Federer: "It's been an amazing year"

It might not be the finish that he had hoped for, but Roger Federer is taking nothing for granted in his historic comeback season.

Federer’s 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to David Goffin in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals might have come as a surprise, but not given the level of play that the seventh-seeded Belgian managed to produce after dropping the first set.

Maneuvering Federer around the court with his signature brand of pinpoint counterpunching tennis, Goffin claimed one of the biggest wins of his career just days after defeating World No.1 Rafael Nadal, becoming the sixth player in history to defeat both Federer and Nadal at the same tournament.

“I think it was a tough game to get broken at 1-0 for him in the second set. I had I think multiple game chances to get out of the game and go 1-1, keep the pressure up,” said Federer. “I think things really turned around for him at that moment. He started to feel better from the return, from the baseline. He wasn't missing as much anymore. He was returning also much better off the second serve after that.

“I just think the better returner won over the better server today.”

Despite failing to reach the final of the prestigious season-ending event for just the fifth time in 15 appearances, Federer punctuates a season of surprises with optimism for 2018.

“It’s been an amazing year for me. I’ve been so happy that I was playing at this level from the beginning till basically the end, till today. So it's been great. Really enjoyed myself in the process. I felt I was playing in a way that I also like, playing forward, playing attacking tennis. I wish I could have done that a little bit more today. It's kind of disappointing to finish on this note,” said the Swiss.

“But whatever happened today is less important than if I look at the entire season. With that season, I'm extremely happy.

“Looking ahead, look, clearly the buildup is not going to be six months like it was last time around,” added the 36 year old. “It's not going to be six weeks of tennis. It's just going to be two, three weeks. It's going to be short. But I did that 15 years previously, so I know how to handle the buildup.”

After an injury-filled 2016 that saw him pull the plug on his season early in July that year, 2017 has been a roaring success. Bagging seven titles including two Grand Slams and three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies, Federer’s body held up throughout taxing periods of play that afforded him a high level of consistency throughout the year.

“I'm actually very relieved that I was able to finish strong now in Shanghai, Basel and here. It shows that things are in the past now. It's good to know that I can bounce back, you know, and get my confidence back.

“So considering how last year went, this year was perfect.”

Date: 18 November 2017, Source: ATP

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Federer stays perfect in ATP Finals

Roger Federer went through round-robin play at the ATP Finals undefeated for the 10th time as he returned to haunt Marin Cilic with a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 win at the O2 Arena on Thursday.

''It wasn't easy,'' Federer said. ''I mean, look, it's a fast court. It's indoors. We've seen it now. When you miss a few too many opportunities you can really pay the price at this tournament. So we've seen some swings of momentum in a lot of the matches this week.''

The outcome didn't really matter, though. Federer had already advanced to the semifinals at the season-ending tournament by winning his opening two matches at the O2 Arena, while Cilic had already been eliminated.

Federer, who beat Cilic in straight sets in the Wimbledon final in July, had four break points in the first set on Thursday, but he couldn't convert any of them. That allowed Cilic to take the lead when he landed a backhand drop shot and then a forehand to close out the first-set tiebreaker.

Federer had another break point early in the second set, but he again failed to convert. But his sixth attempt was different, and winning it gave Federer the second set.

In the third set, Federer broke early and jumped out to 3-0, and then broke again to lead 5-1.

''In the beginning I was slightly overaggressive in the first set on some crucial points rather than maybe being patient,'' Federer said. ''I was able to turn that around late in the second set. Then just had a much better feeling in the third set.''

Cilic is ranked No. 5 in the world - achieving a goal he set for himself at the end of last season. At the ATP Finals, however, the Croat has won only once in nine matches over three appearances at the round-robin tournament.

"Even though it's three losses, I felt that my tennis wasn't too far off of playing really, really well. Good positives at least in that. Hopefully I'm going to recover good and start a new season on a good level," Cilic said.

In the semifinals, Federer will face Dominic Thiem or David Goffin. Both have 1-1 records in the other group and meet Friday to decide which player will advance along with Grigor Dimitrov.

Federer leads his ATP Head to Head series against Goffin 6-0, but the Swiss trails Thiem in their rivalry 1-2, although all three matches took place last year.

Federer, the 19-time Grand Slam champion who won his record eighth Wimbledon title, is looking to extend another record for titles at the ATP Finals. The 36-year-old Swiss has won it six times; twice in Houston, twice in Shanghai and twice in London.

Date: 16 November 2017, Source: AP and ATP

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Federer downs Zverev in 'generation game'

Roger Federer marched into the semi-finals at the ATP Finals once again on Tuesday but he made hard work of the task before finally prevailing 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-1 in a high-quality battle of the generations with Germany's Alexander Zverev.

The 36-year-old six-times champion may have been giving away 16 years to the youngster fancied to be the game's next major force but Federer proved in a dominant third set that, for the moment, he still remains a cut above his young pursuers.

The triumph in two hours and 11 minutes ensured the 19-times grand slam champion booked a place in the last four for the 14th time in 15 appearances.

It also meant that Zverev and Jack Sock will now meet on Thursday to decide the other qualifier from the Group Boris Becker.

Sock earlier lived up to his childhood nickname of "Showtime" by producing a dramatic comeback triumph 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (4) over the erratic Marin Cilic, who is now eliminated after two straight defeats.

"It was a good battle and I always enjoy myself at this beautiful arena. I'm happy and relieved that I can play freely against Cilic, instead of it being a nailbiter. It's been a tough group so to be through in two matches is great," said Federer.

World No. 2 Federer looks even more of an overwhelming favourite for a seventh crown in the absence of Rafael Nadal, who has pulled out injured from the tournament.

With no classic Nadal clash on the horizon, the duel between Federer and Zverev, who had shared the spoils in their previous four meetings, was the most eagerly anticipated of the week.

It did not disappoint, with Federer immediately forced to save three break points to rescue the opening game and Zverev also digging deep to save one in the next.

Zverev's immaculate serving kept Federer at bay despite the master testing the apprentice with the variety and mixed pace of his shotmaking.

At 6-5 down, the German saved the second of two set points in the flukiest fashion, his backhand limping off the top of the net for an outright winner.

In a tight tiebreak, Federer came back from a shaky start at 4-0 down and rescued a set point of his own before cashing in on Zverev errors and testing the youngster's patience until it cracked in a long rally.

When Federer cruised to a 2-0 lead in the second set for the loss of just a point, it seemed a quick kill was on the cards but two double faults in a poor service game saw Zverev back in the contest.

Looking increasingly irritated as his first serve percentage dipped to an alarming 43 percent, the misfiring Federer was broken again at 5-6 as Zverev leveled the match.

Yet the German's own serve, hitherto a huge weapon, also began to malfunction in the final set as Federer found a new gear.

The toll of being pulled around the court by the Swiss's variety in pace and angles began to tell on Zverev.

It evidently felt satisfying for Federer to beat one of the game's new comets. Asked if he could remember his first ATP Finals, he smiled: "It's so long ago I hardly remember it!"

Federer has now won 12 consecutive matches, dating back to his title runs at the Shanghai Rolex Masters (d. Nadal) and the Swiss Indoors Basel (d. del Potro). That streak features seven indoor victories, including his ATP Finals opener against Sock.

Date: 15 November 2017, Source: Reuters

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Federer begins quest for 7th ATP Finals crown

Roger Federer opened his quest for a record seventh title at the ATP Finals on Sunday by beating season finale debutant Jack Sock at The O2 Arena in London.

Second seed Federer recorded his 50th match win of the year with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over eighth seed Sock in one hour and 31 minutes in their Group Boris Becker opener.

Federer capitalised on early nerves by Sock, winner of his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Paris Masters seven days ago, with a service break in the first game. Sock grew in confidence by using his powerful forehand to pierce holes in Federer’s game, but he was unable to break back.

"I'm happy that I was able to come out today and had actually good energy," Federer said. "This is the best I've felt since the final in Basel. I'm very happy to see that I didn't have to pay the price for taking it easy and resting and recovering. But then turning it up the last few days got me in shape for today. Now I think I'm in the tournament. There's no more turning back. Just full steam ahead every match that comes."

At 3-3, 30/40 in the second set, Sock struck a serve that jammed up Federer on a backhand return in a confidence-boosting hold. In the American’s next service game, he recovered from 15/40 — and saved five break points in total.

"I think we're all going to start playing better every round that goes by," Federer added. "It's just still early days in the tournament. Can't expect to play your best against the best players in the world in that first match.

"It was more about managing the match rather than actually having a certain way how you play and what you were really thinking about. Sure, I had a tactical plan with my team. But very often in a first match like this, it gets thrown overboard because at the end you're just happy to be serving well. Focus on that first, and then on the return game sort of try your best, try to keep the ball in play and go from there."

Federer, in contrast, lost just two of his first-service points through his first six service games of the second set. In the tie-break, as Federer edged closer to his 12th victory over a Top 10 players in the ATP Rankings, he opened up a 4/2 advantage. The encounter ended with Sock striking a backhand return long.

Federer is now 53-12 at the ATP Finals, which he first qualified for in 2002 when the tournament was played in Shanghai.

Federer improved to a 4-0 ATP Head to Head record against Sock, which also includes a win at the BNP Paribas Open in March. The Swiss has a 50-4 match record in 2017, including an ATP World Tour best seven titles.

Date: 12 November 2017, Source: ATP

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Focused Federer ready for ATP Finals

It has been a season to remember for Roger Federer, but he hasn’t forgotten: there’s one tournament left and his eyes are on the prize - and beyond.

Arriving at the ATP Finals for a record 15th time, Federer is looking to cap off his best season in nearly a decade with an eighth title of the year at the prestigious year-ending event. The Swiss superstar, who shut down his 2016 early as a result of knee injury, came back this season to win two Grand Slams, three ATP Masters 1000 events and, remarkably, registered a 4-0 record over legendary rival and current World No.1 Rafael Nadal.

“It’s a good achievement,” said Federer of qualifying for the season-ending tournament yet again. “Last year I couldn’t be here, so it’s nice to be able to do it again because this year I had to start farther back in the rankings. My early goal was to be maybe at the halfway point before or after Wimbledon, around 8th in the world.

“By winning the Australian Open I was pretty much in a good position throughout after that, so I was very happy how I played throughout the entire season,” he added. “I’m very happy to be here again and get a chance to compete with the best. It’s always one of the big highlights of the year playing here.”

This upcoming week in London, competition for the 36-year-old is young and hungry for success. First-time qualifiers Alexander Zverev and Jack Sock both grew up watching Federer dominate the tour and have landed alongside him in Group Boris Becker, but for Federer himself, playing against a new wave of top players is hardly novel and he is ready for the challenge they present.

“It’s special, but it’s not tougher.” said Federer, who turned pro just five months after Zverev was born. “I’m used to it by now, playing against young guys where I feel it is just that I cannot play 25 tournaments anymore - I mean, I can, but I don’t know what the outcome would be!”

While his focus this week is set firmly on a strong result at the ATP Finals, which also boasts familiar faces such as Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Marin Cilic, Federer has also paid mind to his off-season schedule in preparation for the 2018 season.

His extended off-season last year resulted in an ultra-fit, competition-ready Federer who blasted through draws with an improved and tactically lethal backhand drive, but is there anything special up his sleeve for the next training block?

“Not really,” said the Swiss, “Frankly I don’t have anything going on for now, just preparing for December: who to practise with almost on which days. I know when I’m going to return to practice, I know where I’m going to train... all these things are all set.

“Then for the game itself, that’s something I’d have to discuss with Severin Luthi and Ivan Ljubicic, just moving forward what we should maybe work on,” he added. “But right now I think we’re in the focus of just finishing this season in a good way.”

Date: 11 November 2017, Source: ATP

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