Wawrinka beats Federer for Monte Carlo crown; Fed 'happy' for Stan's 1st Masters title

In the first all-Swiss final for 14 years on the ATP World Tour, Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Roger Federer 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 in the final of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters.

The 29-year-old Wawrinka captured his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, having previously finished runner-up in Rome 2008 (l. to Djokovic) and Madrid last year (l. to Nadal). With his semi-final victory over David Ferrer Saturday, the Swiss became the 11th active player to record 100 ATP Masters 1000 match wins.

"It's always special to play Roger," said Wawrinka. "We know it's always a strange match, especially being in the final here. He's my best friend on the tour. We respect each other so much. I'm just trying on the court to win the match. Before and after, we are still very good friends. During the match, we just try everything to win. Today I'm really happy to take that one.

"I can see that when mentally I'm there and I'm fighting, I can play tennis, I can beat all the player. I did an amazing job. I'm really happy after winning my first Grand Slam to win a Masters 1000 so quick. I didn't expect to. When I came here, for me it was more like a test. I knew I was playing good tennis, but I didn't expect to win because the draw was so strong."

"I did see I was playing good tennis," said Wawrinka. "It was few little changes to take the advantage. I started to play more aggressive, trying to push him more. When you win a match like this, it's only one or two points, especially in the tie-break. But I think I did a great tie-break. I was serving big and being really aggressive. Then I took the advantage at the beginning of the third set. I saw that he was a little bit tired. Me, I was playing better and better, especially moving better."

The No. 3 spot in the ATP Rankings was on the line as well, with Wawrinka avoiding relinquishing the career-high position he has held since winning the Australian Open in January.

Wawrinka is the 59th different winner of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, breaking up the domination of the ‘Big Four’. In 34 of the past 36 Masters 1000 tournaments, the trophy had been lifted by one of either Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Federer or Andy Murray. The only exceptions came at the BNP Paribas Masters in 2010 (Robin Soderling) and 2012 (Ferrer).

Federer 'happy' for Wawrinka's Monte Carlo win

Despite the disappointment of losing to Stanislas Wawrinka, Roger Federer expressed his happiness for his countryman’s success.

"I'm very happy for Stan. It's a huge win for him after winning his first Grand Slam this year, to win his first Masters 1000 trophy," said Federer. "To take the opportunities when they're there, that's key in a tennis player's career."

"It was a great pleasure to share this moment with Stan. It was a tennis celebration on a beautiful court.

"I played with a lot of intensity during the past month," said Federer. "I'm happy that I can relax."

"I think it's one of the those finals that I could have won," said Federer. "But Stan was tougher at the end. I think he deserved it just a little bit more. Clearly it would have been nice to win that second set tie-break. I didn't necessarily play a bad one, but also at the same time I didn't quite ever get into the lead where things went my way.

"I would have loved to have won a second title this season because I've come close a few times. That's my next objective, that I get to the very end more frequently. But clearly I'm happy that the clay court season started so well for me."

"You must see the positive side. Try not to be disappointed or frustrated," Federer said. "What I see is that if I'm in that position again, if I keep trying as I did, at a certain point it's going to go my way."

Federer still owns a dominant 13-2 advantage in the pair’s Head to Head series. Wawrinka's first victory came in their first meeting at the Monte Carlo Country Club in 2009. The third seed had since dropped all eight sets contested on clay.

Federer, 21-time ATP World Tour Masters 1000 champion was seeking his first Monte Carlo title, having finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal thrice (2006-’08). He is 1-3 in finals this year, winning his 78th career title in Dubai and reaching finals in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo.

The 32 year old next heads to ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Rome before playing Roland Garros, where Federer sees himself and Wawrinka challenging Nadal and Novak Djokovic for the championship.

"I think we're right there. We've put ourselves in winning positions time and time again," Federer said. "This was one of those weeks we were able to capitalise on it. Stan did the same at the Australian Open. I did it in Dubai. It's definitely a good start to the season for all four of us."

Here is how the final unfolded.

FIRST SET - Federer 6-4

A packed Monte Carlo Country Club, including Prince Albert of Monaco, World No. 10 Milos Raonic and fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, welcomed the Swiss duo to one of the grandest and most picturesque stages on the ATP World Tour.

Federer applied immediate pressure to Wawrinka’s serve, earning a break point in the opening game of the match behind a strong return performance. The third-seed would calm his nerves to hold.

Wawrinka began dictating with his backhand on Federer’s serve and would garner a break point of his own, while returning up 2-1. He opened the game with a brilliantly constructed point, capped by a perfectly placed drop volley to the open court, but was unable to snatch the early initiative with Federer staving off the lone break opportunity.

As Wawrinka’s first serve percentage began to dip, Federer refused to relent to his close friend, stepping inside the baseline and attacking his countryman’s serve with conviction. The former World No. 1 would capitalise, grabbing the break for a 3-2 advantage when Wawrinka sent a backhand long, an uncharacteristic sixth unforced error off his preferred wing. The Lausanne native was broken for the first time after 29 consecutive service games held this week.

After being pushed to deuce in the very next game, Federer would consolidate for 4-2 with a service winner fired out wide and a successful serve and volley venture. A 0/30 look would also be denied by the three-time Monte-Carlo finalist two games later.

Federer maintained the pressure from the baseline in the latter stages of the set, as he continued to dictate off both wings. He would capture the opening set 6-4 after 42 minutes when Wawrinka sent a backhand return long.

SECOND SET - Wawrinka 7-6(5)

Wawrinka would not be deterred by the disappointing first set, earning an immediate break for 2-0 off a loose Federer service game, in which the Basel native served at just 33 per cent.

On cue, Federer dug in his heels, breaking back to love after firing a sensational running backhand down the line, passing an equally aggressive Wawrinka at the net.

As the World No. 3’s backhand unforced error count crept into double digits, he was unable to convert on a pair of break point chances in the fourth game. Wawrinka struggled to inject significant pace on his signature backhand passing shots in the heavier conditions. Federer successfully employed his serve and volley tactic in crucial moments throughout the match and this game was no different, holding for 2-2.

The skies would open during the following changeover, with Wawrinka leading 3-2, with a brief delay ensuing. The rain shower eventually passed and so would yet another opportunity to break, as Federer rallied from 15/30 to hold behind his 13th net point won.

With the business end of the set nearing, the boisterous partisan Swiss crowd would not be disappointed by the level of play from both competitors and the drama that would ensue.

Both players remained on serve through the 12th game and a tie-break was needed to decide the set. Wawrinka garnered the early mini-break edge for 4-1 behind a barrage of deep shots off the ground and would maintain his composure to earn a trio of set points at 6-3. He would convert on his third, pounding an overhead smash to pull even.

THIRD SET - Wawrinka 6-2

The match turned in an instant. Wawrinka experienced a surge of energy in the third set, efficiently attacking Federer’s serve and breaking immediately for the early lead.

As Federer’s aggressiveness quotient began to dip, Wawrinka pressed for a second break, which he would secure with a remarkable angle-abusing cross-court backhand winner. The smooth, crisp ball striking that had abandoned him in the early stages would become a staple of his increasingly aggressive game, holding for a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 lead.

Federer would have no answer for his compatriot, struggling to make in-roads in Wawrinka’s serve before eventually falling behind 1-5.

Wawrinka would clinch his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 on his first match point after two hours and 13 minutes, firing five aces, 32 total winners and breaking Federer's serve three times.

Date: 20th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Federer, Wawrinka fight for Monte Carlo crown

• FINAL HURDLE: Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka meet for the 15th time when they battle for the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters trophy on Sunday. Federer has enjoyed the upper hand in their rivalry, leading their Head to Head series 13-1, but it was Wawrinka who emerged victorious in the pair’s only previous meeting in Monte Carlo in 2009. Federer, who is seeking his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown since winning in Cincinnati in 2012, is looking to add a 22nd Masters 1000 title to his collection, while Wawrinka is hunting for his first. This will be the first all-Swiss ATP World Tour final since Marc Rosset defeated Federer in Marseille in 2000.

• WHAT'S AT STAKE: The champion receives $549,000 and 1,000 ATP Ranking points. The finalist receives $269,150 and 600 ATP Ranking points.

• NO. 3 RANKING ON THE LINE: Wawrinka needs a win on Sunday if he’s to hold on to his spot at No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Victory for world No. 4 Federer, who dropped out of the top three on July 8 last year, would see him leapfrog his Davis Cup teammate into third place.

• FEDERER CHASING ELUSIVE CROWN: Monte Carlo is one of three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles missing from Federer’s collection (along with Rome and Shanghai). The Swiss, who is chasing a 79th title overall, has a 27-10 record in the Principality, reaching three finals from 2006-'08 (l. to Nadal each time). At 32, he’s trying to become the oldest Masters 1000 titlist since Agassi (34) in Cincinnati in 2004.

• THIRD TIME'S A CHARM? Wawrinka will be looking for a first Masters 1000 title in his third final after falling at the final hurdle in Rome in 2008 (l. to Djokovic) and Madrid last year (l. to Nadal). Wawrinka’s semi-final victory over Ferrer was his 100th ATP Masters 1000 win. The ten other active players that have 100 match wins at this level all have at least one Masters 1000 title: Federer (295), Nadal (272), Djokovic (213), Murray (143), Ferrer (142), Haas (139), Berdych (136), Hewitt (127), Robredo (121) and Davydenko (103). Wawrinka is looking to become the 59th different Masters 1000 winner.

• BIG FOUR DOMINATION: In the past 36 Masters 1000 tournaments (since 2010 Monte-Carlo), the Big Four of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray have accounted for 34 titles (28 of the past 29 since 2011). The only exceptions over the last four years came in Paris-Bercy in 2010 (Soderling) and 2012 (Ferrer). Sunday’s final will bring an end to Djokovic and Nadal’s stronghold over the Masters 1000 events during the past year. The world No. 1 and 2 currently hold all nine Masters 1000s between them: Monte Carlo 2013 (Djokovic), Madrid 2013 (Nadal), Rome 2013 (Nadal), Montreal 2013 (Nadal), Cincinnati 2013 (Nadal), Shanghai 2013 (Djokovic), Paris 2013 (Djokovic), Indian Wells 2014 (Djokovic) and Miami (Djokovic).

• 2014 MATCH-WIN LEADERS: Federer bids to extend his lead at the top of the 2014 wins leaderboard. The Swiss has 28 wins to his name this season; last year his 28th win did not come until his opening match in Hamburg in July. Here’s a glance at those with the most wins this year:

• 2014 TITLE LEADERS: Wawrinka seeks to become the first player to win three titles this season. Federer is looking to join the list of multiple-title winners having won in Dubai in February. Just four players have won more than one title this season: Marin Cilic (Zagreb, Delray Beach), Nadal (Doha, Rio de Janeiro), Wawrinka (Chennai, Australian Open) and Djokovic (Indian Wells, Miami).

• CLAY-COURT TITLE LEADERS: Federer is looking to join Ferrer and Robredo as active players who own 11 clay-court titles. The active clay-court title leaders are: Nadal (43), Almagro (12), Ferrer (11), Robredo (11), Davydenko (10) and Federer (10). Three of Wawrinka’s six titles have come on clay.

• MASTERS 1000 WINS: Federer has won the most matches at Masters 1000 level. He is also second in Masters 1000 titles won with 21: Nadal (26), Federer (21), Djokovic (18), Agassi (17), Sampras (11), Murray (9), Muster (8) and Chang (7).

• ALL-COUNTRYMEN FINALS: This is the fourth time this season that players from the same country have met in the final. The first all-countrymen meeting came in Montpellier in February when Gael Monfils defeated Richard Gasquet in an all-French affair. The other two took place last weekend when Spanish players contested both finals in Casablanca (Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d. Marcel Granollers) and Houston (Fernando Verdasco d. Nicolas Almagro). Last season there were six all-countrymen finals throughout the entire year: Montpellier (French), Acapulco (Spanish), Barcelona (Spanish), Munich (German), Roland Garros (Spanish) and Metz (French).

• NUMBERS GAME: Wawrinka has yet to be broken this week, holding in all 27 of his service games while facing just two break points. Here’s a look at how the finalists’ numbers stack up this week: (Note:Wawrinka has played one match less than Federer.)

[3] Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) vs [4] [WC] Roger Federer (SUI)

Head to Head: Federer leads 13-1

• Wawrinka is seeking his first ATP Masters 1000 title (0-2 in M1000 finals) and seventh overall (6-9 in finals). His two previous appearances in Masters 1000 finals came in 2008 in Rome (l. to Djokovic) and in Madrid last year (l. to Nadal).

• Wawrinka reached his first final in Monte-Carlo with a 6-1, 7-6(3) victory over Nadal’s conqueror, David Ferrer, winning 85 per cent of points behind his first serve. The Swiss, who hasn’t dropped a set this week, posted a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Milos Raonic in the QF; received a walkover from Nicolas Almagro in the 3R; and cruised past Marin Cilic 6-0, 6-2 in his opening match.

• Wawrinka has yet to have his serve broken this week. He has faced just two BPs, both of which came against Ferrer. He ranks in the top three this week for points won behind the first serve (82%) and second serve (66%).

• Wawrinka is making his seventh appearance in Monte-Carlo (15-6). His best showing prior to this year came in 2009 when he defeated world No. 2 Federer en route to the SF (l. to Djokovic). He has fallen at the QF stage in his last two visits: 2012 (l. to Nadal) and 2013 (l. to Tsonga).

• Wawrinka has compiled a 19-3 record this season, opening his year with titles in Chennai (d. Roger-Vasselin) and at the Australian Open. In Melbourne, Wawrinka posted three top 10 wins in a row - No. 2 Djokovic, No, 7 Berdych and No. 1 Nadal - en route to his maiden Grand Slam victory. His 13-match winning streak came to an end at the hands of Kevin Anderson in the 4R in Indian Wells. In Miami, the Swiss fell to the in-form Dolgopolov in the 4R also.

• Wawrinka’s QF victory over Aljaz Bedene in Chennai this year was his 300th victory on the ATP World Tour. He became just the fourth Swiss player to reach the landmark after Roger Federer (951), Marc Rosset (433) and Jakob Hlasek (432).

• Wawrinka enjoyed a standout season in 2013. The Swiss native won a personal-best 51 matches (nine vs. top 10 opponents) and was the lone new addition to the year-end top 10. His prize money total of $2,880,925 was his highest return in a single season.

• Wawrinka reached the QF or better on 14 different occasions in 2013, including a SF appearance at the US Open. The 29 year old was also just one of three players, including Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, to end the year with 20+ wins on both clay and hard courts.

• Federer is bidding to win his 22nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title (21-14) and 79th overall (78-38). He is also chasing an elusive Monte-Carlo crown (0-3 in finals here).

• Federer improved his win-loss record over Novak Djokovic to 18-16 with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over the Serb in the SF. The Swiss held serve throughout the match, saving the two BPs he faced.

• Federer clinched his 950th career win with a 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the QF. The Swiss was just two points from defeat at 5-6, 0/30 in the second set before he came storming back. He posted a 6-4, 6-1 win over Lukas Rosol in the 3R after opening his account with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Radek Stepanek, his first clay win of 2014.

• Federer became the third player in the Open Era to reach 950 wins after Jimmy Connors (1253) and Ivan Lendl (1071). The 32 year old tops the 2014 wins leaderboard with 28 victories to his name this year. Last year his 28th win came in his opening match in Hamburg in July.

• Federer is playing Monte-Carlo for the 11th time and for the first time since 2011 (27-10). He reached the final here in 2006, 2007 and 2008, falling to Nadal each time.

• Federer clinched his first title of the season and 78th overall in Dubai in February (d. world No. 2 Djokovic in SF and No. 6 Berdych in F). The Swiss moved clear of John McEnroe (77 titles) into third place on the all-time title list with the win, behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Ivan Lendl (94).

• Federer advanced to his 116th ATP World Tour final in Indian Wells before falling to No. 2 seed Djokovic in three sets. In Miami, he was upset in three sets by Kei Nishikori in the QF.

• Federer opened his season with a run to the final in Brisbane (l. to Hewitt). At the Australian Open, he defeated No. 10 Tsonga and No. 4 Murray en route to the SF (l. to No. 1 Nadal).

• In 2013, Federer became the oldest player to finish a season inside the top 10 since Andre Agassi (35) in 2005. He was also the first player since Pete Sampras (1990-2001) to finish in the top 10 for 12 years in a row. His streak of 11 straight years inside the top five came to an end, however.

Date: 20th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Federer sets all-Swiss Monte Carlo final with Wawrinka

Roger Federer will face Stanislas Wawrinka in an all-Swiss final at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters after beating defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday in the semi-finals. Federer will overtake his countryman at No. 3 in the ATP Rankings should he win the final.

It will be the first all-Swiss ATP World Tour final since 2000 Marseille, when Federer fell to Marc Rosset. Federer is chasing his eighth different ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and 22nd overall.

"For me it comes as a bit of a surprise to be in the finals again of a tournament this year, especially the first one on clay. But, of course, I'll take it," said Federer. "I feel like I have put in the performance to be there, gave myself the opportunity this week. So I'm very happy with my play. Now I set up the dream finals for Stan and myself and Swiss tennis and the Swiss fans. It's very exciting times right now.

"I think it's incredible that we are in the finals together, the same week we've been playing well for some time now. I know Spaniards have it, French guys have it, Americans might have it. But for us it's so rare. Last time was 14 years ago. I played so many matches in the meantime. You think it's never going to happen again. That we're able to have this moment together on a centre court..

"This one is clearly very special, especially with the way he's been playing the past few months, the number of hours we spent together on court either playing doubles or practising, the times we've talked tennis. It's nice living a moment like this together in a final. It's really wonderful. So from that standpoint, I think it's going to be a great day tomorrow."



Federer has a 13-1 Head to Head lead over Wawrinka and has won his past 11 meetings with the Australian Open champion. But Wawrinka’s only win over his countryman came here at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in 2009.

"I know I have a good head-to-head record against him. I don't read that much into it. He's a different caliber player now," said Federer.

"It's great, for sure, to play a Swiss player, especially Roger," said Wawrinka.

Federer extended his Head to Head lead over Djokovic to 18-16, beating the Serb for the second time in three meetings this season. After missing the chance to break Djokovic at 4-4 in the first set, Federer found himself in trouble as he faced two set points at 15/40 on serve in the 10th game. The Basel native held on, though, and then clawed his way back from 40/0 down on Djokovic’s serve in the following game to break the Serb and steal the set.

With Djokovic hampered by an injured right wrist, which was heavily strapped, Federer took full advantage and broke the Serb twice to prevail. He lost just five points on serve in the second set.

"Of course, I did see that Novak was struggling at one point," said Federer. "For me it was more just making sure that from my side I was playing a good, solid, tough match with some good defensive play sometimes, but mostly trying to stay on the offensive as much as I could. I think I was able to deliver from my side, which is key."

Federer is looking to win the Monte-Carlo crown for the first time after three runner-up finishes from 2006-’08. The right-hander is chasing his 22nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title - he is currently second on the all-time leaders list, behind Nadal with 26 - and his first since August 2012, when he triumphed in Cincinnati (d. Djokovic).

Federer became the third player in the Open Era to reach 950 tour-level wins on Friday when he rallied from the brink of defeat to prevail against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals. Victory over Wawrinka on Sunday would bring him his 79th tour-level title - third on all-time leaders list - and his second of the season, following success in Dubai (d. Berdych).

Date: 19th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Federer and Djokovic to clash in Monte Carlo semi-final

Roger Federer’s patience was tested to the limit as he battled to a 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters on Friday.

It took Federer 16 break points before he finally breached Tsonga’s defences on serve. The decisive move gave him a 2-0 lead in the third set and he went on to break Tsonga once more before claiming victory in two hours and 26 minutes.

The Swiss had been two points from defeat, trailing 5-6, 0/30 at the end of the second set, but four points later had forced a tie-break. He let slip a 6-3 lead, but was given a fourth set point chance courtesy of a Tsonga error and took his chance.

"I was down 6-5, 0/30," said Federer. "It was a tough point at 15-30 as far as I remember with a half volley backhand defense kind of thing. It wasn't looking good there. Clearly was quite frustrating for a long period of time, missing all those break points. Now, looking back, I can take also some positives out of the match. It was just many things went wrong at the wrong time for me: Jo playing well, me playing wrong at certain times, wrong shot selections. It was a tough day at the office. I'm happy I found the way to tough it out.

"The confidence is there. I played well from the baseline. My serve was consistent. I'm very happy that I have this foundation for my game. Sometimes you feel you have no foundation. But having it helped me to remain very calm during the whole match. I really believed that eventually I was going to come through. It's not possible to go through that many break points. I was playing good enough to make the break and then serve my way home. That's exactly kind of what happened."

"The conditions were changing a lot during the match," reflected Tsonga. "It was becoming colder and the balls were not bouncing that much anymore and it was difficult for me to give them some height. So he had more and more of those balls at the height of his hips, and that's where he feels most comfortable. So it was then more difficult for me to put the ball away from him. I forced myself a bit and I got into trouble."



It was Federer’s 950th tour-level win and put him in his 50th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final.

For a place in the final, Federer will face defending champion Novak Djokovic. The 32-year-old Federer is looking to reach the final at the Monte-Carlo Country Club for the fourth time, having finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal from 2006-'08.

Federer is this week looking to win his 22nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown and first since Cincinnati 2012 (d. Djokovic). Federer and Djokovic will face off for the 34th time and third time this season on Saturday. Federer leads their ATP Head to Head series 17-16. He beat Djokovic in three sets in the Dubai semi-finals, but it was the Serb who was victorious in the Indian Wells final two weeks later.

"Federer has been playing really good tennis in the last couple of months... much better than he did all of last season," said Djokovic. "I'm going to have to be on top of my game."

Date: 18th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Federer sets Tsonga quarter-final clash

Roger Federer is yet to spend more than an hour on court at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters. Following a 52-minute win over Radek Stepanek on Wednesday, the Swiss advanced to the quarter-finals in 57 minutes, dismissing Lukas Rosol 6-4, 6-1.

The 32-year-old Federer won 91 per cent of his first serve points and hit 24 winners to 18 unforced errors, breaking Rosol four times to record his second win this season over the Czech.

"I think it was a bit rocky in the beginning," said Federer, who initially trailed 1-3. "I was able to find my way into the match. After four games you usually kind of know what's going to work, what's not going to work. At the end I think I had good variation. I also came to the net some. I was effective on break points. My first serve started to work better. So I just think it was a more difficult start to the match."

The fourth-seeded Federer earned a quarter-final clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who earlier fought from a set down to beat Fabio Fognini. Federer leads their Head to Head series 10-4, beating Tsonga in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January in their most recent meeting. However, Tsonga won their last clay-court contest, beating Federer in the Roland Garros quarter-finals last year.

"I didn't play a very good match against him at the French last year," said Federer. "That was a bit of a disaster for me. On the other side, I played a really good match against him in the Australian Open this year. So I'm kind of excited to see what's going to happen this time around. I think Jo played the semis here last year, so he's played here well in the past. I have to make sure I play aggressive myself and not become too passive just because we're on clay."

Federer is making his first appearance since 2011 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. After three runner-up finishes in 2006-'08, the Basel native is looking to win the title for the first time and claim his 22nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown.

Date: 17th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Federer ‘excited’ for home semifinal in Davis Cup

With 16,000 fans teetering on the edge of their seats throughout Switzerland’s thrilling quarterfinal triumph over Kazakhstan, Roger Federer says he can’t wait to face Italy in another home encounter in the Davis Cup semifinals on 12-14 September.

Two singles victories for Federer and a point for Stanislas Wawrinka saw Switzerland recover from 2-1 down to defeat the Kazakhs and reach its first semifinal since 2003 against Italy, whose comeback win over Great Britain ensured Severin Luthi’s men a second consecutive home tie.

“Clearly we’re excited that Italy won so we get a chance to play at home,” said Federer. “It’s big for the fans and the Swiss federation. They’ve paid a lot of money over the years for trips - like this weekend they’re playing Fed Cup in Brazil - so it’s good news for them.”

Federer defeated Mikhail Kukushkin in the decisive fifth rubber in April’s quarterfinal clash in Geneva to maintain Switzerland’s bid to win the Davis Cup for the first time - a campaign that has whipped up plenty of interest in Switzerland.

Not only does Luthi have two Grand Slam singles champions to call on in Federer and Australian Open champion Wawrinka, the Swiss are playing consecutive World Group ties on home soil for the first time since 2004-05.

“Having back-to-back ties in Switzerland is going to bring a bit more euphoria around the tie and around the competition,” acknowledged Federer. “We’re happy that we were able to win against Kazakhstan. It was a big relief at the end.

“Playing at home, being able to choose the place and the surface, favours us against Italy now. We’re aware that every tie has to be played and at this point I just hope we are going to be both healthy and give ourselves the best chance to win.”

September’s semifinal will see Federer take on Italy in Davis Cup for a third time - and he’ll be looking for a third straight triumph.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion defeated Davide Sanguinetti in the second rubber in Switzerland’s 3-2 victory in Neuchatel in 1999, before besting Simone Bolelli and Potito Starace as the visitors won by the same scoreline 10 years later on Italian soil in Genoa.

“It’s always an interesting tie,” Federer added. “I’ve played Italy twice before in my career and they’ve always been good ties, friendly ties. I think this one is going to be more special just because there is going to be much more on the line this time around.”

Date: 17th April 2014, Source: Davis Cup

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Roger Federer could miss French Open for birth of third child

17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is prepared to skip tournaments - including possibly the French Open - to be with his wife when she gives birth again.

Federer, who has twin daughters with wife Mirka, announced on 24 December 2013 they are expecting their third child, although they have not said when.

The 32-year-old Federer still does not know the exact date.

''So we're just waiting. It's a priority for me trying to be there, trying to support my wife,'' Federer said Wednesday at the Monte Carlo Masters. ''I've played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn't change anything for me.''

Asked if that means he would be prepared to miss the French Open, which runs from May 25-June 8, the 17-time Grand Slam champion hinted that he would.

''Yeah, let's talk about it when it would happen. At the moment we hope it's not going to be that way,'' he said after beating Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-2 in the second round. ''If it is, that's what it is, you know.''

Federer has played in every Grand Slam since 2000.

Date: 16th April 2014, Source: AP

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Federer makes emphatic start in Monte Carlo

Roger Federer made a welcome return to the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters on Wednesday and opened his campaign in emphatic style, dismissing Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-2 in just 52 minutes to reach the third round.

The Swiss took a wild card to make his first appearance since 2011 at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tournament. He notched his 24th win at the Monte-Carlo Country Club as he hit 14 winners to nine unforced errors and converted all four of his break points. It was a near-flawless performance from him. Federer moved to a 14-2 ATP Head to Head record against Stepanek.

"I'm a bit surprised how well it went," said Federer. "Then again, it's hard to serve through the opponent. I was able to get a lot of returns back into play. On clay, when you have the upper hand from the baseline, it's kind of hard to get out of it.

"I think that's kind of how it was for Radek today. I had a good start to both sets, then I was solid on my own service games. The next thing you know, you're in the lead and you can hit freely. It was clearly a good match to start my clay-court campaign."

The 32-year-old Federer, who was part of the ATP’s 25-year celebrations in Monte-Carlo on Tuesday evening, is a three-time runner-up at this tournament. The Basel native, who lost out to Rafael Nadal in the 2006-08 finals, is chasing his 22nd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown and first since 2012 Cincinnati (d. Djokovic).

"I'm very happy now that I'm doing well," said Federer, reflecting on his strong start to the season. "But, of course, I also expect this from myself. So I'm just trying to keep up that rhythm. I feel free physically and in my mind. I'm eager to play, I'm eager to practise. I want to play good points. I'm no longer afraid that the rally will last too long. This was getting in the way of my game last year, whereas now I can really enjoy myself."

Federer faces Lukas Rosol in the third round after the Czech managed back-to-back victories on the ATP Tour for only the second time this season with a 6-4 6-4 win over France's Michael Llodra.

Date: 16th April 2014, Source: ATP

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Roger Federer accepted Monte Carlo wild card

Roger Federer has accepted a wild card invitation to play in the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters after skipping the tournament for the past two years.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, will be making his first Monte-Carlo appearance since a quarter-final exit in 2011 (l. to Jurgen Melzer), and his 11th overall. He has a 23-10 tournament record.

Federer, a winner of seven different Masters 1000 tournaments, will be looking to win the Monte-Carlo title for the first time. He finished runner-up to Nadal in three straight visits, from 2006-08.

He claimed his last clay-court title in 2012, when he defeated Czech Tomas Berdych in the Mutua Madrid Open final.

Date: 8th April 2014, Source: ATP and AP

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Roger Federer’s Madrid and Rome Masters 2014 Outfit

 

Roger Federer's Nike Outfit for Mutua Madrid Open and Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2014.

Date: 7th April 2014

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Roger Federer fires Switzerland to Davis Cup semifinals

In a stunning comeback on a weekend that epitomised the brilliance of Davis Cup, Switzerland became the final nation to secure a place in the semifinals of the competition to be played in September. Switzerland came back from 2-1 down after the doubles rubber to win the two reverse singles on the final day.

After disappointing results the first two days Stanislas Wawrinka rallied from a set down to defeat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7(4), 6-4 6-4 6-4 and then Roger Federer sealed the tie with a 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-3 victory over Andrey Golubev.

“It’s great. I was hoping so much that I was going to get a chance to play and not just watch Stan play,” said Federer. “I got the opportunity and I’m happy I lived up to the hype and the expectations, and I was able to get the boys through. So very happy for them.

“I was confident but not silly confident but respectful confident towards the opponent (we could do it). I knew Stan was going to play better than Friday and I thought as well that he was going to do a better job with rhythm and against the type of player Kukushkin was, he’d find a way. That’s what happened. It was tough for him for a long time.

“Then personally for me, I just felt I was playing such great tennis the last six months that I would find a way as well and I did. It’s a relief but it was a great feeling.”

The score line did hide the fact that the first set was close. Federer had a service break but credit to Golubev for striking back. However, when they did get to the tiebreak it was one-way traffic as Federer picked up his aggressive play with an immediate mini-break. He never looked back and was like being in a one man race as he won the breaker without dropping a point.

Golubev was trying so hard to stay in touch with Federer but it was clear that the “Great One” was making it tougher and tougher for the Kazakh. Some of the returns he was playing in front of the incredibly loud partisan, but respectful, crowd were wonderful to watch.

He went up 4-2 when Golubev sent a forehand wide down the line and the fans erupted yet again with approval. Two games later he broke for the second set with the set point winner being vintage Federer. From the deuce corner of the court he blitzed a forehand crosscourt passing shot - which Golubev could only watch speed past him to land in - and as part of the follow through motion of that stroke he jogged to the courtside bench.

If it had not been for Wawrinka turning his tennis around it would have been such a different landscape. After losing the first set he didn’t seem as down as he was on the Friday. He knew that he was not playing badly and he just had to remain calm.

“I think I was doing the right thing,” said Wawrinka even though he lost that first set. “I was playing better than him and he had to play at his best, and I knew if I would keep the same level it would be difficult for him to play a five set match like this and that’s what happened.

“I started to play even more aggressive, make more winners, come to the net and I took my chances when I had them at the end. I am really happy with the match.”

The support for Wawrinka helped lift him incredibly and the atmosphere was something special.

Wawrinka said: “I had two difficult days losing to Golubev, losing the doubles; I was not playing my best tennis but I’m really happy with my level today. I went for it and I took that match. It was a tough match, he was playing really good, so I’m happy with myself and my game.”

Both Kukushkin and Golubev gave it their best but they ran into two players who were able to lift to greater levels with their experience but this weekend has opened the eyes of the Kazakhs and it allowed them to believe they can stand alongside some of the most powerful tennis nations in the world.

“It was a fantastic weekend and I’m very proud of our team and everyone involved in the team, not just the players,” said Captain Dias Doskarayev. “Overall it was fantastic no matter how the result went. We ended up losing but the score doesn’t matter, the fact that we hung in and gave a battle. This weekend will have a lasting effect.

“Even though we lost we accomplished something huge. Of course it will take time to sink in but we can find out that we can develop tennis more. We can get our guys on TV and in interviews and people will find out more about tennis and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Swiss now swing their attention to hosting Italy in the semifinals. Where it will be played remains to be seen but Federer suggested he’d be very happy to have it at the same arena.

“We’re in Switzerland, we don’t have too many arenas and halls, this is all temporary but it’s very special,” said Federer. “The history of the matches being played here, I hope we can do this one again.”


Date: 6th April 2014, Source: Davis Cup

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Kazakhstan leads Switzerland 2-1 in Davis Cup quarterfinals

The Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka has it all to do at the Davis Cup quarterfinal in Geneva, after they were stunned 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(6) by the Kazakhstan doubles team of Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Andrey Golubev.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s like a dream I must say because we are playing against the Swiss in Switzerland,” said the Kazakh captain Dias Doskarayev.

“I told the guys before the match miracles may happen but you have to believe in miracles and today we had to play fantastic. We had to play aggressive, we had to play great but of course we needed to expect mistakes from the Swiss team.

“Stan was a bit nervous, pressure got to him; this is Davis Cup and our guy Nedovyesov showed himself really well under pressure, but being 2-1 against Switzerland is nothing going into Sunday. It has to be a reality check in the back of our minds. We still have two singles to go and anything may happen. We have to keep motivating our guys.”

The Kazakhs seemed to show no fear on the court and they went on the attack from the first point as Roger Federer found out. His serve was broken and the visitors hung on to that break for the entire set. They were barely threatened and with Nedovyesov serving for the set, the Swiss were under pressure.

On set point the ball came to Wawrinka; it was on his backhand, a shot he plays so beautifully, but it was not the case on this occasion. The Swiss No. 1 instead drilled it into the bottom of the net - it was a disappointing return to say the least.

Federer and Wawrinka kept up the fight but it was becoming obvious that Federer was needing to take charge more. Wawrinka’s game was not having a good day. In the sixth game they broke Golubev after he unsuccessfully challenged the call. The crowd had been waiting for such a moment to really unleash their passion.

Construction certificates for the Palexpo are certainly not needed because this partisan, but highly respectful crowd, proved the building was sound; there was no sign of the roof being blown off with the level of noise.

However the advantage was short-lived because Wawrinka lost his serve when he sent a backhand wide when trying to close out the set 5-3. The teams went to a tiebreak and Kazakhstan gained an immediate mini-break on Wawrinka’s serve.

The visitors were soon leading 5-2 but the Swiss did manage to balance things at 5-5. Golubev served to gain a set point, which his team won when Federer played a poor volley to lose the breaker.

“Golubev has been the man of the match in the singles and doubles, he’s played great,” said Federer. “He’s been mentally really calm, confident and serene. I’ve been very impressed by him. He made the difference in the doubles.”

The Swiss left the court for some time for a bathroom break. There was a bit more bounce in their step when they returned and they broke Nedovyesov in the fifth game; five games later and Switzerland was on the scoreboard with a set. Federer made a graceful leap to put an overhead away.

Needless to say the crowd was beside itself as their chanting and stomping reverberated around the facility. Locals could rest assure it was not an earthquake.

“It was a great atmosphere on court but it was tough to lose the doubles,” said Wawrinka. “For me it was good to play a lot of tennis the last two days even if it was two difficult days but I’m going to be ready and I know what to do to win.”

The fourth set was highly competitive but the Swiss euphoria was not to last. Golubev and Nedovyesov saved a set point to make it 6-6 and Nedovyesov made it match point on his serve.

Federer was trying to save the situation but a return Golubev got on his racquet strings allowed him to direct the ball right at Wawrinka who was at the net; in trying to defend himself, he lost the point and match.

“I’m not overly worried about what happened the last couple of days,” said Federer. “We knew the Kazakhs have been playing well in Davis Cup the last few years now. So it’s for us now to shine and prove ourselves.

“We are good players and we are the favourites still for each singles reverse match but we have no more margin for error so we are aware of that and, who knows, that’s maybe going to make us play even better, so I’m really excited about tomorrow.”

Date: 5th April 2014, Source: Davis Cup

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Switzerland locked in battle after first day

Switzerland ended the opening day of its Davis Cup quarterfinal on equal terms with Kazakhstan thanks to Roger Federer and much to the relief of the 15,000-plus fans.

The majority of people believed this was going to be like taking a leisurely sail on Lake Geneva, instead the waters turned choppy and the Swiss were fighting to keep their chances alive. What this has highlighted yet again is that in Davis Cup anything is possible.

Stanislas Wawrinka admitted to feeling the pressure in the first rubber when he played Andrey Golubev. The Kazakh player gave his side the first point of the weekend with a 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory. Golubev was denied on two match points in the 12th game of the fourth set, and saw three more go begging as he let slip a 6-2 lead in the ensuing tie-break. He converted his sixth opportunity, though, to claim victory in three hours and 14 minutes.

However, Federer then got the crowd going. The noise level went up five notches and it drowned out pretty much everything else. Still, Federer had to dig deep, especially in the first set against Mikhail Kukushkin before asserting his dominance and closed out the match 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

“Definitely it’s an advantage and good for me not to waste any energy because I do see myself playing all three days, even though I play second on Sunday,” said Federer.

“Clearly I trust Stan that he’s going to be fit and healthy and fighting till the very end. It was unfortunate today for his match but I think Golubev played really a smart and a good match in good indoor conditions for him.

“Now we’re just going to start all over again, really. That’s what I told Stan. The weekend has only just started. There’s no drama and that’s how I saw it going into my singles match.”

The Kazakh captain Dias Doskarayev was naturally proud of his two players. Golubev put in such a great effort against Wawrinka and with Kukushkin, even though he lost to Federer he still played a tight couple of sets.

“If I had been told it would be 1-1 before we started, I would have taken that anytime against Switzerland,” said Doskarayev. “It was very high quality tennis from both our guys, no regrets.

"I cannot blame Misha (Kukushkin) for losing because he didn’t do this or that, he gave his best out on the court. He fought till the end and he just happened to play against Federer who is a legend and who played clutch points, served well and played good defence, changing up the speed with slices and top spins.

“I think it was a good first day for us and good that Andrey played well. He showed for another time he can beat top ten players likes he’s done in Davis Cup and it’s just a matter of consistency of results that he belongs to the top 20. He has to believe he belongs and he can hang with the guys. I think he showed very good quality tennis especially on big points and he kept his nerves.

“Obviously he made Stan a bit nervous but that’s Davis Cup and emotions are there and I’m happy it worked out for us in the first match.”

The frustrations in Wawrinka’s game really showed when he was unable to put pressure on Golubev. The Swiss had some break point chances but couldn’t penetrate on a consistent basis and the more that happened the more Wawrinka became irritated. Playing in front of fans that expect him to overcome such situations probably did not help his cause.

“There is always a lot of pressure when you play at home and for your country but that’s part of our game and you have to deal with that,” said Wawrinka. “Today I didn’t play so well but I’m expecting to play better tomorrow in the doubles, and if I have to play on Sunday again.

“Sure I’m disappointed with myself but I have to give credit to Golubev, he was really playing good and he was aggressive. I didn’t play so well. I was expecting more mistakes (from him) and I was not aggressive enough with my game. I’m disappointed with the loss but I need to accept it and be ready for the rest of the weekend.”

Golubev played such a calm match. He said he was nervous in the beginning but his solid serving helped him calm down and keep concentrated and as he put it: “I did good”.

The combinations for the doubles rubber are still up in the air but at this point the Swiss are expected to stick with Federer and Wawrinka but the Kazakhs could replace Aleksandr Nedovyesov or Evgeny Korolov with Golubev.

Date: 4th April 2014, Source: Davis Cup

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