Roddick upsets Federer in 3 set thriller

On Monday evening, the two-time Sony Ericsson Open champion knocked out World No. 3 Roger Federer 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4 in a third-round clash to defeat the Swiss for just the third time in 24 career meetings. Two of his wins over the 16-time major champion have come at Crandon Park.

"It was kind of a game of chess," said Roddick. "I stayed back on the returns, which is something I have not done with him often early on. I think he might have been a little bit surprised by it. He made the adjustment like he does because he's Roger. He started coming in a lot and putting the pressure on me, and it was 6-1 in the second and 0/40 early in the third. It was apparent that wasn't going to work much longer."

"So I said, 'Well, all right. Let's kinda go over the top aggressive.' I was able to get out of that game and play that really good game to break, and then my serve held up from there."

After losing the first set tie-break, Federer found his groove on return, breaking the American three times to even the match at one-set all. Roddick found himself in trouble in his opening service game of the third set, saving four break points in what proved to be a turning point in the match. In the ensuing game, Roddick broke Federer for the first time to take a 2-1 lead, and maintained his advantage to seal the win in just over two hours.

"I had my chances. I thought Andy did well to get the first, and then to put me in the situation I guess in the third," said Federer. "I could have been up a break early in the third, but he did well also to fight off those break points. He served really well."

"I think he had a good overhead. He played aggressive and clutch served when he had to. It was his credit. For me, it was obviously a tough loss. The one service game where I got broken, he really goes for it and it all works out."

Roddick’s victory snapped Federer’s 16-match win streak, which included titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells. The 31st-seeded Roddick also ended Federer’s run of 77 consecutive wins against players ranked outside the Top 20 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

Monday's night session sold out for the first time, setting an attendance record for Session 14 with 14,278 fans.

Date: 27.03.2012, Source: Sony Ericsson Open

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Federer to meet Roddick in third round

Roger Federer will meet fellow two-time former Sony Ericsson Open champion Andy Roddick in the third round in Miami. Federer has a 21-2 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the World No. 34.

Third seed Federer recorded his 23rd match win of the season by beating 19-year-old American wild card Ryan Harrison 6-2, 7-6(3) on Saturday afternoon. The Swiss superstar is bidding to capture his third Indian Wells-Miami title double (also 2005-06).

Federer, who led 5-2 in the second set before Harrison made a comeback, admitted, "I felt like I had to win the match like three times at the end, so I was relieved to come through. Beating against an American in America is always a big deal, because this is where they usually play their very best.

Federer has won 40 of his past 42 matches since the 2011 US Open semi-finals. He is only 825 South African Airways ATP Rankings points behind No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Looking ahead to his next match against Roddick, Federer said, "The head to head doesn't play a massive factor for me in every match I go into against Andy, because I know there's always a lot in Andy's racquet depending on how he serves. And if I don't play well, I know I won't win. So the pressure is there. That's what he can create with his game. This is why I never take a match lightly against him."

Date: 25.03.2012, Source: ATP

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Federer the form player to beat in Miami

Roger Federer comes into the Sony Ericsson Open as the most in-form player on the ATP World Tour. Federer has reeled off 15 straight victories, lifting trophies in Rotterdam, Dubai and most recently, in Indian Wells.

The Swiss has a chance to pull off an unprecedented third ‘Indian Wells–Miami double’, and is driven by the challenge of the achievement.

“I'd love to win another double, at Indian Wells and Miami,” Federer said Thursday. “I've done it twice before. I know how to do it, but I know how difficult it is. Just because I'm playing well doesn't mean that the rest of the group is not.”

After falling to Novak Djokovic in a spellbinding semi-final at last year’s US Open, Federer has dug deep to send a message to his competitors that he still possesses the game to compete with the world’s best, winning three consecutive tournaments to close the 2011 season, including a record-breaking sixth Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

“I'm just happy I have been able to win six out of eight tournaments. It's special,” said Federer. “I come into this tournament hoping to survive the first round. Let's be honest, that is my focus right now.”

In the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals, Federer put together a complete performance to avenge his Australian Open semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal, and followed it up by knocking off Isner in the final to win his fourth Indian Wells crown.

“I think you go into a new tournament after winning one before with a lot of confidence, so that's the good thing,” believes Federer. “Do I feel more pressure? Not really, just because I have been around for so long that I know how to handle pressure situations.”

Federer has had moderate success of late in Miami, unable to reach the final since winning back-to-back titles in 2005-2006. He bowed out to Nadal in the semi-finals last year.

“I'm not the defending champion here. I only have a semi-final to defend,” said Federer. “So things are going really well for me. It's about doing all the right things, being professional, before the match, and hopefully sort of find a good way into the tournament. That's my first priority right now.”

The 30 year old will take on Ryan Harrison in his opening-round match. Federer defeated the American teenager in the round of 16 at Indian Wells in 2011.

Date: 23.03.2012, Source: ATP

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Miami 2012: The Draw

The draw for the Sony Ericcson Open in Miami is out.

After a first-round bye, Roger will face the winner of the match between America's Ryan Harrison (ATP 73) and Italy's Potito Starace (ATP 58). In the third round he could meet another American, Andy Roddick (ATP 34), former winner of the event. After that, a match with Spain's Nicolas Almagro (ATP 12) or France's Gaël Monfils (ATP 14) is possible, before our champ could meet America's Mardy Fish (ATP 8) in the quarter finals.

Having won the three tournaments in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells lately, could play Novak Djokovic (ATP 1) in the semis.

Date: 21.03.2012, Source: RF Official

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