Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt at Gerry Weber Open Fashion Night

Read More

Roger defeated by Hewitt

Roger had to accept a 6-3, 7-6(4), 4-6 defeat against Lleyton Hewitt today.

Roger showed a strong start in Halle today. He took a 40-0 lead on Hewitt's serve during the second set, but did not manage to use the chance given. From that point on he was no longer able to score on the important points, eventually losing the final in three sets. "We've known each other for years and once played doubles together in Wimbledon and I always looked up to him," Roger said going into the match. "It is something special to play against him."

Roger had not lost a match at Halle since 2002, winning the title five times, and had beaten Hewitt in their last 15 showdowns. But he simply committed too many unforced errors today. Nevertheless, Roger profited from an entire week of preparation on grass and is ready for Wimbledon starting in a week.

Federer said he remained confident ahead of Wimbledon, which starts June 21.

“I was unfortunate not to come through today, but the loss here does not worry me in any way,” said Federer, the six-time Wimbledon champion. “I thought it was a good tournament for me. I have got to ensure I draw the right conclusions for Wimbledon.”

“Roger is a great player and a great champion and every time you step on court against him, you are the underdog on every surface,” Hewitt said. “(But) it doesn’t matter how big a favorite you are. He still only has two arms and two legs.”

Federer will return to Switzerland for a few days before going after a seventh title at Wimbledon.

Date: 13.06.2010, Source: RF Official and AP

Read More

Gerry Weber Open 2010 Finals Preview

No one has won more titles or more matches on grass than Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt among active players, so the final of this year’s Gerry Weber Open features the two most accomplished grass court players on the ATP World Tour.

Hewitt is playing in Halle for the first time in his career and now tries to improve to 7-0 lifetime in grass court finals as he takes on Federer; but the Swiss native has been phenomenal on the lawns of Halle, having been perfect here since 2003 (winning the title that year and again in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008). He will go for his 30th straight match win here as he takes on Hewitt.

Federer has also won 76 of his last 77 matches on grass, the only blemish since 2003 being his famous five-set finals loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

Although Federer-Hewitt is one of the deepest rivalries among the ATP World Tour’s elite, Federer has won their last 15 meetings and leads 17-7 overall, 3-1 on grass.

Federer’s Halle service games won streak was snapped at 78 straight games held until the opening game of his semi-final match against Philipp Petzschner, when he was broken. The streak was over an eight match span in Halle.

WHAT’S AT STAKEWinner   €113,600 and 250 South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up  € 59,900 and 150 South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY
Federer 88th career final……has a 62-25 record… 11-1 in grass finals, 10-1 in finals in Germany
Hewitt  42nd career final…...has a 27-14 record….6-0 in grass finals, 0-1 in finals in Germany

FEDERER & HEWITT: TWO MOST SUCCESSFUL ACTIVE GRASS COURT PLAYERSFederer and Hewitt are the leaders among active players for titles and match wins on grass courts:

Grass Court Title Leaders   
1. Federer    11
2. Hewitt    6
3. Roddick    4
4. Gasquet, Karlovic, Nadal  2

Grass Court Match Win Leaders
1. Hewitt   97
2. Federer  92
3. Roddick   70
4. Clement, Kiefer  44

Date: 13.06.2010, Source: ATP World Tour

Read More

Roger Federer reaches final in Halle

Roger notched up his 29th straight win in Halle today as he beat Germany's Philipp Petzschner 7-6(3) 6-4. He will now take on Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's final.

It was the first meeting between Roger and Petzschner on the ATP-Tour. The first set was a tough fight on both sides. Roger conceded two breaks in the opening set, but managed to score two breaks himself, eventually prevailing in the tie-break. Roger then secured the only break in the second set and served out the match to end Petzschner's resistance.

Roger will now meet Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt (ATP 31) in the final of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle tomorrow at 1:00 pm (local time).

Interview with Roger Federer:
Congratulations. This guy can be tricky with a very aggressive play and slicing all the backhands?
FEDERER: Yes, absolutely. I knew that before the match. I think I mentioned yesterday, he's a good player, he has good potential and is talented. You can see it in the way he plays. He is very relaxed and he can play in different ways. So, that can work in his favour but also against him because you have sometimes few too many options. Today, definitely he started playing out aggressive, saying if he gets a chance on my forehand, I’ll hit it. And many of them worked. That’s why he was very dangerous from the start, even took chances, he came over the backhand a couple of times and the return, that kind of also paid off. So, everything he was trying was working and it was playing in his favour a lot. So, it was a tough start for me to get into the match, to get a feel of how he plays. Because if you watched him this past week he was more waiting for mistakes, not taking too many chances, mixing up with his slice. And today he came out much more aggressive. He has a game that allows him to do that kind of stuff because he doesn't mind if the rallies are short or long, because he just likes variation like I do, too. It was an interesting match for me, especially playing him for the first time. I’m happy the way I played because it wasn’t easy but I found a way which was great.

Tomorrow Lleyton. You know this kind. Obviously you know how to win. So, what we say about that match?
FEDERER: It’s always special playing him. We go way back. We even played doubles together in Wimbledon one year. He made the breakthrough so early in his career that to me, I kind of looked up to Lleyton, how could he be so good so early, because I had so many issues in my game. I knew I was very talented, but I knew I could never beat five top guys in a row which he was able to do at 16. I think I definitely drew inspiration from him and Safins, Ferreros who came through the rankings maybe a bit faster than me. I think that the shadow from them helped me grow stronger without that pressure even though I had pressure from national media as well. Because they then said “Lleyton does it, so you should do it, too.” (laughs). But he was the youngest No. 1 in the world we ever had. So, he did special things which I will never get a chance to do. It’s amazing how many times we’ve played, it’s amazing the record I have now against him after starting off with a tough head to head record against him, actually.

What is the level of motivation knowing you have already won so many tournaments?
FEDERER: Motivation is very simple: I love the game. I don’t overplay. I play select few events, tournaments and Grand Slams, so I always can get up very easily for those. I have many fans screaming my name in the stadium and outside. So, it’s something I really enjoy. I remember it wasn’t like that when I came up on Tour. They would mistake me for other players. So, I knew I had some work to do. Today, it is so different. I know the places, I know the people, I know how kind this works. I enjoy the Tour very much. It’s easy to get up for a full stadium every time. If you can’t get up for those kind of matches it’s better to quit. But I’m not there.

Date: 12.06.2010, Source: RF Official and Gerry Weber Open

Read More

Semis in Halle

Roger easily defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber (ATP 35) 7-5, 6-3 today to book his spot in the semi-final of the Gerry Weber Open.

It was an even performance on both sides in the first set, but Roger got the crucial break in the twelfth game and wrapped up the first set 7-5. Roger leaped forward in the second set as he scored the first break in the second game, maintaining the lead until the end. Roger lost 10 points in 11 service games today, half of those came in the game in which Kohlschreiber got his only break-point chance of the day.

Roger will next face Philipp Petzschner (ATP 41) - he has never played the German on the ATP-Tour so far.

Date: 11.06.2010, Source: RF Official and Krist

Read More

Roger Federer eases through

Roger cruised into the quarter-finals of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle by defeating Alejandro Falla of Colombia 6-1, 6-2 today.

Roger needed just 52 minutes against Falla, dominating the match in all situations and scoring breaks at regular intervals. He has certainly proved that he has adjusted to the surface very well. He conceded just two break points in today's match on centre court but saved both of them.

Roger will now play Philipp Kohlschreiber in the last eight after the German's 6-4, 7-5 victory over Roger's countryman Marco Chiudinelli. Roger has won all four matches against the German - three of which were played on grass (one of them being the final in Halle in 2008).

Date: 10.06.2010, Source: RF Official

Read More

Roger Federer rushes to opening victory

Roger Federer made an impressive start to his sixth title at the GERRY WEBER OPEN. In the first round, he beat Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen comfortably 6-4, 6-4. It was his 26th victory in a row on the Halle grass.

The 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008 GERRY WEBER OPEN winner only struggled a little at the very beginning. Many were surprised to see Nieminen earn two break points in the second game: “I had two double faults, which is usually enough for two matches,” said Federer. But it was enough of a wake-up call. Two strong serves later and an ace for good measure, then a volley from the base line made it 1-1.

The grass court king was still testing some of his shots early on, but the time for experimentation was over at 4-4. The Swiss broke serve, defended another break point in the 10th game and then sealed the set with an impressive appearance at the net: like a wall, his cat-like reflexes volleyed him to a 6-4 win.

In the first game of the second set, an exchange at the net was symbolic of the game. He had Nieminen running as if his life depended on it, diving twice over the green surface, repelling what he could, but he just could not reach the ball for a third time: Federer took the point. For all of his efforts, the Finn, who has recently settled in at the GERRY WEBER BREAKPOINT in Halle, got nowhere. The early break to 2-0 sealed the outsider’s fate. He has never won a single set against Federer.

Nieminen, who is currently trying to make his game a bit more aggressive, can at least be proud of having lasted over an hour. With the clock on 61 minutes, Federer’s eighth ace flew past his ear to seal a 6-4, 6-4 result. The Swiss was not really unsettled by the long wait before the game either, a delay caused by the lengthy games from Kiefer and Kohlschreiber. “That is normal. I was in the lounge and watched a bit of Kohlschreiber,” he said. That could come in useful too since they could meet in the quarter-finals. Federer will learn tomorrow who he will meet in the second round since rain delayed the end of the game between Okun and Falla.

Interview with Roger Federer after defeating Jarkko Nieminen:

Q: Are you happy to be back on grass?
FEDERER: Sure, it’s always nice. I think that any surface change actually has something nice about it. Grass is the most special one because we only play one month on it. So, every day you get a chance to play on this surface is somewhat a special day, because it’s so rare and it’s so different to the other ones. I feel it’s something you want to savour as long as you are on the surface.

Q: Did you watch the final on Sunday?
FEDERER: No, I was practicing.

Q: Were you rooting for the Swedish guy?
FEDERER: No, the better one wins. My call was that Rafa would win in straight sets, which he did. He was the best by far this year on clay from the start in Monaco, or there were even Davis Cup matches in February. He didn’t lose a set as far as I remember. So, he completely deserved the French Open as well.

Q: The past 52 weeks you won two Grand Slams and made one final and the guy, who is No. 1, won only one Grand Slam. Do you think the ranking system is fair?
FEDERER: Well, I think it’s fair but tough. You can’t always predict how long do I want to be No. 1 in the world. It’s something that comes and goes very quickly. It’s tough on the player that rankings change so quickly and so drastically sometimes. We’ve gotten accustomed to me or Rafa, but especially me, is number one in the world, it’s pretty easy to stay at the top and it’s something that comes very naturally almost. But it’s not if you look how quickly things change. I’m still the holder of two Grand Slam titles and a couple of Master’s 1000 and so forth. Then you realize it’s not that simple. It’s great for the media because they make a big huge deal out of the rankings. Because, today he’s great, like Rafa last year. Everything before the French he was incredible. One and a half month later, he doesn’t have a French or Wimbledon title anymore and people start like, will he ever come back, will he ever play tennis again after his knee problems. But all he did is miss six weeks of tennis and they make a huge deal out of it. I think whoever is No. 1 in the world deserves it because it’s a ranking over 365 days and it proves that the press was wrong. They wrote him off, saying he was not playing well. But he must have some results in the system which were finals, maybe not titles but he put himself in a position that if he was going to win big titles again, he was going to make Number 1 in the world. Hope this makes sense.

Date: 08.06.2010, Source: Gerry Weber Open

Read More

Gerry Weber Open 2010

After the end of the clay season it's now finally time for the green surface! Roger will play the 18th Gerry Weber Open in Halle this week where he will try to capture a sixth tournament title and adjust the last details for Wimbledon. He will face Finland's Jarkko Nieminen (ATP 69) in the first round. He has never been defeated by Nieminen in any of their 10 matches so far. He could then play Columbia's Alejandro Falla (ATP 70) in round two before meeting Radek Stepanek (ATP 20) in the quarter-finals. A potential semi-final against Juan Carlos Ferrero (ATP 18) or Marcos Baghdatis (ATP 30) could then be the last step before a final clash with Nikolay Davydenko (ATP 5).

"It's been a while since I last played here in Halle," our champion commented as he was welcomed by tournament-director Ralf Weber and the founder of the tournament, Gerhard Weber. "I am happy to be able to play the Gerry Weber Open again."

Roger will make the most of this week to prepare for Wimbledon, starting with a doubles match together with Yves Allegro against Germany's Christopher Kas and Philipp Kohlschreiber today.

Date: 07.06.2010, Source: RF Official

Read More

Roger Federer signs lifetime agreement with Gerry Weber Open

Roger Federer and the GERRY WEBER OPEN have signed a unique partnership for the remainder of Federer’s playing career. On Sunday, tournament director Ralf Weber and the Swiss signed an agreement which ensures Federer will participate in Germany’s only grass court tournament until he ends his career.

“I am delighted,” said the world number one. “It feels a bit like I am getting married. I wanted to plan more long-term. I want to build up friendships and I get on really well with Ralf and Gerhard Weber.”

“Germany’s tennis fans can be glad that they will get to see Roger playing at the GERRY WEBER OPEN for many more years to come,” said Ralf Weber. “I am convinced that he will be serving here still in 2015.” Weber and Federer signed the ‘Lifetime Contract’ in front of a mass collection of TV teams, reporters and photographers at the GERRY WEBER Sportpark Hotel in Halle (Westfalen).

“Halle has always been a really important tournament in my career,” explained the 28-year-old maestro, who has toppled record after record in recent years, leading the all-time list of most successful Grand Slam winners with 16 titles, including six to date at Wimbledon, four in Melbourne, five US Open triumphs and one French Open.

He added: “I have always been happy here, played successfully and gained momentum going into Wimbledon. Therefore, I would also like to continue this partnership”.

“But my aim is to be at the top come the end of the year,” said the Swiss. He knew he would only be number one up to Wimbledon anyway since Nadal has no points to defend there, but he will definitely want to get back to the top as and when he drops a position. “Being number one remains my priority,” quipped Federer.

Federer has beaten the likes of Michael Schumacher and Tiger Woods to be named the (Laureus) World Sportsman of the Year four times and he has also been voted as Switzerland’s Sportsperson of the Year four times while he is the five-times International Tennis Federation (ITF) champion. “He is the greatest personality world tennis has ever had,” said tournament director Weber. “He is a man who has made tennis popular beyond its means.” Federer himself says the way the tournament in Halle (Westfalen) has evolved is “a great story”.

“What has been built here and what is done for the fans is simply fantastic,” he said.

Federer begins his latest GERRY WEBER OPEN campaign this Tuesday (June 8) at 16:00 against the Finnish left-hander Jarkko Nieminen. The tournament in East Westphalia, which is being staged for the 18th time in 2010, is now the only ATP event in Germany where the ‘Mozart of tennis’ (according to The Times) still plays. Federer says that the GERRY WEBER OPEN has always given him a good feeling. Furthermore, it is an ideal platform “to prepare perfectly for Wimbledon,” according to Weber.

Since 2003, Federer has won his favourite tournament on the annual tennis calendar five times and he has become a firm fans’ idol. “Roger has forged many friendly links in Halle. You can see how much he looks forward to taking part here each time, and how disappointed he was when that was not possible,” said Weber.

Federer arrived in Halle (Westfalen) with his wife Mirka and their twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva last Friday, and moved into his customary suite in the GERRY WEBER Sportpark Hotel. He has been training hard since arriving to be sharp for the first difficult task of the tournament. “I am happy not to have to listen to any more questions about sand courts and my form on sand,” he said. “That is now behind me and that’s just fine.”

At this year’s GERRY WEBER OPEN, he is particularly looking forward to Lleyton Hewitt’s participation. The Wimbledon champion from 2002 is taking part in Halle for the first time. “As soon as I heard that, I first asked myself: ‘does he have to?’” joked Federer. “But seriously: we played against each other for the first time when I was 15. I defended a match point and still won. Since then, our clashes have often been really tight.” Fortunately, a duel between the two is only possible in the final of the GERRY WEBER OPEN.

Date: 06.06.2010, Source: Gerry Weber Open

Read More

Roger Federer to face Nieminen in Gerry Weber Open

The draw for the 18th GERRY WEBER OPEN has provided tournament favourite Roger Federer with an unpredictable opening opponent. The German participants, meanwhile, have almost all tough tasks ahead of them. Philipp Petzschner faces former Halle finalist Marcos Baghdatis.

The five-times GERRY WEBER OPEN champion Roger Federer starts his 2010 title tilt in Halle (Westfalen) against Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen. That is the result of the draw for the main field which took place on Saturday afternoon.

Superstar Federer, who is looking to complete half a dozen victories at the German ATP grass court competition, will then face the winner of a game between a qualifier and Colombia’s Alejandro Falla should he safely negotiate his way into the second round.

If all goes according to plan for the world number one, he could face the Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek in the quarter-finals, or Germany’s current top player Philipp Kohlschreiber. Stepanek, the technically strong Czech player, and Kohlschreiber both meet in an intriguing first-round clash.

In addition to Federer, there are two other players involved who have previously topped the world rankings: Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero and Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt. The latter, who won Wimbledon in 2002.

“These are really interesting matches which guarantee a lot of excitement and drama,” said tournament director Ralf Weber, who drew some of the ties himself. “The top favourites all have manageable tasks.”

However, Weber did not want to bet on a repeat of last year when five Germans stormed their way into the quarter-finals. “That was obviously a major coup and something like that does not happen very often,” he said. “But our professionals have often been able to rise to the occasion here in Halle.”

Date: 05.06.2010, Source: Gerry Weber Open

Read More

Roger Federer has arrived in Halle

Roger Federer took a detour from Paris to Zurich - his Swiss home. The world number one arrived on Friday afternoon to 18 GERRY WEBER OPEN one to get for the sixth time in his career ATP title at the lawn tennis tournament in Halle Westfalen.

Were accompanied Federer's next coach Jose Higueras and his fitness coach Pierre Paganini and his twin daughters, Charlene Riva and Myla Rose, and his wife Mirka. The Swiss had the quarterfinal match against Robin Soderling of Sweden at Roland Garros in four sets lost and now uses the time to prepare themselves optimally to the GERRY WEBER OPEN can.

Ran the final weeks of the grueling 16-times Grand Slam winner, but tournament director Ralf Weber (46) guarantees a good night's training preparation. "We are very happy that we finally have Roger Federer at us," said Weber. To welcome in the Gerry Weber Sportpark Hotel of Baseliner received from the hands of Ralf Weber and tournament founder Gerhard Weber, a bouquet of flowers. "It was a very long time since I was the last time in Halle. And I'm glad I play again at the Gerry Weber Open can, "said Federer, who added with a wink," We have wonderful weather here. The sun is shining. Here in Switzerland we had bad weather. Good thing I came here. "

Date: 05.06.2010, Source: Gerry Weber Open

Read More