping to get some first serves in. I did that and the next thing you know, you’re back in the game. It was clearly a crucial game, the way we were serving.”

The five-time champion, aged 34, joins fellow 30-and-over players Feliciano Lopez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals. There have not been four quarter-finalists who are 30 years or older at the US Open since 1982 (Jimmy Connors, Tom Gullikson, Guillermo Vilas and Kim Warwick).

Federer will take on Richard Gasquet in the quarter-finals. The World No. 2 holds a 14-2 lead in the ATP Head to Head series, and is 2-0 against the Frenchman at Grand Slam level (Wimbledon 2006 and 2007) and has not lost to him since 2011. But the Swiss is expecting a stern challenge from Gasquet, who is looking to reach his second Grand Slam semi-final in a row after making the final four at Wimbledon (l. to Djokovic).

“I'm not sure if I've seen Gasquet play as well as he is right now,” said Federer of the Frenchman, who rallied from a set down to beat Tomas Berdych in the fourth round on Monday.

“I really like the way he played in Wimbledon, and also now here. I haven't seen that much. But the matches I saw that he played against Stan and Novak at Wimbledon were impressive. He had a good attitude. He was fighting. Good shot selection. It was nice.

“Now he's backing it up. I'm sure he gained confidence from Wimbledon. That's why I expect it to be tougher than maybe in previous years against him or previous times. I feel like this could be one of the tougher Gasquets I've played in previous years, so I expect it to be difficult.”

Gasquet booked his place in the final eight by overcoming a slow start against Tomas Berdych, ultimately winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1. The World No. 12 was broken twice by the Czech in the first set, but saved the next four break points to win in two hours and 27 minutes.

Date: 8th September 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer reveals how the SABR return was born

Roger Federer advanced into the 4th round of the US Open after beating Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets. The Swiss once again came very soon after to press, possibly keen to use the good weather in New York to organize a family day.

Speaking to the media, Roger also told the story of how his SABR return was born in Cincinnati. SABR stands for "Sneaky Attack By Roger" for those who didn't know it yet, and consists on the Swiss moving forward close to the service box to hit the return as soon as the ball bounces to then take the net and close with a volley. It is an aggressive version of the commonly known Chip and Charge.

Roger revealed the story of how the shot was born in Cincinnati to the media in New York.

"So when I arrived in Cincinnati, I arrived, I don't know what time it was, maybe after lunchtime, and then I went for a hit. It was Benoit Paire. He had like an ear problem. I was tired from jet lag. We were tired and practicing on center court, which was great.

It was on a Saturday or on a Friday I don't remember. I had a chance to hit the court for at least one hour.

But that time I was very tired and he was tired, and at the end we said, Well, let's still play some games just because it feels like it's the right thing to do.

I was going to stop already, but Severin told me to play a few games to get used to the conditions. I said, Whatever. Let's play some games.

And, yeah, at the end we were just kidding around almost, and that's when I said, Okay, I'm going to chip and charge and just keep the points short. I'm tired. I want to get off the court soon anyway. That's when I started to run in and hit returns. I hit a couple for a winner. They were like ridiculous. He laughed, I laughed, Severin laughed.

Then I did it again in the next practice just to see if it actually would still work again. Then I tried it the next practice and it still worked. That's what Severin said, Well, what about using it in a match? I was like, Really?

So he pushed me to keep using it and not shy away from using it on big moments, and not just because you don't know how you look with a full stadium. He was actually the one who pushed, you know, pushed me to it.

And because we were always talking about that tactic, as well, we sort of came up with that name, you, know, sneak attack by Roger, ^ saber. I don't know. Call it Fed attack, call it whatever you want, but I thought it was kind of funny.

And, yeah, today again it worked a couple of times. I didn't get that many second serves when I thought I could use it, but moving forward it's an option. Clearly I'm very happy it worked so well in Cincy."

Date: 6th September 2015, Source: Tennis World USA

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Federer to face Isner in US Open fourth round

Roger Federer needed just one hour and 33 minutes to dispatch Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday at the US Open.

The second seed advanced to the Round of 16 in New York for the 15th consecutive year, extending his ATP Head to Head series to a perfect 10-0 against the German. Federer fired 27 winners including five aces, while converting on five of eight break chances.

He conceded his first break of serve since Wimbledon, when Kohlschreiber broke to love in the fourth game of the second set. Federer had held in 78 consecutive service games in Cincinnati and the US Open combined. He improved to 19-0 against Germans at Grand Slams since falling to Tommy Haas at the 2002 Australian Open, and is just six match wins from becoming the first player to claim 300 at the Grand Slam level (294-48).

"Today I got off with a good start and held my serve throughout the first set," said Federer. "Then, I lost a little bit on my serve. There was hardly any rallies anymore. I couldn't play as many rallies as I was hoping to, especially on the return games, because I thought he was doing a good job doing the 1-2 punch. Then that's not much rhythm, to be quite honest.

"I think because of my serve and no rhythm, I might have gotten broken as well a couple of times in sets two and three. It's exactly those kind of matches I need to win. Especially if I drop serve, I still find a way and I don't want to say comfortably, but I get maybe a little bit lucky at times. When I had the opportunities I was effective again. I think I won the big points better than he did today. He's a quality player, so at the end of the day it's a really, really good win for me."

The Swiss continues his bid for a sixth title at Flushing Meadows when he tangles with John Isner in Monday's fourth round. No. 13 seed Isner advanced when Jiri Vesely retired down 6-3, 6-4 with a neck injury. The top American hammered 46 winners, including 21 aces.

Federer owns a 4-1 advantage against Isner, but this will be their first encounter since the 2012 Summer Olympics. The second seed won their most recent hard-court meeting in the '12 Indian Wells final, while Isner's lone victory came on clay in the Davis Cup first round earlier that year.

"He's got the power. He's so tall, he finds the impossible angles for us," Federer said of the American's serve. "And has a great second serve as well. I need to make sure I protect my own serve. Part of trying to beat him is just to stay with him."

"It's focusing point by point," he said. "Understand the percentages, what has and hasn't worked so well throughout the match.

"In the beginning you try to find the rhythm. Then once you found it, how much do you mix up speeds and slices and big serves to keep him off balance.

"I tend to like the body serve as well," added the Swiss tactician. "Sometimes against John maybe that's not a bad play just because he's very long."

Isner will hope to notch his seventh Top 5 win and equal his best result at his home Grand Slam, having previously advanced to the quarter-finals in 2011 (l. to Murray).

"It's going to be fun," Isner said about facing Federer. "It's what I work so hard for, to get an opportunity like this. On Monday I'm going to have fun with it. At the same time, I'm going to go out there and believe that I can win the match.

"I'm playing well. Definitely conserved a lot of energy. I'll be able to leave it all out there on Monday, win or lose. A lot of times I play long matches, but I have been on and off the court pretty quickly my first three matches. That bodes well for me. Same goes for him, but he's generally in that position. I'm going to go out there and roll the dice."

Date: 5th September 2015, Source: ATP and Reuters

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Federer gives Hewitt the highest accolades at US Open send-off

After bowing out of the US Open in a grinding defeat at the hands of Bernard Tomic, Lleyton Hewitt has received the highest accolades from one of tennis’ top performers.

World No.2 Roger Federer had a lot to say about the Australian he had come up against on numerous occasions, including the US Open final in 2004.

“He was a big challenge in my career. To understand how in the world can you be so tough physically and mentally at such a young age, it was for me an impossible thing to understand,” Federer said.

“He changed the game to some extent. I think he can be very proud of that because he was the player who just wouldn’t miss, the best counter-puncher we’d ever seen at that point. He would just grind you down, you would attack him and he would pass you. He would do it time and time and time and time again, it was just fascinating to see.”

“I think he really changed things around and showed me how it's done. He made me work harder in practice, get my act together on the court, play tough but fair.”

The veteran Aussie, who is due to retire from professional tennis following next year’s Australian Open, showed he belongs among the world’s classiest players in his response to the Swiss’ praise.

“Everything that he can do on a tennis court, it’s second to none. I’ve had a lot of practice sessions before every major tournament the last couple years with Roger and I’ve really enjoyed that as well,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt, the singles performer, made a most fitting US Open farewell with a gallant 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, 7-5 second-round loss to Tomic. Following the match, the former Wimbledon champion reflected on his 16-year Open career.

“The night matches are always special,” he said.

“That’s probably the biggest difference to a lot of the other tournaments. When you play at night here, great atmosphere here, obviously 23,000, 24,000 people. You really feel like you are the showtime, prime-time match.

“When I beat Juan Martin del Potro in the second round in five sets (in 2012), I came back from a foot surgery and didn’t know if I’d have the opportunity to compete out there on the centre stage against those guys again.

“To beat another former winner here in the night match, that was probably, apart from winning it, one of my biggest ones.

“Obviously my first breakthrough year in 2000 of making the semis in singles and winning the doubles the year before I won it. This has always been result-wise one of my more successful slams.” Hewitt had two match points on Thursday night to add to the legend.

But for the sixth five-setter in a row, stretching back to his mighty win over del Potro, the veteran was unable to close it out.

“I felt like once I got to the fifth, if I could have broken that first game as well, I could have really opened it up,” he said.

“Bernie’s got such an easy serve, though; he hits his spots well. He was able to do it in that first game from love-40 down.

“That sort of just kept the momentum going for him there. If I was able to break it open early in the fifth... but then obviously had 15-40 at 5-3. He was kind of in that mood of just going for everything. Couple of shots went in.

“The first backhand he hit, hit the tape. Went for a winner. The next one I felt like I scrambled as much as I could have. He was sort of just redlining on every shot.”

Date: 5th September 2015, Source: AAP

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Federer express rushes to US Open third round

Roger Federer has moved through to the third round of the US Open in a canter, making light work of Steve Darcis 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 on Thursday night. The five-time champion needed just 80 minutes to see off the Belgian’s challenge on Arthur Ashe Stadium and has not been broken now in his past 72 service games.

Coming into his first career meeting with his 31-year-old opponent, Federer had claimed his seventh ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati title. After his first-round victory over Leonardo Mayer at Flushing Meadows, he has now won his past seven matches.

“I was able to mix it up, was attacking, was also staying back some. I was pretty much all-out attack as much as I could,” Federer said. “Obviously I have to manage that against different players when the scoreline isn't maybe so one-sided.

“Very often I started this tournament quite strong. It's always gone quite well for me," said Federer.

“I've always enjoyed conditions here, the balls, the speed of the court, the atmosphere in the arena. It's always worked very well for me. I think this is another good year.”

Federer finished the match with 11 aces, winning 86 per cent of first-serve points and clocked 46 winners to Darcis’ eight. He won 19 of the 29 points he ventured to net. The mix of serve-volleying and chip-and-charging was a tactic he had brought back to his game.

“It would be nice to see more players doing it ’cause I think the mix of the different players and characters of those kind of players makes it cool and fun to watch,” Federer said. “Not that these unbelievable baseline rallies are not cool, but it is nice to see a guy at net and a guy trying to pass, a good net player. It's always been a fantastic thing, like Sampras and Agassi is one of those classics, or McEnroe and Borg. It was epic to watch those guys play against each other.

“I've always actually enjoyed that kind of a play. I'm obviously clearly quite happy that I'm able to bring it back to some extent and that it's actually working.”

Only twice had Darcis beaten a Top 10 player in the ATP Rankings - Tomas Berdych at the London 2012 Olympics and his most famous win against Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2013. Federer would not be his third on Thursday. It was uphill from the get-go. Darcis was broken three times to concede the opening set in just 22 minutes.

Forced into error on the forehand side he relinquished the double break in the second to hand the World No. 2 the set, 6-2. In cruise control, Federer ran away with the third set, sealing the match with a forehand winner to set up a third-round meeting with No. 29 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The German posted a comprehensive 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2 victory over Czech Lukas Rosol. Kohschreiber hit 29 winners and won 84 per cent of first-serve points in the 113-minute encounter. He has never beaten Federer in nine previous attempts.

Date: 4th September 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer races through US Open first round

World No. 2 Roger Federer dismissed Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in a US Open first-round clash he had been very wary of since the draw was made.

The Swiss recalled his battle with Mayer from the Shanghai Rolex Masters last year, where Mayer had five match points, as one of the “luckiest” matches he has ever won, and feared a difficult contest with the Argentine at Flushing Meadows.

But Federer was untroubled against Mayer in the final match of the Arthur Ashe Stadium day session, cruising into the second round in just 77 minutes. The right-hander hit 29 winners to just 13 unforced errors and broke serve six times.

"You just don't know how these matches are played out," said Federer. "Looking ahead, it definitely looked like a very tough draw in the first round. For me, anyways. But then again, today was much faster than Shanghai. It's a different place and different conditions. It allowed me to play fast-court tennis against him, which wasn't really the case in Shanghai. Plus I wasn't quite sure how conditions were there. The ball was flat and wasn't bouncing at all.

"I'm playing very well at the moment. Playing with confidence. Got off to a good start. Then the match obviously can be very different... I feel good now. I actually wasn't so confident yesterday and today. I just felt like maybe could be one of those matches I couldn't see it coming."

The 34-year-old Federer came into his 16^th US Open appearance hot on the heels of his 87^th tour-level title victory in Cincinnati two weeks ago (d. Djokovic). The Basel native is bidding to win his 18^th major title and first since beating Andy Murray in the 2012 Wimbledon final. He is a five-time former champion at Flushing Meadows and has a 72-10 tournament record.

Date: 1st September 2015, Source: ATP

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