Federer's new coaching collaboration not a surprise, says Annacone

As Roger Federer's coach at Wimbledon in 2012, Paul Annacone remains the last man to have guided the Swiss to a Grand Slam singles title, and he has as good an understanding as anyone as to how the player thinks and operates.

The Californian has told Wimbledon.com how Federer's long-standing friendship with his new coach Ivan Ljubicic will allow them to have a "successful partnership", which could mean adding to his 17 majors. "Roger and Ivan know each other really well and have spent a lot of time together as fellow competitors and as friends, and that's only going to help them. I expect any changes that Ivan makes to Roger's game are going to be subtle stuff. But those small, subtle changes can have the biggest impact at the right moments," said Annacone, who disclosed that he was not all surprised that Federer's collaboration with Stefan Edberg came to an end this month after two years together.

"I don't think that Roger and Stefan ever planned on a long relationship. I think they always knew that they had a fairly finite amount of time together," Annacone said of Federer's association with his childhood idol from Sweden, which brought appearances in the 2014 and 2015 Wimbledon finals.

"They had a really successful run, with Roger reaching three slam finals, at Wimbledon in 2014 and at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015, and in all three of those matches he ran into a guy, Novak Djokovic, who was playing some phenomenal tennis. I think Stefan had a great impact, and I think he just didn't want to travel so much any more. These are two of the nicest guys on the tennis tour, if not two of the nicest guys on the planet, and I would think that the reason that they didn't continue was about the travel and also the finite amount of time they were dealing with."

Annacone's analysis is that Severin Luthi, who has long been part of Federer's team, will be instrumental in enabling Ljubicic and Federer to prosper. "Severin is still there, and he is going to be the glue that holds things together. I think Severin will play a really important role in helping speed up the learning curve, and in making sure that Roger and Ivan are going to be just fine," said Annacone, who has also coached Pete Sampras and Tim Henman.

"An underrated force in the game," is how Annacone described Luthi. "Probably people should be talking about Severin a bit more, I would say so. It's easier for people to gravitate towards big, prominent coaching names, and to talk about them. Severin doesn't have a huge name but he plays a huge role. I know that without Severin there I would have really struggled at the beginning. He really helped to make the transition easy for me and also easy for Roger. Severin is a wealth of information. He does a great job, and he'll have as much impact as he has in the past," Annacone said.

"First of all, he knows Roger better than anyone else. He's been with him for a long time, and that helps. And also he knows the game really well. A lot of the value that he brings is the combination of those two things - that he knows the game and the person. Because he knows both very well, he is able to give Roger very clear instruction and a clear evaluation of what's going on. He does that really easily. And then Roger is able to digest that information and instruction really quickly and adjust as needed, and that's really helpful."

Naturally, Federer is fuelled by an ambition to win another major. But Annacone disclosed that a pure love of the sport is also propelling Federer to great things in his mid-thirties. "You prioritise your goals, and I would imagine that winning another major is right at the top of Roger's list. But Roger enjoys the process and journey so much that he enjoys winning any title, and he enjoys playing and competing around the world. So I think that's probably the main reason why he's so successful, that he still enjoys the game."

Date: 22nd December 2015, Source: Wimbledon

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Federer talks about new coach Ljubicic

World number three Roger Federer said Saturday he is looking forward to working with his new-generation coaching team, after parting with 1980s champion Stefan Edberg.

Federer announced this week he was shaking up his coaching team for 2016, with "childhood idol" Edberg leaving after two years of working as assistant coach to the 17-time Grand Slam winner.

"The idea was only to do one year. I couldn't believe it when Edberg said yes in the first place," Federer said in New Delhi, after taking part in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

"We had a great split in the sense that we've known for 10 months that it was going to end at the end of the year."

Federer said Edberg's replacement, Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, a former world number three, would offer a new perspective as part of the current generation of players.

"It's the first time that I've had someone within my team whose actually played on tour against the players that I've played against," he said.

"My coaches in the past have all been players from a different generation. I think Ivan can bring something very exciting to my team, including motivation."

Sweden's Edberg, a former world number one, won his six Grand Slam titles in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The change constitutes another throw of the dice for Federer, 34, as he bids to prolong his stay at the top of men's tennis and add to his all-time record haul of Grand Slam titles.

The Swiss champion has said Severin Luthi will continue to be his main coach, continuing a partnership that began in 2008.

"Edberg obviously was amazing, nicest guy, gave me great advice and I will appreciate that forever."

Federer said he was excited about teaming up with fellow Grand Slam star Martina Hingis for Switzerland in the mixed doubles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

"We are a little bit rusty after 15 years of not playing together but hopefully we have some time."

He said it was likely he would also partner with countryman and world number four Stan Wawrinka in the men's doubles, saying they would discuss it early next year.

Federer and Wawrinka partnered to win gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Date: 13th December 2015, Source: AFP

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Luthi: Federer asked me to be his only coach but I couldn't accept

Roger Federer's main coach Severin Luthi spoke about the partition between the Swiss champion and Stefan Edberg and analyzed the new relationship with Ivan Ljubicic.

"We already knew on summer that Stefan would have abandoned us at the end of the year due to the travels and the fact we extended the contact for one more year. The two seasons with him went very well, Roger was satisfied." - Luthi said to Blick.

In these two seasons Federer played more aggressive, is this thanks to Edberg? "It's impossible to say it, mainly it was about confidence in yourself. As tennis player Edberg was playing aggressive, he encouraged Roger to do like him. It was a great relationship, Edberg was his chilhood idol".

And what if he was Federer's only coach? "We spoke so much time about it but it wouldn't be ideal for me. This year I was with Roger for 200 days and if I was his only coach, I would have stayed with him for 40 weeks. With Davis Cup it's not possible. Also Roger listens to different people and it makes him remaining young and alert. Here is why I don't want to be the only coach. Edberg travelled with him in the tournaments only 10 weeks this year, with Ivan we still have to speak about it".

"Ivan has ended his career three years ago, played against many of Roger's rivals. He is different than his last coaches like Stefan Edberg, Paul Annacone, José Higueras and Tony Roche. He lives in Monte Carlo. If he wants, he can come in Switzerland two or three days per week, has a good relationship with Roger. The goal is to develop his game, but it's about details. I don't think he'll play two-handed backhand in 2016 (laughs)."

Date: 11th December 2015, Source: TennisWorldUSA

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Federer hires Ljubicic as assistant coach

Roger Federer will head into the 2016 ATP World Tour season with a new-look coaching team after announcing that Stefan Edberg would not be traveling with him next year. While countryman Severin Luthi will remain Federer’s head coach, joining the team in 2016 will be Croatian former World No. 3 player Ivan Ljubicic.

Federer revealed Tuesday that Edberg originally signed on to the coaching team for one season only in 2014, but agreed to stay on in 2015.

Federer released a statement on his Facebook page and RogerFederer.com, saying: “After 2 very successful years, I would like to thank Stefan Edberg, my childhood idol, for agreeing to join my team. It was a dream come true. Although it was supposed to only be for 2014, Stefan was great and agreed to extend the partnership through this year, which I really appreciated.

“He taught me so much and his influence on my game will remain. He will always be a part of my team. Severin Luthi, who I have been working with since 2008, will continue to be my main coach and he will be joined by Ivan Ljubicic. Both Daniel Troxler, my physiotherapist and Pierre Paganini, my longtime fitness trainer, will remain part of my technical team.”

Edberg released a statement to ATPWorldTour.com, saying: “Roger and I had a wonderful two years together. When he originally approached me at the end of 2013, I committed to work with him for only a year. It became very clear from the start that this was going to be a special partnership, working with the greatest ambassador tennis has ever seen. It was exciting for me to be back out on tour and to see that the sport has made so much progress.

“The quality of tennis today is stronger than it has ever been. After an amazing 2014, I decided to continue on for another year, but with a clear understanding that it would be my last year given the time commitment. I believe Roger still has a lot left to give to the sport of tennis and is capable of winning the big events. Roger and I will remain close friends and I will always feel part of the Federer team. I hope to try and come watch Roger play some tournaments in 2016.”

Federer will make his 2016 debut at the Brisbane International, which begins January 3. Federer reached 1,000 career match wins in Brisbane last year en route to the title.

Date: 9th December 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer set to play mixed doubles with Hingis at Rio Olympics

Roger Federer is expected to play mixed doubles with fellow Swiss national Martina Hingis at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, Le Matin Dimanche newspaper reported, revealing what the paper called a "Dream Team".

There had been widespread speculation that the two Swiss stars would team up.

Hingis had reportedly made the offer to play with Federer and was waiting for a response from the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles.

"Federer will play with Hingis. It's decided," Le Matin Dimanche said in a report that listed the composition of the Swiss "probable teams" for Rio.

Federer had reportedly promised to declare his openness to the prospective Hingis pairing by the end of the year.

Federer is also set to play men's doubles with Stan Wawrinka, the current world number four, with 11 ATP titles to his name, the paper reported.

Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luethi, who will also lead the tennis squad in Rio, was quoted by the paper saying the goal for the 2016 summer games was "to win all the gold medals".

"Why not?... We can always dream," he said.

Hingis will play women's doubles with Belinda Bencic, a rising star who cracked the women's tour in 2011 and has already claimed more than $2 million in career earnings.

Bencic will also play mixed doubles with Wawrinka, according to the report.

Date: 6th December 2015, Source: AFP

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Federer lost to Djokovic in ATP World Tour Finals

Roger Federer believes shot selection let him down in the ATP World Tour Finals decider against Novak Djokovic as he was beaten 6-3, 6-4 in London.

The Serbian top seed claimed the season-ending title for a fourth consecutive year as Federer handed up 31 unforced errors to his opponent.

Djokovic, 28, ends the season with 11 title victories, including three grand slams - and it was decision making on court which caused the outcome at the O2 Arena, according to Federer.

"It would have been nice to serve a little bit better early on in the match, play better overall on his second serve, because he does allow you to play on his second serve," he said.

"Maybe at times I went for too much. The moments where I should have gone safe, I didn't, and vice versa. Those are the two regrets I have.

"If I played the match again, that is what I would try to do different. Other than that, I thought it was a good match. It was close.

"First six games were tough, to be down 4-2. I had my chances to at least be even. But I thought he played well. Still high-quality match, I thought."

Federer finishes the year at 63-11 match win / loss overall, including a 39-6 mark on hard courts. Though coming into the final at The O2 he still had a shot at No. 2 in the year-end ATP Rankings, he will finish in the Top 3 for 12th time in past 13 years. At 34, he is the oldest player in the Top 10 since No. 7 Andre Agassi (35) in 2005.

It was a year in which he claimed six titles (Brisbane, Dubai, Istanbul, Halle, Cincinnati and Basel), second only to Djokovic (11). He compiled a 6-5 record in finals, with all five losses coming to Djokovic. In ATP Masters 1000 play, he went 16-6, highlighted by the title in Cincinnati, where he beat Andy Murray and Djokovic in succession, the first time in his 17-year career that he defeated the Nos. 1-2 players in same tournament.

With his win over Canada’s Milos Raonic in the Brisbane final, he became one of only three players in the Open Era to hurdle the 1,000-win mark, joining Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

"I've got to keep pushing forward," said Federer. "Got to keep practising hard, being serious about all the things I do. Now rest, recover, enjoy my family, my wife. Just have a great time there. Then once I get back to practice, the gym, enjoy that part as well, which I do. Thankfully, I found a way to embrace that part as well over the years."

If he’s proven one thing in 2015, it’s that he is far from done. Some 17 years into his professional career, Federer still has the desire, the determination to grind it out it week to week on the ATP World Tour in search of titles.

"I think this year had a lot of great things in my game," he said on Sunday. "How I'm able to play at net now, how I'm moving and feeling at net in particular is a great thing to have. Then my serve has been really working very consistent, very well throughout the year more or less. Maybe if I can just get that to work slightly better at times, that would be incredibly helpful. I'll work on that as well.

"I haven't thought about it too much in terms of what is my number one, number two, number three goals," he added. "Usually, I go into a season with two or three really big goals, then maybe four or five other ones that are really important to you. The rest of the tournaments I just really enjoy playing. I'd like to defend my titles. But right now my mind somehow doesn't go further than the Australian Open."

Federer says it will be tough for Djokovic to replicate his sensational form next year, and claims only minor changes could have a huge impact.

"It's hard to do. It's hard to play at this pace all the time. Doesn't need much, you know. We're talking margins," he said.

"You don't win a break point, he does, vice versa, it changes the whole outcome of the match. You can't always be on the winning side. Margins are small at the very top. That's why this year of Novak's is amazing.

"Rafa has been there. I've been there. We both know how hard it is to back it up year after year. It's not the first good year of Novak. Clearly he's going into next year with massive confidence.

"He's playing great. It's going to be hard for him to play a bad year, that's for sure. But this extremely good, it's always tough. But right now you would think it is somewhat possible, but you can't just repeat a year like this. It takes a lot of effort.

"You've got to be physically in shape, no injuries whatsoever. Mentally you have to be at your peak at all times. It's not as easy as it seems sometimes."

Date: 22nd November 2015, Source: Omnisport and ATP

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Federer and Djokovic to clash for ATP World Tour Finals

The eight-man field at the ATP World Tour Final has been whittled down to two. No. 3 seed Roger Federer will face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic for the trophy on Sunday, having booked a spot in the title match with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over countryman Stan Wawrinka at The O2.

Djokovic defeated longtime rival Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3 earlier on Saturday in the other semi-final. Federer holds a slight 22-21 edge in their ATP Head to Head meetings, having defeated the Serb this week in Group Stan Smith play 7-5, 6-2.

"It's the same conditions, same court, same place," said Federer of his re-match with the top-ranked Djokovic. "For me, it's an advantage because I guess it gives me a bit of confidence. For him, it's an advantage because he gets a second chance, and he's in another final. He's played some great tennis since we've played. I still believe his confidence is slightly higher than mine with the amount of success he's had this year."

"I've lost against Roger three times this year. When he's on, it's hard to play him," said Djokovic, who has also beaten Federer four times in 2015, all in finals.

"We always play matches with a lot of tension. There is a lot at stake. I know I have to be on top in order to win against him. Hopefully I'll be able to play better than I've done a few days ago."

The last time a player avenged a loss in round-robin play with a victory in the final was back in 2005, when Argentine David Nalbandian fell to Federer 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, then came back to defeat the Swiss for the title 6-7(4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(3).

In a re-match of the 2014 semi-finals, the bearded Federer held his serve at love to open the match, but was broken in the fifth game as Wawrinka moved ahead 3-2. But a loose service game from the 30-year-old Swiss allowed Federer back in the set at 4-all. Another break with his opponent serving at 5-6 would give Federer a one-set lead.

The 34-year-old maintained that momentum in the second set, racing out to 3-0 and never looked back. He would finish with 30 winners to 19 unforced errors in the one-hour and 10-minute win.

"A great match, I really enjoyed it," Federer said afterwards.

"It will be a perfect ending only if I win. He played a great match against Rafa... and I'm sure it will be a fantastic meeting."

Federer now owns a 264-63 record indoors - the best career mark among active players.

By winning all three of his round-robin matches in Group Stan Smith, Federer guaranteed that he will finish as the Swiss No. 1 for the 15th straight season in the ATP Rankings.

With Andy Murray’s elimination on Friday, Federer can pass the Brit and reclaim the No. 2 ranking by winning his seventh ATP World Tour Finals title. If he loses Sunday’s final, Murray will be the year-end No. 2 for the first time in his career. Even if Federer wins the title, Murray can still end 2015 as the World No. 2 if he wins two live rubbers in singles during the Davis Cup final Nov. 27-29 (adding 150 ranking points).

Wawrinka closes the 2015 season at a career-best 55-18 and will finish in the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings for the third straight year. He won a career-high four titles, including his second Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros.

''Roger has the perfect game against my game,'' said Wawrinka. ''If you look today, it's not that I play really bad. I'm not tough enough mentally with myself, I'm not completely there.

"The year was amazing," said Wawrinka. "I didn't expect to play that well, to be here tonight, honestly, being No. 4, winning a Grand Slam, semi-finals here again. I couldn't expect more. I won two titles for the first time in my career - one of them the French Open, beating the No. 1 player. I made the semi-finals at the US Open, Australian Open; quarter-finals at Wimbledon. I was quite consistent at the highest level. I beat so many top guys. The year, it was amazing for me."

Date: 21st November 2015, Source: ATP, AP and AFP

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Federer to play Stuttgart tournament through 2017

Roger Federer has agreed to play in the grass-court tournament in Stuttgart for the next two years, which would take his playing career at least halfway through 2017.

The June tournament switched from clay this year to open the extended grass-court season and is a key warmup event for Wimbledon, where Federer is seeking a record eighth title.

"Playing Stuttgart after clay season and before Wimbledon is great. As you know, I like to try something new, so I am curious to see what will happen in Stuttgart. I watched the first edition last June on television, it had a great atmosphere. I've always wanted to play Stuttgart, but it was always the wrong time after Wimbledon. Now that they've moved dates, the chance to play it is very exciting. I can't wait," said Federer.

The seven-time Wimbledon Champion is a fan of the new, extended three-week grass run-up to the Grand Slam.

"It's great to have an extra week, It doesn't sound like much, but for us players it's a lot. I love playing on grass. To play another tournament on grass is great for me. I can manage my energy and schedule. It's all about winning titles."

Tournament director Edwin Weindorfer commented, "With the appearance of Roger Federer in the next two years, we will expand into new dimensions with the MercedesCup. He shaped the sport of tennis like no other player on the international circuit. He has the highest approval ratings and is a huge attraction for fans around the world thanks to his superlative tennis. We are pleased that we can mark the 100th anniversary of Weissenhof tournament with tennis and sports idol Roger Federer playing the MercedesCup in Stuttgart 2016."

Dr. Jens Thiemer, VP Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: "The participation of Mercedes-Benz ambassador Roger Federer at the MercedesCup in 2016 is a very big win for the Weissenhof especially in the 100th anniversary of its existence. This again shows the enormous appeal of the Stuttgart tournament's switch to grass last year. The MercedesCup serves players as a first-class preparation for Wimbledon."

The 34-year-old Federer had previously said he was already planning for 2017, deflecting questions about eventual retirement.

Federer is playing at the ATP World Tour Finals in London this week, advancing to the semifinals after winning all three of his group-stage matches.

Date: 21st November 2015, Source: AP and MercedesCup

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Federer beats Nishikori in 3 sets

Roger Federer maintained his fine record at this year's ATP World Tour Finals, but only just. Kei Nishikori fought the six-time former champion all the way in a pulsating Group Stan Smith clash, that saw Federer win 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 10 minutes.

Federer, who had already qualified for the semi-finals, finishes round-robin play with a 3-0 record and now prepares for a semi-final against the runner-up of Group Ilie Nastase, Andy Murray or Stan Wawrinka.

I enjoyed the match," said Federer. "It wasn't easy, but somehow I got it done. I look forward to playing him hopefully more often in the future."

Third seed Federer broke eighth seed Nishikori for a 3-1 lead, but the Japanese star regrouped to win three straight games. Nishikori came within two points of taking a 5-3 lead, but Federer fought hard and lost just three of the next 12 points to take the 48-minute opener. Federer hit 12 winners.

Federer looked set to triumph in straight sets, when he led 4-1, but Nishikori produced a spirited fight back to break serve in the seventh and ninth games. Nishikori calmly closed out to 15, when Federer mis-timed a forehand drop shot into the net. Two of their previous five meetings had gone to three sets.

Federer dug himself out of a hole at 1-1, 0/40 in the decider, when Nishikori's forehand pierced his defence in lengthy baseline rallies. The mental battle appeared to be won, as Federer ran through the next two games for a 4-1 lead. But Nishikori was not a spent force, getting back to 4-4 to ensure a tense ending for the capacity crowd at The O2 in London.

While Federer held to love for 5-4, a double fault and forehand error from Nishikori proved to be costly. Federer struck his 33rd and final winner, a smash, to wrap up the win.

"It's amazing what Kei is able to produce on the court," said Federer. "Today, was another showcase of that, how he's able to return second serves, staying on top of the baseline, drilling forehands and backhands up the line. It was impressive."

Federer has now gone 3-0 in group play on nine occasions and has reached the semi-finals on 13 of his 14 appearances.

"I thought I was playing very good," said Nishikori. "I was making lot of returns. Second serve, I think I was attacking really well. I think that's why I able to break that much. But I didn't start each set well. I think every time he broke first and I was kind of defensive all the time. That was my big mistake today. I mean, in end really close game. I think just couple points that I didn't play quite well enough. But, yeah, it is a shame to lose like this. I thought I was playing well, so congrats to Roger."

Federer has a 62-10 match record on the year, including six titles. Nishikori, appearing at the season finale for the second straight year, finishes 2015 with a 54-16 mark and three titles.

Date: 19th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Roger Federer still improving at 34

There was much talk this summer about Roger Federer’s newfangled move, the acronymic SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger), that chip-and-charge offensive the Swiss added to his already considerable arsenal in Cincinnati. But what got lost in all the ballyhoo was that, some 17 years and 17 Grand Slams into his career, the 34-year-old was even willing to tweak his game at all.

As Federer explained, “You can be stubborn and successful or you can give it up a bit and change things around. I think you need to challenge yourself and try out new things, maybe where you practise, how you practise, who you practise with, the advice you receive sometimes, equipment, you name it, maybe a grip, maybe a string, maybe racquet technology. Everything keeps evolving and changing.”

The benefits that come along with that openness to change were on display at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday, when after four losses in six matches against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2015, Federer reversed the trend, downing his longtime rival in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.

Djokovic hadn’t lost a match in his previous 23 outings, a dominant stretch that included consecutive titles at the US Open, Beijing, Shanghai and Paris.

“I think a tennis player never stops working on his game,” said Federer after the win. “Unfortunately, we don't have enough time to practise - a lot of match play, a lot of resting, a lot of preparing. In a perfect world, it would be great to have many more months to prepare, because you then could actually come back and be sort of a different player. Of course, it's our decision to take that time, but it's hard to sit on the sidelines for months when other guys are winning tournaments and your ranking is dropping in the process.

“I won't say I regret doing it,” confided Fededer, looking back on his title-filled career on the ATP World Tour, “but I wish I could have taken even more time to train on my game.”

So in between events - he has played 17 in 2015 - he dabbles, he tweaks, he adds to his game, never quite satisfied with the status quo.

“I think in the last couple years since I changed my racquet, that gave me a totally different approach on how I can return, how I can serve, what I can do,” he explained. “It was about keeping my forehand and my slice up to a standard which I liked. And naturally the backhand and the serve improved because of the easier power I received from my racquet. Of course, then tactical elements come into play more and more. The experience helps. The experience can also hinder you sometimes because of playing too much percentage tennis. I still feel like I'm young in the mind and I don't shy away from trying new things. That’s what keeps it still interesting for me.”

Federer and Djokovic have now played 43 times, their ATP Head to Head history tracing all the way back to 2006. For now, it’s the Swiss who holds a slight 22-21 edge. But don’t hold your breath if you’re waiting on some complacency. He knows all too well how dangerous a player Djokovic can be.

“I know it's a big win. Could help me for what's to come in this tournament, or at least for the next match it's going to give me a lot of confidence. It's going to help me for next year. It's always good beating Novak or any top player.

“To me, Novak is still the favorite of the tournament,” Federer explained. “He should make his way to the semis somehow. And he'll be the favourite in that probably, too, with the year he's had. He's far from gone. The way I know Novak, he's going to find a way to be tougher to beat from now on.”

Date: 18th November 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer defeats Djokovic in straight sets

Six-time champion Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 in round-robin action on Tuesday at the ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer’s straight-sets victory, coupled with Kei Nishikori’s three-set 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 decision over Tomas Berdych, means he has qualified for the Group Stan Smith semi-finals. The Swiss broke their ATP Head to Head deadlock and moved ahead 22-21 with the victory. Djokovic, who tied the series with a four-set win in the 2015 US Open final, has never had more victories than Federer in their rivalry, which dates back to Monte Carlo Masters in 2006.

Both players looked sharp early on, especially on serve, but Federer seized the momentum, taking the opening set 7-5 in 44 minutes. He would keep rolling in the second set, totaling 19 winners and a like number of unforced errors in closing out the match in one hour and 17 minutes.

“Winning the first set clearly in a match like this gives you the upper hand,” said Federer, at 34 the oldest player to qualify for the year-end finale since Andre Agassi (35) in 2005. “It was important to strike again as quick as possible in the second set, and I did.”

“You have those days as well when you're not feeling your best - not even close to the best,” said Djokovic, the reigning three-time champion. “Credit to Roger for mixing up the pace, giving me always a different ball. He used the slice and spin very wisely. He served very efficiently. I made a lot of unforced errors [22]. Just handed him the win, especially in the second set. If you play this way against Roger, you have no chance.

“But, again, that's sport,” Djokovic added. “Sometimes these kind of matches, these kind of days happen. The good thing is that it's a round-robin system, so I still have an opportunity to reach the semis.”

“I didn't think I mixed it up that crazy, to be honest,” Federer asserted. “I didn't play any insane tactics. It was pretty straightforward, in a way I've played him many times in the past. My game is to mix it up, change up the spins. His game is to press you away. I think we both played our regular game, and it was a good outcome for me tonight.”

Reacting to Djokovic's claim that he handed him the win, Federer said: “He handed me the win? Well, he wasn’t as good as in the first set. But I feel, honestly, with the way he’s played this season, you still have to put him away. It's not like he played terrible. I know he can play better. Why did he play that way? I'd like to give myself credit for that, quite honestly, yeah.”

Federer won 75 per cent (27 of 36) of his first-serve points, and converted four of eight break-point opportunities.

Djokovic had been riding a 23-match win streak since falling to Federer in the Cincinnati final on Aug. 23. He had won 15 straight matches at the ATP World Tour Finals, including wins over Federer in 2012, 2013 and 2014 (walkover).

The rivals have met more times (43) than any other two players in the Open Era with the exception of Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (45). The pair’s respective coaches, Hall of Famers Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker, played 35 times.

Date: 18th November 2015, Source: ATP, Reuters and AFP

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Federer receives Fans Favourite and Sportsmanship Awards

Roger Federer was honoured in a special ceremony on opening night at the ATP World Tour Finals, receiving his two trophies in the 2015 ATP World Tour Awards.

"I enjoy getting awards, especially the ones voted on by the fans and my fellow players," said Federer. "It's a very nice moment once again in my career. I try to do it with style and of course I play hard with everything. You guys give it the respect and it's very nice. Many other players deserve the awards as well and I'm very much aware that there are many other good guys out there. That's why I'm still playing the game.

"I'd like to thank the fans for voting and cheering for me, and coming out not just for my matches. Keep doing that in the future. This is one of the greatest tournaments we have on tour and I hope you enjoy today's matches and I see you next year and following year and the following year and many more years."

Following his straight-set win over World No. 6 Tomas Berdych, Federer’s coach and childhood idol Stefan Edberg stepped onto the court at The O2 to present the Swiss with the trophy named in his honour, the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Federer had been voted by fellow players as the winner for an 11th season, and received the trophy from Edberg himself for the second year in a row. Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Kevin Anderson were also nominated in this category.

Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman and President then presented Federer with the trophy as ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite. He received 65 per cent of all votes cast online by fans, extending his record winning streak to a 13th straight year. Rafael Nadal finished in second, followed by Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori.

Since 2003, Federer has won a record 31 ATP World Tour Awards.

Date: 16th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer battles past Berdych in London

Six-time champion Roger Federer kicked off his ATP World Tour Finals campaign in strong fashion, streaking past Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday night to open their London quests.

Federer claimed his 49th match win at the season finale, which he is competing at for a record 14th consecutive year. He will next face top seed Novak Djokovic in a clash between Sunday's Group Stan Smith winners.

Berdych won seven of the first eight points to take a 2-0 lead, before Federer regrouped to work his way back into their 21st meeting. The Swiss broke Berdych to love, then could not convert two break point opportunities in the fifth game. Berdych dropped his serve to love in the ninth game and Federer calmly closed out the opener 6-4.

"Clearly it was not the best start," said Federer. "It was a bad start. One of the worst starts I've had in years. No first serves, two double faults, nothing coming from the baseline. It was rough."

The World No. 3 kept his foot on the gas in the second set, breaking immediately for 1-0 and once again in the third game. He countered the Czech's aggressive start with an attacking finish of his own, closing out the win after 70 minutes. Federer struck a jaw-dropping eight drop shot winners and converted four of six break chances.

"Thankfully I was able to pick it up. The surface does play slow here. If you get to see too many second serves, clearly you can crawl back into the match. You can get your chances from the baseline to find rhythm quickly.

"It's hard to blast through an opponent here in London, which I think helps for me now against Berdych in this case because I can make the match athletic. As the match went on, I definitely started to play better, started to serve better. I think what I underestimated a little bit in some ways was that it was a first round. I think I was playing very well in practice. I had a very good idea with Severin and Stefan how I should play the match.

"It was a good lesson for me to learn. But now I'm in the second round, so that's a good thing."

Federer completed his fourth consecutive match win over Berdych, extending his overall record to 15-6 in the ATP Head to Head. He is 3-0 in 2015, adding to victories at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Rome.

Date: 16th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer motivated for strong finish in London

Roger Federer, who is among the elite eight singles players for the 14th straight year, insists he still gets a buzz from competing at the season finale.

"I haven't had issues being motivated for this tournament," said Federer. "I looked forward to it and as it was a priority I played better.

"The idea of playing fellow Top 10 rivals gets me going, gets me really excited. I don't relax on making it to the Finals, then go out and lose three crushing defeats. I don't want to finish the year that way.

The Swiss begins his quest for a seventh title at the ATP World Tour Finals against Tomas Berdych on Sunday night in Group Stan Smith. Novak Djokovic and Kei Nishikori are also in the round robin group.

"All the players that are here have achieved the goal," added Federer. "It is a big goal to be here, the atmosphere is great. It is prestigious, one of the best events."

Federer has a 59-10 match record on the season, including six titles. He became the third player in ATP World Tour history (after Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl) to record 1,000 match wins in January.

Date: 13th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer loses to big-serving Isner in Paris Masters

John Isner came through a tense third-set tie-break to beat Roger Federer 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5) at the BNP Paribas Masters. The American secured the win on his fourth match point after two hours and 16 minutes and improved his ATP Head to Head record against the No. 3 seed to 2-5. Both of Isner’s wins (2012 Davis Cup, indoor clay) have come indoors.

“I think he serves consistent throughout the year,” said Federer. “I think with him it's more can he serve big when he really needs it the most. Does indoors maybe help him there a little bit? Potentially. He's got the size, got the power, got the angles. I thought he did very well today when he needed it. The breakers, he served great. Those are the ones he needed. That was the difference.”

Federer went down despite claiming the lone service break of the match, midway through the second set. The third-seeded Swiss struck 13 aces and saved all six break points faced, but misfired on a forehand to drop the first set and was on the receiving end of an unplayable 145 miles per hour Isner serve on the final point of the match.

“If you know me, you know that that's my favorite serve,” said Isner about his play selection on match point. “It's sort of one of those things, a lot of people know I'm going there. Catch it if you can. It's like a pitcher with a fast ball, I guess. It's a shot I have hit a million times. I have played a lot of matches in my career now. I have been in that situation before.”

Federer, the 2011 Paris champion had been perfect in tie-breaks against Isner since the pair’s first meeting at the 2007 US Open (5-0), but lost the initiative in both on Thursday. In the first-set tie-break, Isner fired a forehand winner to move ahead 3/1 before serving it out. In the decider, the American found the critical mini-break by drawing Federer to the net and forcing the Swiss into a backhand overhead miss.

“At the US Open, I won my tie-breakers,” Federer said. “Here, I lost them. It's a pity. I didn't play a bad match. I haven't been broken during six sets against him, and I lost the match. It's tough to get out of the tournament not having lost your serve. This is how it happens against John. It's always on his racquet, especially indoors.”

“This is a very big tournament,” Isner said. “He's an incredible player. My favourite player and the greatest of all time, in my opinion. It was a huge win for me. I'm very proud I was able to get it done.”

Aside from his powerful serves, Isner showed some deft touches; notably when saving a break point in the fifth game of the third set with a clean backhand volley.

“That arguably saved the match for me,” the 30-year-old American said. “If he goes up a break, things probably don't look good.”

Isner will contest his 10^th quarter-final of the season against David Ferrer, who topped Grigor Dimitrov 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes.

Next up for Federer is the ATP World Tour Finals from November 15-22, where he has had his share of success in the past. In fact, the World No. 2 has held the trophy at the year-end showdown on no less than six occasions.

“I have been there since 2002,” he said. “It's one of the tournaments that I’ve enjoyed most and that I’ve had a lot of pleasure winning. I'm happy I'm qualified. We'll see the groups, the round robins. I'm very eager to go to London and get prepared as well as I can. I'm in good shape. I'm healthy, so I want that tournament to start.”

Date: 5th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer races to victory against Seppi at Paris Masters

Roger Federer raced into the third round of the Paris Masters with an exhilarating display of attacking tennis on Wednesday, thrashing Italian Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-1, 6-1 in just 47 minutes.

Fresh from his victory at the Swiss Indoors last weekend, the 17-time Grand Slam champion looked in ominous form on the indoor hard court, winning 92 percent of points on his first serve as he breezed through the first set in 19 minutes.

Seppi had a glimpse of a chance, but failed to convert four break points on Federer's opening service game of the second set.

From then on, Federer thrilled the Paris crowd with one-handed backhand winners down the line, subtle volleys at the net and overhead smashes, all played at an electric pace that proved the 34-year-old is in great physical shape even this late in the season.

In 13 previous meetings, Seppi had defeated Federer on just one occasion: a 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(5) third-round upset earlier this year at the Australian Open. But that seemed but ancient history at the AccorHotels Arena, where Federer overwhelmed the Italian.

So speedy was the match that one reporter asked the World No. 2 if he had promised his children he would be home in time for dinner.

Federer quipped, “No, I'm too late now.”

“But it's very pleasant to play matches like this one,” he continued. “Of course, I like great battles, playing two, three, four, five hours. But 47 minutes is always very pleasant. You need to focus a lot for the very short time you are on the court, not to make any mistakes. I'm very happy with this mental performance.”

Federer sealed victory with a brilliant shot - even his by his high standards - a sliced backhand drop shot with so much spin that it eluded Seppi just before he could reach it.

Even Seppi seemed impressed, shaking his head ruefully and laughing with Federer after they shook hands at the net.

Federer, the 2011 Paris Masters champion, is enjoying a fine season - having clinched his sixth title of the year and 88th of his career by beating 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the Basel final last Sunday.

He next facers 13th-seeded American John Isner, who had 21 aces in a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win against qualifier Aljaz Bedene. The Swiss is 5-1 against the power-serving American in ATP Head to Head encounters.

Date: 4th November 2015, Source: AP and ATP

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Federer draws confidence from Basel crown

A seventh title on home soil in Basel where he snapped a three-and-a-half-year losing streak to great rival Rafael Nadal in the final has given Roger Federer fresh motivation to finish the season on a high as he enters the final two events of the season.

The Swiss No. 3 seed arrives in Paris for the BNP Paribas Masters with the added incentive of ensuring a shock Australian Open defeat to Andreas Seppi back in January was a one-off when the pair square off in the second round. He leads the pair’s ATP Head to Head 12-1 and has beaten the Italian twice this year since.

The 2011 Paris champion has claimed six titles this year and reached two Grand Slam finals. He is one of only a handful of players to have dented Novak Djokovic’s otherwise brilliant year.

“Considering how I'm playing, who I was able to beat and all these things, I feel like I have played a very good season. I have said in interviews before a few weeks back after Novak was able to turn it up, winning Wimbledon, the US Open, that definitely changed the dynamics, made him the player of the year,” Federer said. “But I was able to beat him twice and win six events. Besides that, I make two slam finals. My body and my mind is all in the right place.

“It's been a fun year so far. And I think looking at Paris and London, obviously now there is huge goal for me coming up in London. I will take it in my stride after Basel and I hope confidence is going to carry me far into the tournament here this week.”

A surprise loss to Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters proved a blessing in disguise for Federer giving him extra time to recuperate ahead of the final indoors stretch. “I was on vacation after Davis Cup for 10 days, was on the beach with my family, had a great time, was able to unwind,” he said.

“I did the same last year, maybe even a bit longer because I knew the year-end was going to be longer with the Davis Cup final. So from that standpoint, especially losing early in Shanghai, the year-end now is not going to be a problem really. It's a couple of events left, that's it.”

The 34 year old reiterated his comments from Basel where he said he would play beyond the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “I never said I was going to be done at Rio. I just said that was like my next long-term goal I had.  It's not around the corner, but it's not that far off anymore,” he said.

“I always sort of plan over a year ahead. Basically 2017 is locked up. That's the way I got to plan if I feel like I'm going to still be playing for some time. As long as I don't know when the end is, that's how you plan, into infinity if you like.”

Date: 4th November 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer still having too much fun to think about retiring

Like many dads, Roger Federer is talking with his family about how to spend Christmas.

But unlike most, the father-of-four has the 2017 holidays on his mind - on the eve of the tennis season when he will turn 36.

It is an age few reach while still on tour. Yet the player who beat Rafael Nadal in three sets to take the Swiss Indoors title on Sunday seemed far from retirement.

''I have a very clear plan how '16 is going to be until December,'' Federer told The Associated Press in an interview after winning his hometown event for a seventh time. ''That is the discussion I'm having with my wife right now. Are we going to be home for Christmas or not? Then '17 is around the corner for me as well already.

''I'm thinking way ahead,'' said the Swiss great.

Why wouldn't he? At 34, the numbers for his season speak of a player in top form and fitness.

A 58-9 record going into this week's Paris Masters, including six titles and two Grand Slam finals. Only Novak Djokovic in his career-best year has beaten Federer in tournament final, including denying him a record-extending 18th major title at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

After Paris, Federer goes to London to play at the ATP World Tour Finals for a 14th straight year.

Expert managing of his schedule, including a family vacation in September, has kept him sharp when others - including his younger self, he says - are worn down in November.

''That is the goal with having the time off with the kids, with my wife,'' said Federer, whose family - wife Mirka, their 6-year-old twin girls Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, and 18-month-old twin boys Leo and Lenny - often join him on tour.

One product of his keen tennis mind is the now-trademark move to sneak up and return serve while approaching the net.

''The sneak attack is a fun thing for me to do,'' he said. ''How many times can you hit a slice and be excited about it?

''Sometimes you have got to just do something a bit different. Just be young in your mind and say, 'Just go for it. Who cares?''

Fun-seeking is also why Federer says he will play into December in the International Premier Tennis League at places like India, Singapore and Dubai, where he has a home.

For now, Federer enjoys his tennis too much to think too deeply about stopping.

''As long as I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet, I've got to keep a schedule as well which I feel like I'm playing for many more years to come,'' he said.

Federer previously said he will not announce a long-term plan to end his career, so avoiding a farewell tour.

''I hope it's going to come gradually and that I will know when the right time is,'' he said. ''But I don't want to think about it too much.

''If you get injured then it comes more slowly but the mind could all of a sudden go, pfft, that's it. Who knows? If there's a thing with family that is just so much more important than playing tennis.''

He is sure that, as with his Christmas 2016 plans, parents and family will be part of the retirement conversation.

''I would let them know about it rather than saying I've taken the decision already,'' Federer said. ''I would probably ask them, 'Do you think this is a good idea?'

''Everybody will agree with me at that point anyway. But we're not there yet.''

Date: 2nd November 2015, Source: AP

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Federer beats Nadal for seventh Basel crown

Roger Federer mastered Rafael Nadal in their first meeting in almost two years to win the Swiss Indoors Basel final 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 on Sunday, claiming a seventh title in his hometown.

After a 21-month wait, Federer and Nadal renewed their storied rivalry on the indoor hard courts of the ATP World Tour 500 event, with the Swiss winning for the first time since the 2012 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Competing in a record 12th final on home soil in Basel, he added a seventh trophy, a feat he has also achieved at four other tournaments in his career (Wimbledon - 7, Halle - 8, Dubai - 7, Cincinnati - 7).

"It was one of my best weeks in Basel, considering everything I've done throughout my career here," said Federer. "I thought the match was close. I had my chances in the second, but he fought back well, like he's done throughout the week really. Overall I was really happy how I played and it was a very special day.

"After all the matches and big finals we've played over the years, to have a final here in Basel was amazing for the crowd and for me personally. To come through and win was very special.

"I had a good game plan today, everything worked out. The match was high quality and it was entertaining and exciting for both of us as well. The confidence is good, no doubt about that. It's good to get back into the mood of winning after Shanghai. I think the body's gotten used to match play again after all these weeks of not playing."

Nadal was looking to make early inroads in the Federer serve and the Spaniard would attack early behind a barrage of deep, penetrating groundstrokes. Federer was forced to save a break point in his first service game following a trio of errors, but the Swiss would quickly regain his composure. The home favourite claimed six of the next seven points and rode the wave of momentum to three break chances of his own at 2-2. Utilising the fast indoor conditions at the St. Jakobshalle to his advantage, Federer opened the court and refused to give Nadal time to set up his forehand, coming forward often, as he has done all year.

One of the points of the tournament came with Federer facing break point in the sixth game. Nadal had the Basel native on the ropes after ripping a backhand approach into the open court, but Federer turned defence into offence in a flash, lunging at a cross-court forehand from well behind the baseline and sneaking it just past Nadal for the stunning winner. He would not look back, breaking to love a few games later to capture the opener 6-3.



Federer made a push to run away with the match early in the second set, but Nadal would not go down quietly, saving a break point while serving down 2-3. The margins were razor thin as both players looked to attack with first-strike tennis. The Mallorca native was one step ahead of the top seed in the latter stages of the set and his aggressive mindset would pay dividends, claiming his first break of the match for 6-5 as Federer buried a forehand into the net. Nadal would force a decider with a hold to love.

The patterns of play from the first two sets persisted in the third, with both players looking to open the court and keep rallies short. A Nadal double fault in the third game would give Federer a break chance to claim a potentially decisive break, but the Spaniard dispelled any such notion. He would win the battle, but the Swiss would win the war, grabbing the decisive break for 5-3 and serving it out a game later after two hours and three minutes on court. The former Basel ballboy out-aced Nadal 12-0 and struck 44 total winners. He converted on three of seven break points.

Federer earned his third title this year at an ATP World Tour 500 event, adding to crowns in Dubai and Halle, and 88th of his career at the tour-level. He also emerged victorious in Brisbane, Istanbul and Cincinnati in 2015. Nadal, meanwhile was vying for just his second indoor hard court trophy (Madrid 2005). He falls to 67-31 in tour-level finals and 3-3 this year.

"My goal is to get back to my level and be competitive against the top players again and today I was very competitive against one of the best players in the world," said Nadal.

"The match wasn't far away from me. He played well and I played well too. The match was very close to win, but I think he served very well in the third. I want to congratulate him for the victory and I had a lot of quality things in my game and mental side to take away from the week."

Federer and Nadal had not faced each other in a title match since Nadal's victory at the Rome Masters in May 2013. They last met on court for an Australian Open semifinal that Nadal won in three straight sets in January 2014.

''Six hundred-plus days have gone by a so a lot of things have happened,'' Federer said. ''Definitely I had the right game plan today.''

The Swiss has now improved to 5-1 against Nadal on indoor hard court surfaces. Nadal, still has a 23-11 hold over Federer, including 14-7 in tournament finals.

Date: 1st November 2015, Source: ATP, AP and AFP

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Federer and Nadal to clash in Basel final

The long wait is over. After more than 21 months, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will renew their rivalry with a clash in the final of the Swiss Indoors Basel on Sunday.

The Swiss and the Spaniard, who last squared off on the hard courts of the Australian Open in 2014 - an encounter won by Nadal in straight sets - meet for the first time in a tour-level title match since the 2013 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. The Manacor native owns a 23-10 lead in the ATP Head to Head series, including victories in the previous five meetings. Federer last triumphed at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in 2012. It will be just their fifth hard-court final, with Federer emerging in Miami 2005 and the 2010 ATP World Tour Finals and Nadal in Dubai 2006 and the 2009 Australian Open.

"This is the first time we play each other in Switzerland," said Federer. "It will be an amazing atmosphere tomorrow. This is a dream final for the fans and the tournament.

"I'm very delighted. It's a great feeling. You always hope at the beginning of the week that you will be  part of the last two players there and have a chance to win the trophy again in your hometown. It's nice to re-live that dream again this week.

"I'm feeling good with my game and have a good shot in the final. I have a clear game plan. I know how Nadal plays and he knows my game. The start is going to be crucial.

"I'm expecting him to play his best yet in the final. He's been fighting back all week, I know he will stay in the match."

Nadal said he was thrilled to be facing Federer again for a title.

"We've played a lot of important matches. This will be another special match against an amazing player," said Nadal who will be appearing in his 98th career final.

Federer needed just 63 minutes to book his spot in the Basel final on Saturday, streaking past Jack Sock 6-3, 6-4. He is set to contest a 12th final on home soil in Basel (2000-01, '06-15), which remains the most at a single tournament in the Open Era. The World No. 3 is the only player to reach at least 10 finals at a tour-level event, also doing so on the lawns of Halle and Wimbledon. He is also the first player to compete in 10 straight finals at a tournament. Ivan Lendl contested the final at the season finale (former Tennis Masters Cup) nine times from 1980-88 and Rafael Nadal the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters from 2005-13.

The Swiss maestro fired 19 winners and won all 18 points when at the net. He converted on three of six break chances and withstood a late rally from Sock, after the American broke while Federer served for the match at 5-2. The Basel native would seal the win two games later, securing his place in his 133rd tour-level final.

Federer will look to add Basel to the growing list of tournaments he has won at least seven times, when he squares off against Nadal on Sunday. He claimed his eighth title in Halle earlier this year and has hoisted seven trophies at Wimbledon, in Dubai and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati.

Date: 31st October 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer, Nadal battle into Swiss semi-finals

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stayed on course for a blockbuster Swiss Indoors final clash on Friday after battling through tough three-set quarter-finals.

Top seed and six-time champion Federer held off David Goffin 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win a re-run of his 2014 final victory over the Belgian.

Nadal, the third seed, scored a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Marin Cilic, his third three-set victory this week.

Goffin showed off a big game, duelling with the Swiss in the second set and coming out ahead 4-2 after a run of three consecutive breaks of serve.

The Belgian, who idolised Federer as a teenager, sent the match into a deciding set but immediately lost his momentum as the 34-year-old Swiss star broke in the second and sixth games before serving out the win in front of 9,000 fans.

"I thought I had it under control after the first set, but he really lifted," said Federer, who Saturday plays Jack Sock, a winner over fellow American Donald Young 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

"He played the second set much better. I'm happy to get through over such a dangerous opponent.

"I knew his game after we practised together in Dubai in December, we put in 10-15 hours on the court, played tons of sets.

"He's a great player with the footwork, the power, the tennis IQ."

Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam champion, will next face France's Richard Gasquet who survived 32 aces from Ivo Karlovic to keep his hopes of a World Tour Finals place alive with a 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(6) win.

Nadal began turning his match with 2014 US Open champion Cilic on its head after going down a set and a break.

The Spaniard retrieved the break in the fourth game, 2-2, with a forehand winner.

He then took a 5-3 lead as Cilic delivered three double-faults to lose serve in an eight-minute game, opening the door for Nadal to push through.

With the sets level, Nadal went to work closing out the evening, breaking to start the third and concluding with another break as the Croatian ended with seven double-faults while losing serve four times in two and a quarter hours.

"I was just fighting, always trying to find solutions in a difficult situation," said Nadal.

"He played a great first set and it was tough to find any chances on return.

"I changed my position on return a bit in the second set and it seemed to work well. This was an important victory for me against someone playing very well."

Cilic fired 37 winners but was undone by 49 unforced errors and is now 0-11 against top 10 players since winning the 2014 US Open.

The 29-year-old Nadal's confidence is fast returning after a slow start to 2015 and some indifferent play in the ensuing months when his ranking slumped to a 10-year low.

"I needed to play with the right tactic and motivation and try to improve every day," said Nadal.

"It's not easy but I'm working hard to find the feelings and find the mental strength to come back."

Nadal has already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals to be staged in London from November 15 along with Novak Djokovic, Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych.

Gasquet is chasing one of the last two spots remaining in the eight-player finale.

But the Frenchman with the picture-book, single-handed backhand faces almost impossible odds, needing to win the Basel title this weekend and next week's Paris Masters.

Anything less will send rivals Kei Nishikori and Spain's David Ferrer to the year-end showpiece.

Date: 30th October 2015, Source: AFP

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Federer beats Kohlschreiber, advances to Basel QF

Top seed and six-time champion Roger Federer stayed perfect against Philipp Kohlschreiber on Thursday, handing the German his 11^th ATP Head to Head defeat in as many tries 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-finals.

The World No. 3 now leads Kohlschreiber 24-3 in sets during their decade-long rivalry, and the 32-year-old German has now lost his past 15 matches against Top-10 opponents.

"It was extremely difficult, especially midway through the second and the beginning of the third," said Federer. "It was a tough set and a half for me. I wasn't struggling, but I wasn't quite feeling it."

Federer notched a break of serve in the fifth game to distance himself in the opening set, one in which he would tally 12 winners to five unforced errors.

With Federer serving to stay in the second set down 4-5, 30-40, Kohlschreiber would level the match at one set apiece with a break when Federer dumped a backhand into the net.

It was the ninth game of the third set that Federer would get his second and final break, and the 17-time Grand Slam champion would then step up to serve out the match. He would finish with 13 aces, winning 87 per cent (42 of 48) of his first-serve points.

"The spectators tonight maybe gave me that last push I needed, giving me energy and carrying me over the finish line," said Federer of the home crowd.

"It's always difficult against Philipp, he's such a tough opponent. I may have beaten him a lot but it's not been easy.

"Today was another battle and I'm just relieved to get to the quarter-finals."

The 34-year-old will next face Belgian David Goffin in a rematch of the 2014 Basel final, which Federer won 6-2, 6-2. Goffin advanced on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

Federer improved to 55-9 on the season, including nine finals, second only to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (13). He is now 58-9 lifetime in Basel. The last time he failed to reach the Swiss Indoors final was in 2003, when he fell to Ivan Ljubicic in the second round. He did not play in Basel in 2004-05, but he’s reached the final every year since 2006, when he won the title for the first time (d. Fernando Gonzalez). He began with a 14-6 record in Basel, but over the past nine years is 44-3.

Date: 29th October 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer races through Basel opener

Top seed Roger Federer began his quest for a seventh title at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Tuesday by beating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1, 6-2 in 55 minutes.

"I got off to a good start, which was a goal of mine," said Federer, who was coming off an opening-round loss at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. "Once in the lead, I was able to stretch that and keep pressure on my opponent. I'm very pleased for a first round, especially after Shanghai."

Federer raced into a 5-0 lead before wrapping up the 22-minute first set, then broke in the fifth and seventh games of the second set for his 54th match win of 2015. The Swiss lost seven of his first service points and saved two break points in the third game of the pair's third meeting.

Federer, now with a 57-9 match record and 6-5 finals mark in Basel, will next challenge Philipp Kohlschreiber, who overcame 11 aces from Jerzy Janowicz in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory.

"Clearly, it was an important victory," said Federer. "Losing today wouldn't have been great for my confidence. I feel no effects from losing in Shanghai. I hope this match is a stepping stone to greater things this week. I've played so well over the years here in Basel."

Date: 27th October 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer chasing seventh Basel title

No doubt about it, Roger Federer has been a game changer. With so many players now peaking later in their careers and continuing to play their best tennis into their 30s, the 34-year-old Swiss believes it is down to a change in professionalism and attitude, sparked by his own and others’ commitment to the tour.

Speaking at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Sunday, Federer explained how the norm in tennis has shifted, with players now contesting a full calendar and allowing no let-up as the season draws to a close. The lure of the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals has players chasing points until the end in a bid to land one of the coveted eight places in London.

Indeed, while other players are still fighting for the two remaining spots at this year’s Final Showdown, Federer is also hoping for a big finish to end the year above Andy Murray as No. 2 in the ATP Rankings.

“We were a good generation,” said World No. 3 Federer. “We were in the transition of becoming really professional, understanding that we need to change our life around to become more physical.

“The end of the season was always a grind, you just felt tired thinking about it. A lot of players would check out. I don't feel that's the case anymore.

“So a lot has happened and now it will be interesting to see the next two-three years. I think there's a good wave of players coming through and that will be a true test for our generation to see how we're going to handle it.”

Federer is preparing to make his 16^th appearance at his hometown tournament in Basel. The right-hander has a 56-9 record at the ATP World Tour 500 indoor hard court tournament, lifting the trophy six times, most recently triumphing last year with victory over David Goffin.

Casting his mind back to his first appearance in 1998, when he lost in the first round to Andre Agassi, Federer reminisced about a vast change in expectations over the course of the past 18 years.

“At first, let's say winning maybe five or six games in the first round was going to be a good result,” said Federer. “Then it was maybe if you win a set, it would be great. Winning a round would be great. Next thing you know, I was defending titles. It would be nice to do that again. That's changed obviously a lot in the approach and with experience, I'm less nervous and less anxious.

“I still enjoy it as much as ever. It's true that the routines now are easier. I know how to handle ticketing. I know how to handle having friends here and family. In the beginning there was just so much going on that it was kind of crazy, but in a good way. I remember I was always very nervous on court because I always wanted to do so well here.

“I grew up here. I played soccer just behind the stadium. I came here on my bike as a ball boy. It feels like it was yesterday. This is what makes the tournament so special.”

Federer is due to open his bid against Mikhail Kukushkin, whom he leads 2-0 in their ATP Head to Head series. The Basel native is looking claim his 1050^th match win and is chasing his sixth title of the season this week.

Date: 25th October 2015, Source: ATP

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