Roger Federer The Champ

Borna Coric advanced to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final on Saturday, upsetting top seed and defending champion Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 to reach the championship match at the Shanghai Masters. And while the loss is disappointing, the top seed is taking positives from his first event since the US Open.

“I must say I felt overall actually pretty good. So I'm happy about that,” Federer said. “It's definitely something I can build on now for Basel and then for London and maybe Paris. I'm happy how the body has felt this week.”

Federer, who is next scheduled to play at the Swiss Indoors Basel (begins 22 October), a tournament he has won eight times, will drop to No. 3 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, with Novak Djokovic ascending to the No. 2 spot. But the Swiss did well to battle through two tough three-setters against Daniil Medvedev and Roberto Bautista Agut in Shanghai before showing some of his best form in ousting red-hot Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.

“I'm actually happy. I feel like I'm explosive out there, returning well. Serving, I think, it's okay, could be even a little bit better. I don't think I played a match where I didn't get broken, so that's something a bit more unusual for me,” said Federer, who has already guaranteed his spot at the ATP Finals. “But regardless, I think the court allowed for great ball striking. I felt like I got some great rhythm, whereas in Cincinnati I came out of the tournament, I was, like, ‘I don't know where my game is. It's the finals. Not bad. But I couldn't tell you if I'm hitting the ball well or not'.”

Perhaps the one thing the Swiss will focus on moving forward is holding serve. The 37-year-old began the week fifth all-time in service games won at 88.8 per cent. This week, he was victorious in 41 of 50 service games, a rate of 82 per cent. Coric broke Federer twice in the semi-finals.

“He didn't give me many chances on his serve, and for me to stay with him, I should have maybe done a better job on my own serve,” Federer said. “But then again, it wasn't bad either. And then in the rallies, I thought he had more punch than me. Maybe it's a lot of tennis this week, but quite honestly, I'm happy how I'm playing. This was a good week again. I'm happy about my reaction after the US Open.”

As simple as it sounds, Coric was simply the better player on Saturday evening. For Federer, there’s no big secret about it.

“I thought he was better. I think he had more punch on the ball. He served better,” Federer said. “I think that's it.”

“It's one of the best matches I have ever played. I was just feeling through the ball,” Coric said. “I think I served the best in my life, for sure. I was going for the angles. I was going for the body. Everything was going in. No, that's much above my standard level. I mean, my standard level nowadays is better than in the last year, that's for sure. But again, to say this is my normal level, no, it's not, for sure.”

Date: 15 October 2018, Source: ATP

Federer survives Bautista Agut test

Two-time former champion Roger Federer was once again forced to dig deep for victory at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Thursday. Having edged past Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday, it was the turn of 2016 runner-up Roberto Bautista Agut, who made Federer sweat over one hour and 52 minutes. But the top-seeded Swiss triumphed 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Federer broke Bautista Agut’s serve in the first game of the second set, but the Spaniard’s forehand began to fire. Federer, a winner of 98 tour-level titles, trusted his game and continued to attack, winning 11 of 12 net points in the decider, which saw him break Bautista Agut in the ninth game.

“I'm actually quite happy,” said Federer. “I thought that Bautista really had to raise his level of play in that second set to stay with me. I mean, he really caught fire, I thought. I served, I think, 80 per cent in that second set and got broken twice. At the end he got tight. I'm happy that, because of my match yesterday, I was able to stay maybe calmer, even this time around, and come up with a really good game to break at 4-4 and then serve it out was great. I was very happy.”

The Swiss superstar, who is one of four players - also Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro - that are battling to finish 2018 at year-end No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, will next challenge eighth-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori in Friday’s quarter-finals. Federer leads ATP Finals contender Nishikori 5-2 in their ATP Head to Head series.

“As we know with Kei's game, once he finds his range and his rhythm, he's very tough to play,” said Federer. “I’m not sure if fast courts suit him better or not, because I feel like he actually plays well on clay, grass, hard. He can do it all. But I think it's going to be a tough match tomorrow. I'm excited to play against him, because I haven't played Kei a whole lot in my career. I hope it's going to help me that I played against Medvedev and also Bautista Agut, two really good baseliners, to be honest.”

World No. 2 Federer, who earlier this year became the oldest No. 1 in the 45-year history of the ATP Rankings aged 36 on 19 February, is bidding to lift his 28th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title this week.

Federer broke serve in the fourth game of the first set and completed the 30-minute opener with a backhand volley winner on the first of his three set point chances. Having won Bautista Agut’s serve in the first game of the second set, Federer looked in complete control.

But 2016 finalist Bautista Agut had other ideas and won four straight games for a 4-1 advantage. The Spaniard’s forehand did the damage as Federer came forward to the net, but Bautista Agut finished the second set with a backhand return. Federer had won all 16 sets in their previous seven meetings.

But it was Federer who tightened his game at the right opportunity to break Bautista Agut’s serve in the ninth game, with a superb forehand, prior to closing out his 37th match win of the season.

Date: 11 October 2018, Source: ATP

Federer makes shaky start to Shanghai defence

Defending champion Roger Federer survived an opening scare at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, fighting past Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

The Swiss extended his Shanghai win streak to seven against the 22-year-old, who was fresh off the biggest title of his career in Tokyo (d. Nishikori). Medvedev forced the two-time Shanghai champion to fight before Federer eventually broke in the ninth game of the decider and served out the match.

“In the third set I really started to figure it out, as well, how aggressive or how tactical I wanted to make the match, and by trying everything, I found a solution at the end, which was a great feeling to have, so I was very happy,” Federer said.

The top seed was keen on taking advantage of the quick conditions in Shanghai, serving and volleying, chip and charging and forcing Medvedev into the corners with his backhand slice. Federer won almost 70 per cent of his 42 trips to net (29/42).

But as the match progressed, he was struggling to put away points against Medvedev, who often made the Swiss volley from his shoelaces and passed him with looping forehands. “It was just tougher to get into his service games,” Federer said.

Medvedev said it had been a dream to play Federer, having narrowly missed out on prior chances. And the three-time ATP World Tour champion wasn't awed by the moment.

But he stumbled while serving at 4-4 in the third. Medvedev shanked a forehand on double break point, and Federer served out the match, celebrating with a “Come on!” and a stare to his box.

“I really feel parts of the victory belong to the fans here in Shanghai. I thought they were phenomenal for the first round and they understood I was in trouble and I appreciate that,” Federer said.

“I like when the crowds cheer. If they cheer for me, that's better, but if they cheer for the opponent, that's okay, too, as long as there is a great crowd. But I'm very thankful and very happy when I see everybody's having a good time. Thankfully I'm used to it. Good, big crowds, loud crowds.”

The 37-year-old was particularly impressed by a legion of fans in the upper deck that sported matching “Allez Federer” banners.

“You very rarely get a chance to see a group of guys getting together like this, sitting in a row, I don't know, a hundred, and a few rows up, as well, and holding up massive banners. It's not what tennis usually is about. It's splintered, splintered groups all around the stadium.

“I feel like that's very unique here in Shanghai. They devote their time and creativity, almost like a football fan, and they are all together there to support me,” Federer said.

“So I appreciate that they take the time to think of me also when I'm not here in Shanghai, and when I do show up, they are so excited and so happy, and that obviously gives me a lift, a big one. I can't thank them enough.”

The top seed is going for his 28^th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title this week and is looking to stay No. 2 in the ATP Rankings. He'll guarantee the latter if he can win his third Shanghai title, and second seed Novak Djokovic does not reach the final.

Federer will next meet Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat American Mackenzie McDonald 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Bautista Agut beat Djokovic in the 2016 semi-finals before falling to Andy Murray in the Masters 1000 final.

“I have a lot of respect for him. He's just a tough guy, you know. So you have to bring it. Could be similar like today. A lot of long rallies potentially,” Federer said.

Date: 10 October 2018, Source: ATP

Federer: "I like this part of the season"

Defending champion and two-time titlist Roger Federer, who returns to competition this week at the Shanghai Masters, says that he is looking forward to the final weeks of the 2018 ATP World Tour season. The Swiss superstar has won 24 of his 98 career crowns on indoor courts.

“I like this part of the season,” said Federer. “It's always been a good swing for me. Maybe the conditions get faster, I'm not sure. It's helpful I have a home tournament (Swiss Indoors Basel) and the ATP Finals. I have been very successful, so clearly I hope for something similar again this year.”

The 37-year-old Federer, who lost to Australia’s John Millman on 4 September in the US Open fourth round, has already qualified for the ATP Finals for a record 16th time. He will join Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro, who have also booked their places at The O2 in London from 11-18 November.

“I have also had some rest after the US Open,” said Federer. “I feel like I'm where I want to be. I know that this is where I could be playing a lot of tennis, depending on how I play. There is still, obviously, some goals left for the season.”

Reflecting on 2017, he added, “Last year was a fairy-tale from start to finish, basically. It was just a small disappointment at the end, at the ATP Finals, not maybe giving myself the chance to be in the final, losing to Goffin. I was a bit disappointed with my play there. That was probably the first time in the whole season that I felt that way. But Goffin also came out and played a great match.

“This year, for me again, honestly, it's been a great season: winning the Australian Open, getting back to World No. 1 in Rotterdam, playing a good final in Indian Wells and playing a decent grass court season. I didn't play great in Cincinnati, but made the final there.

“I'm just really happy. I'm healthy. I have won another Grand Slam again this year. I always say when you win a Slam in any season, it's actually a very good season already. So, I feel like there is still a lot more to play for.”

Federer, who has a 36-6 match record in 2018, opens his campaign for a third Shanghai crown (2014, 2017) against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who captured last week’s Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships trophy (d. Nishikori) in the second round.

Date: 9 October 2018, Source: ATP

Federer crushed Nadal to win Shanghai Masters

Roger Federer Shanghai, Shanghai 2017 1 comment

Roger Federer was at his ruthless best on Sunday, streaking to the Shanghai Rolex Masters title with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Rafael Nadal. It was a vintage Federer performance, as the Swiss secured the 71-minute win with a dominant display, clinching a second Shanghai crown (2014) and 27th at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level.

With the win, Federer notched his 700th match victory on hard courts and improved to 10-1 against the Top 10 this year. It was the 94th title in his storied career, which pulls him level with Ivan Lendl for second on the Open Era list. Only Jimmy Connors owns more trophies (109).

Federer's 2017 campaign continues to set the bar, as the 36 year old added a sixth title and third at the Masters 1000 stage. Having also prevailed in Indian Wells and Miami, it marks the fifth time in his career in which he has captured at least three such championships. Moreover, with the win, Federer draws to within 1,960 points of Nadal for the top spot in the ATP Race To London, with year-end No. 1 still very much in play. Both will be competing at the Swiss Indoors Basel, followed by the Rolex Paris Masters and ATP Finals.

"I don't know what my expectations were going in. I had no nerves before the match, which was nice," said Federer. "I played a great match today with hardly any mistakes. It was very clear for me how I wanted to play and then I came out and started off very well. Felt relaxed from then on. I always know that Rafa can come back at any moment if he connects well, picks the right sides, and does the right things.

"I even felt that way being up 0/40, you know, going for the double break, but, I had a clear game plan and felt I was playing well all week. I think that settled my nerves, because I was returning well from the first match here I played against Schwartzman. The serve only got better. I guess I saved the best for last. I played some good matches now against del Potro and also now these two sets.

"In a way, it's not surprising, because I did feel good all week, and it does pay off to arrive early to an event. You can't do it all the time, but I was here since Thursday late night and that's five, six days to prepare for a Wednesday match. So I was ready."

Nadal leads their ATP Head to Head rivalry 23-15, but Federer is doing his best to narrow the margin, having won their past five match-ups. The trend continued in Sunday's final, with the Basel native capitalising on the fast conditions under the lights on Stadium Court.

With torrential rain drenching the Qi Zhong Tennis Center, the roof was closed for the blockbuster clash of titans. Federer was in control from the first ball, looking to break down Nadal's defence with an assault of forehands and backhands. The attacking Swiss made an immediate statement with a break in the opening game, carving a cross-court slice approach that caught Nadal out of position, followed by a boisterous backhand winner down the line.

In each of Federer's three previous victories over Nadal this season - at the Australian Open and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami - the Swiss won more than 75 per cent of first serve points. His delivery was on song once again in Sunday's final, claiming 83 per cent of total service points in closing out a 6-4 first set.

The second set featured more vintage Federer, as the second seed struck a stunning drop volley winner and forced Nadal to misfire on a forehand to claim the break for 3-2. Federer executed his gameplan to perfection throughout the 71-minute affair, sealing the win on his second match point when a Nadal forehand found the net.

Federer has now won five consecutive encounters in their ATP Head to Head and is 4-0 this year. It marked the third time they have met on Chinese soil, with the Swiss scoring a pair of wins at the 2006 and '07 ATP Finals, when the season finale was held in Shanghai.

"London is my priority now and I really want to win the World Tour Finals. I am very excited to have had the year that I have had and everything that comes from here is a bonus. Finishing the year as World No. 1 is a long shot, and I don't think it will happen. But if I play like this, who knows? Maybe I will get close again," Federer said.

Nadal, meanwhile, was bidding for a record 31st ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title. The 31-year-old Spaniard suffered his first defeat since returning to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings in August, seeing his win streak snapped at 16 straight. He was appearing in the Shanghai final for the second time, having finished runner-up to Nikolay Davydenko in the tournament's inaugural edition in 2009.

"It was a very difficult match for me," said Nadal. "He played very fast and he played well. I don't know how many unforced errors he made. I could have done some things better, but that's it. He just played too good. That's my point of view. So congrats to him.

"I played a fantastic tournament, having very good wins. Very pleased the way I played the whole Asian tour for me. Beijing and Shanghai have been a very positive two weeks for me. A lot of points, a lot of victories against great opponents. I come back with very good personal satisfaction the way that I played."

Date: 15 October 2017, Source: ATP and Shanghai

Federer and Nadal to clash in Shanghai final

Roger Federer will face longtime rival Rafael Nadal for the fourth time this season after coming from a set down to defeat Juan Martin del Potro, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. The 2014 champion advances to his third final at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event.

Federer’s win set a crucial showdown with Nadal in the battle for year-end World No. 1. Should Nadal win on Sunday he will stretch his lead over Federer in the ATP Race To London to 2,760 points and effectively put the issue beyond doubt. However, should Federer win his fifth consecutive match over Nadal, he would pull to within 1,960 points. That’s still a lot of ground to make up to finish atop the year-end standings for the first time since 2009, but within the realm of possibility if Federer finishes the year as strongly as he started it.

"It's nice at this late stage of the career that we still have these matches going on," Federer said. "There is only going to be a few chances for either player, and sometimes it's just who blinks at the wrong time."

After failing to capitalise on four consecutive break points while down a set and up 3-2 in the second set, it appeared that Federer might be denied a meeting with World No. 1 Nadal for the second time in as many months by the Argentine, who defeated him in the quarter-finals at the US Open. But when del Potro missed a forehand wide on the fifth consecutive break point he faced, the 29 year old gave the Swiss all the momentum he needed to turn the match around.

"Clearly getting the break and then holding, it's always key in tennis," Federer said. "I'm happy I was able to do it, especially with all the twists and turns and, blink at the wrong time, he might hold the game and then you don't know what's going to happen next."

The 36 year old did not face a break point in the final two sets, and broke twice in the decider to advance in one hour and 58 minutes.

It was unclear just how fit del Potro would be for the match after he fell on his surgically-repaired left wrist in the third set of his quarter-final victory against Viktor Troicki on Friday. His communications manager, Jorge Viale, tweeted that the 2013 Shanghai finalist suffered a contusion, and was in a splint Friday evening. But you would not have known it by watching the right-hander compete against the World No. 2.

Early on, he answered virtually every aggressive shot by Federer with an even bigger forehand of his own, and even stepped into a number of two-handed backhands down the line to gain control of points. The Swiss consistently attacked his opponent's weaker backhand before changing directions to finish points to del Potro's forehand, but the Argentine's rocket of a forehand proved too tough to handle more often than not. On Federer's first break point in the sixth game of the second set, he chose to approach to del Potro's forehand, which came back like a laser from meters behind the baseline, a passing shot that forced a backhand volley error.

But once Federer finally broke through in the 19-point game in the second set, del Potro appeared frustrated, especially with the pro-Federer crowd in Shanghai, which the chair umpire had to ask to quiet down.

"He took the confidence after that game. He broke me and he started to play more aggressive. He served much better after that game. I think he beat me in a good way," del Potro said.

Federer began to use his slice to throw off del Potro's rhythm and extract more errors, and using his openings to be more aggressive himself. The strategy worked, and the 26-time Masters 1000 winner won 37 per cent of points on his opponent's serve in the final set, consistently threatening to break.

Del Potro admitted he only decided when warming up for the match that he would play, having been advised it would not risk his wrist.

"I have been playing good tennis this week, but I felt good during the warm-up before the match, and I decided to play, because against Roger always is an honour to play," said del Potro. "The court was really fast, so maybe that would help my game.

"I think I did well, but Roger played much better than me some moments of the match, and he took the chances."

Federer will meet Nadal for the third time in a final in 2017, after winning the titles against him in Melbourne and Miami. The Swiss also beat his rival in their other meeting, which came in the Round of 16 at Indian Wells, and will look to close a 14-23 deficit in the pair’s ATP Head to Head rivalry.

The Spaniard carries a 16-match winning streak into the final, and will look to extend his tour lead to seven titles this season. Federer will attempt to tie Nadal by claiming his sixth trophy of the year.
Del Potro thinks Nadal is the only player capable of beating Federer in this form on the fast Shanghai courts.

"I think the court helps Federer's game a lot, and he always is in good shape," said del Potro. "He looks like an unbelievable athlete. I think on this court not many players can beat him. Maybe Rafa tomorrow, but if not, he's the only one who can play an excellent tennis on this faster surface.

"Rafa is playing so good, but I think Roger could win if he feels the ball really, really well. Because the court is so fast, and for the game of Roger it is much better than Rafa's game, but Rafa is a fighter and he never gives up. It will be interesting to watch."

Date: 14 October 2017, Source: ATP

Federer to meet Del Potro in Shanghai SF

Roger Federer moved another step closer to earning his second Shanghai Rolex Masters title on Friday with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Richard Gasquet to advance to the semi-finals, where he will play No. 16 seed Juan Martin del Potro.

"I thought it was a really good match. Some big points, important shots at the right time for both guys sometimes to stay even, and we both created chances," Federer said. "I thought we were able to keep up the level from the beginning till the very end. I enjoyed it because it was slices and topspins and angles and power and finesse. I think the match had a bit of everything."

Considering the Swiss entered the match having won the past 15 sets against the Frenchman, all by margins of 6-4 or greater, it looked like the fans in Shanghai might be in for a surprise when Gasquet held a break point while up 3-2 in the opening set.

But Federer held him off and would break at 5-5 to give him the edge that allowed him to win the opening set. He’d break in Gasquet’s next service game as well to jump to an early lead in the second set, but the 31 year old refused to lose touch, getting back on serve immediately.

However, when Federer broke for the third time in the match at 3-3, he would not relinquish the advantage again, and would close out the quarter-final in one hour and 18 minutes.

Federer said during his press conference that he saw del Potro fall and hurt his left wrist during the Argentine's quarter-final victory against Viktor Troicki, and a reporter informed the Swiss that del Potro went to the hospital to get an MRI.

"I hope for him that it's nothing serious. Of course it's on the wrist, as well, that he's had problems in the past, so this is where he's worried, rightfully so. For me, at the end of the day, nothing changes. I'm ready to come out here tomorrow and see the match like it's a revenge chance for the US Open, where it was tight and I couldn't win. So I see that more than his injury," Federer said. "But I hope for now that Juan Martin can recover and we can play a normal match."

Federer owns a 16-6 lead in his ATP Head to Head series with del Potro, including wins in three of their past four matches. But in September, del Potro prevented the first Federer-Rafael Nadal match at the US Open when he eliminated the Swiss in four sets in the quarter-finals.

The No. 2 seed has not dropped a set this week in his pursuit of a third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title this season (Indian Wells, Miami), while del Potro has been pushed to a decider in three of his four matches. If Federer gets through what should be a tough battle against del Potro, it will not get easier with World No. 1 Rafael Nadal taking on fourth seed Marin Cilic in the other semi-final.

Date: 13 October 2017, Source: ATP

Federer fights through Shanghai opener

Roger Federer had to fight but eventually came through a tight opener on Wednesday at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, beating Argentine Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (4), 6-4 to advance to the third round of the season's penultimate ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.

Federer improved to 4-0 against Schwartzman in their ATP Head to Head series and celebrated his 40^th match win of the year with the straight-sets victory. The 36-year-old Swiss is now 40-4 during his comeback season.

“I think I served well. I had good concentration. Had good energy, as well, which I think is always important early on in a tournament,” Federer said.

During his first match in Shanghai since 2015, Federer was aggressive as he has been all season. He stepped into flat backhands and attacked the net, winning 14/24 net points. But the second seed did have to shake off a bit of rust in the big moments.

Before Wednesday, he hadn't played a tour-level match since 6 September, when he lost to Juan Martin del Potro in the US Open quarter-finals, and Federer saw break point after break point disappear in the first set.

Schwartzman, though, had much to do with that as well. The 5' 7” right-hander is enjoying his best season. He has climbed to a career-high No. 26 in the ATP Rankings and was coming off a semi-final run at the Japan Open Tennis Championships 2017 in Tokyo (l. to eventual champion Goffin).

Schwartzman fended off break points at 1-2 before Federer broke in the sixth game to lead 4-2. The very next game, though, Federer, the 2014 titlist, was broken. At 3-4, Federer again had two more chances to break but Schwartzman saved them all. They headed to a tie-break, where Federer overcame an early mini-break for the one-set lead.

“I knew going in it was not going to be easy. He's had a great run in recent weeks and months. I really felt that he was confident. He was shaking off misses, no problem. He was serving well. You could see he was taking the right decisions on his groundstrokes,” Federer said of Schwartzman.

“As an opponent, you feel that. You could see there was sort of an ease about his game today. I felt like that was going to be dangerous down the stretch of any set. I felt that tie-break was tough. I was down and then came up with some really good shot-making after that in the 'breaker to really turn it around.”

Federer can't afford to let this opportunity for a big week in Shanghai slip if he wants to stay competitive in the battle for year-end No. 1. Rafael Nadal, who also won on Wednesday, is more than 2,000 points ahead of the Swiss star.

The Basel native made life more straightforward during the second set. He broke to love to start and cruised to his 28^th hard-court match win of the season (28-3). The right-hander is going for his sixth tour-level title of the year and his third Masters 1000 crown, having won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March and the Miami Open in April.

“I think getting the break early in the second set gave me the chance to try a few more things, play more relaxed, go for my shots more, and then I was able to bring it home, coming back from 0/30 I think in the last game,” Federer said. “So it was a good match for me. I'm actually very happy with my level.”

He will next face Ukraine's Alexander Dolgopolov, who beat Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4.

Date: 11 October 2017, Source: ATP

Federer: "Shanghai is one of the goals of the season"

Ahead of his first match at the 2017 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Roger Federer announced his intentions to walk away with his second trophy from QiZhong Stadium. The 19-time winner of majors said that his focus was not on catching Rafael Nadal for the top spot but was “right here, right now on Shanghai. Nothing else”.

Playing his first Tour event since the quarters of the US Open where he was hampered by a back injury, Federer said his training has been geared towards performing well this week. Federer arrived in Shanghai on Thursday night, as early as he’s ever been here.

“I have been practicing for hours on the centre court,” he said. “Have been kept busy, as well, which gets me into the right mindset, to be quite honest, because I’m here for a reason, here for a purpose, trying to do well, hopefully winning the tournament.

“It’s definitely one of the goals of the season for me here, this tournament. I always make it as a priority that I will be in good shape for Shanghai.”

Immensely popular in China, Federer is happy to be back after missing last year’s tournament with injury. He added: “Maybe some fans here in China or Shanghai thought I might never come back. I never thought this way, but now that I’m here I feel fans are really, really excited to see me.

“They are always there at my practice, they were there at the airport, they were there when I’m leaving from the airport, they are at any event almost I’m doing to get a glimpse of me which is very cool.”

Federer calls Shanghai his “second home away from home”, having opened the Qi Zhong Stadium here back in 2005. This year, Federer’s been making the most of his trip to Shanghai, having been spotted at an NBA game and even getting a metro line dedicated to him.

“The Metro experience was a great one,” he said. “I grew up on public transport when I was younger in Switzerland. I used to take either tram, train, or bus to practice on a daily basis, and then also a lot of the train until about 20 years old, going to tournaments even to Italy, even internationally. So for me it's something very normal.”

Fun and games aside, the 36-year-old says his focus is different compared to his younger years. “It’s short now. It’s compressed. So it’s week by week, and just try to do your absolute best. I have played extremely well this part of the season, but, you know, every year is different,” he said.

Despite owning 93 titles, putting him third on the all-time list behind Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, Federer says he’s far from done for the year despite having one of his best seasons ever: “I’d like to win a couple of tournaments. That’s the goal. But we’ll see how it goes. It all starts here on Wednesday,” he said.

The No. 2 seed is pitted in the same half of the draw as recent ATP Finals qualifier, German Alexander Zverev, with the pair due to face off in the semi-finals in what would be a rematch of their Coupe Rogers final in Montreal, where Zverev triumphed.

“I couldn't be happier with the season, to be quite honest,” Federer said. “I'm relieved that I'm feeling better since the American summer and Canada.”

The Swiss will open against the winner of Rakuten Japan Open semi-finalist Diego Schwartzman and Australian qualifier Jordan Thompson in the second round.

Date: 9 October 2017, Source: Shanghai Masters and ATP

Federer loses opening match at Shanghai Masters

Roger Federer Shanghai, Shanghai 2015 No comments

Defending champion Roger Federer lost his opening match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Tuesday, falling to Spanish qualifier and World No. 70 Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3.

Federer failed to convert two break points in Ramos-Vinolas’ opening service game and would rue his missed opportunity as Ramos-Vinolas went on to sneak the first set in the ensuing tie-break.

The Swiss hit back strongly in the second set, breaking in the fifth and seventh games to level the match, but could not carry his momentum into the deciding set. Ramos-Vinolas earned a crucial break in the eighth game and went on to serve out victory.

The last time Federer and Ramos-Vinolas played, at Wimbledon in 2012, the Spaniard won only three games. Ramos-Vinolas also came into the match with a 0-15 record against top-10 players.

“I definitely thought of last year's match,” said Federer. “But at the same time it was a completely different match. Playing a lefty maybe also had something to do with it. Who knows? Albert was doing a good job of trying to stay on the offensive as well as I was trying to do the same. There were some good rallies there.

“I had my chances. I just couldn't make it today. I’ve got to look into it. But at the end of the day this can happen during the year. Unfortunately, here in Shanghai where I was defending champion, I was really hoping again to play a great tournament.

“I just think the first round here in Shanghai has always been historically quite difficult, getting used to the conditions and the surface and the balls. The balls play very different than in other places. Last year I got lucky. This year I didn't. So it's a pity.”

Ramos-Vinolas is the lowest-ranked player to beat Federer since July 2013, when World No. 114 Federico Delbonis stunned Federer in the Hamburg semi-finals.

“I'm always cautious,” said Federer, who had lost just three games in his one previous meeting with Ramos-Vinolas at Wimbledon three years ago. “I don't underestimate or lack respect for anybody out there. These guys are all touring professionals, they know what they're doing. The margins are so small.

“I played him at Wimbledon before, so I knew him. I've seen him play. He's definitely improved since then. That was a while back and that was not his favourite surface. I was aware that he could give me a tough workout and even beat me.”

Defeat for Federer in Shanghai, where he was defending 1000 ATP Ranking points, also puts in jeopardy his chance of finishing as year-end World No. 2.

The Swiss started the week 770 points behind Andy Murray in the year-to-date standings. Murray has the chance to stretch that lead even further this week now, only defending 90 points from his third-round exit against David Ferrer last year. The Scot begins his campaign on Wednesday against Steve Johnson.

Date: 13th October 2015, Source: ATP and AP

Federer: Draw analyst, Pizza chef

Roger Federer Shanghai, Shanghai 2015 No comments

Most players will tell you that they never peek at the draw, that they take it one point at a time, one match at a time. But not Roger Federer. In fact, so studious is the Swiss that the moment a draw is released he studies like a college hoops fanatic gearing up for March Madness.

Not that the World No. 2 claims to be an expert prognosticator.

“I love looking at the draw, trying to understand who is going to come through,” said Federer, prepping for his title defense at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. “I’m horrible at it usually, but I like looking at them. There’s no avoiding where you are in the draw, so I’m aware of who is around me. What I can’t stand is going to the draws when they pull the names out of the hat. If you’re sitting there I feel like any draw is a bad one because you see it coming. But I like looking at the draw just like a fan.”

In addition to his foray into draw analysis, Federer will take on a new role in Shanghai: pizza maker. As the Master 1000 event’s defending champion, he was asked to create an original pizza to be served in the players’ restaurant throughout the tournament.

“That’s exciting,” said Federer. “Because a lot of pizzas were taken, the classic ones, I came up with one that I like - figs, arugula salad, prosciutto, and creme fraiche, and extra mozzarella, if you like.”

What does the father of four call his signature creation?

“It’s the ‘Figalicious,” he said. “I don’t know if you know, but the name is really important.”

Federer is making his fifth appearance at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Prior to last year, he reached the Shanghai final in 2010, the semi-finals in 2012 (l. to Andy Murray both times) and the third round in 2013 (l. to Gael Monfils). The 34-year-old comes in with a 53-8 record on the year (29-3 on hard courts).

Date: 12th October 2015, Source: ATP

Federer challenges Djokovic in No.1 battle

Roger Federer has upped the challenge in the battle for year-end World No. 1.

The 33-year-old, who fell to World No. 8 earlier this season, returned to World No. 2 on Monday for the first time in more than a year and now stands within 1,000 points of Novak Djokovic in the calendar-year ATP Race To London. He defeated defending champion Djokovic in the Shanghai Rolex Masters semi-finals on Saturday before lifting his second straight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy.

Now Federer - the year-end No. 1 from 2004-07 and in ’09 - is looking to become the second player to hold, lose and regain the year-end No. 1 mantle on two occasions. Rafael Nadal became the first to accomplish the feat last year, following his previous No. 1 finishes in 2008 and ’10.

Though 3,000 ATP Race To London points remain up for grabs over his next three tournaments, Federer downplayed the opportunity to regain No. 1, focusing instead on finishing his season on a high note.

“I think this year everything is going really well,” he said. “I have still so many highlights to look forward to for the end of the season, which is very nice. Usually everything slows down at the end of the season. Not for me this time.

“What does it need for World No. 1? I'm not quite sure. I need to look into that, how realistic it is or not. I mean, it's in Novak's racquet. He dictates. But nevertheless, I'm still going to be playing and hopefully playing well again.”

Nadal also has an outside chance of defending his year-end No. 1 crown, trailing Djokovic by 2,265 points in the ATP Race To London.

Federer and Nadal are scheduled to play next week at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where 500 Emirates ATP Race To London points will be awarded to the champion. Federer has reached the final in his last eight appearances at his hometown tournament, winning the title five times and finishing runner-up to Juan Martin del Potro the past two.

Djokovic will join the pair at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, where the winner will collect 1,000 points, and then the trio will head to London for the ATP World Tour Finals. An undefeated champion at the season-ending championships will earn 1,500 points.

Federer has won the ATP World Tour Finals six times, in 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11.

Djokovic is the two-time defending champion at The O2, capping his 2013 season with a 24-match winning streak, and is looking to finish as the year-end No. 1 for the third time in four years.

Date :14th October 2014, Source: ATP

Federer gearing up for “many highlights” following Shanghai title

For the 13th time in his career, Roger Federer eclipsed the 60-match threshold in a season, with his run to the title at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. With three tournaments remaining on his 2014 schedule, the newly anointed World No. 2 refuses to slow down and is giving the rest of the ATP World Tour reason for concern.

Federer says he is gearing up for a strong finish. “I think this year everything is going really well. I still have so many highlights to look forward to for the end of the season, which is very nice. Usually everything slows down at the end of the season. Not for me this time.”

On Sunday, the Swiss claimed his 23rd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and first in Shanghai with a 7-6(6), 7-6(2) win over Gilles Simon. For just the third time, Federer has advanced to five Masters 1000 title matches in a single season (2006-07), having also reached the final in Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo and Toronto, and capturing his sixth trophy in Cincinnati. With the year-end World No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings in sight, the Basel native lauded the hard work put in ahead of the season.

“The biggest concern was to be healthy this year. That's something I'm just so pleased about, to see that the hard work I put in last year is paying off. Not only is it paying off, but I'm feeling good, I'm waking up normal. I'm not half broken like I was last year. I'm enjoying myself on the tennis court. I'm playing the way I was hoping I could play again. Everything fell into place. I'm playing a very consistent, solid season.

“I haven't had a cramp since ‘99. That was my only time, in Davis Cup, when I was panicky. I was young. I'm very proud of that. Never pulled out. Never had cramps. Never lost very much because of fitness, especially later on in my career where I knew I've put in the hard work. I've done that. I've been very fortunate and clever as well to understand how I need to work, when I need to work. So I'm very happy to have stayed injury free for so long. I hope I can still maintain a few good years on the tour. I really hope so.”

Federer, who concludes his 2014 campaign at the Swiss Indoors Basel, BNP Paribas Masters, a record 13th straight Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and the Davis Cup Final, had high praise for the Asian swing’s crown jewel following Sunday’s final. A two-time champion at the season finale when the event was held in Shanghai (2006-07), the 33 year old says he has been eager to tick off the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event.

“I feel unbelievable prestige to win this event. Especially putting my hands on the trophy for the first time is a good feeling, I must say.

“I think the site, number one, makes this a very attractive tournament. Number two, the city I think is incredible. But then that alone is just not enough. The players need to feel very welcome. They need to feel special. I feel the tournament tries unbelievably hard for us. Just the hard work they put in to show that they care about us…It has all the ingredients for a world class tournament. I think the organisers deserve a big, big thank you and applause really, in my opinion.”

Date: 13th October 2014, Source: ATP

Federer hazy on return to World No.1

Roger Federer insisted he wouldn't go out of his way to capture the coveted year-end world number one ranking, despite sealing back-to-back Masters wins in Shanghai on Sunday.

The third-ranked 33-year-old will return to number two on the back of his run in Shanghai, where he beat Gilles Simon 7-6(6), 7-6(2) for his fourth title of the year.

But Federer, who swatted aside top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, said getting back to number one, a position he last held two years ago, had not entered his thinking.

"I'm not even going to change my schedule because of it. I haven't thought about it, to be quite honest," said Federer.

"What does it need for world number one? I'm not quite sure. I need to look into that, how realistic it is or not," he added.

"I mean, it's in Novak's racquet. He dictates. But nevertheless, I'm still going to be playing and hopefully playing well again."

Federer is expected to round off 2014 at Basel, Paris and the World Tour Finals in London, with a total of 3,000 points available - potentially enough to outstrip Djokovic.

The veteran Swiss has already done enough to displace his great rival Rafael Nadal from second place when the new rankings go out next week.

"I'm going to anyway look at things when I come back to Switzerland in the next few days, discuss my schedule with the team, like I mentioned the other day," Federer said.

"Nothing is going to change really. It all comes down now to what are my goals, what is my energy level like, and what are my priorities in terms of tournaments."

He said he was delighted to be winning again this season after a fallow 2013 with only one tournament victory, his worst return in 12 years, and a finish outside the top five.

"Last year I only got one, which is quite disappointing to be quite honest," he told reporters in Shanghai, after lifting the 81st trophy of his career.

"I think this year everything is going really well," Federer added. "I have still so many highlights to look forward to for the end of the season, which is very nice.

"Usually everything slows down at the end of the season. Not for me this time."

Date: 13th October 2014, Source: AFP

Federer wins elusive Shanghai crown

Roger Federer claimed the elusive Shanghai Rolex Masters crown on Sunday as he won his 23rd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title with a 7-6(6), 7-6(2) victory over Gilles Simon.

The Swiss will return to World No. 2 in the ATP Rankings on Monday and victory in Shanghai sees him close the gap on Novak Djokovic in the battle to finish year-end World No. 1.

The 33-year-old Federer captured his fourth title of the season and his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, having also triumphed at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati (d. Ferrer). Rafael Nadal is the all-time titles leader with 27 Masters 1000 trophies, but Federer leads the way with a 309-89 win-loss record in this category.

Federer had nearly been beaten at the first hurdle in Shanghai. Returning after a three-week break, the Swiss was forced to save five match points against Leonardo Mayer in a dramatic second-round contest at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center.

"It makes me very happy winning here because this tournament means a lot to me," said Federer. "I've always enjoyed coming here. I've come close a couple of times, but I've always wanted to win it as a Masters 1000.

"I feel unbelievable prestige to win this event. Especially putting my hands on the trophy for the first time is a good feeling, I must say. I'm very happy with the way I'm playing. Overall I'm just extremely happy right now."

After a stellar performance to beat Djokovic in Saturday’s semi-finals, Federer vowed he would not suffer a letdown against Simon, but struggled early on. The Swiss contributed three unforced errors as Simon broke his serve in the first game of the final, but rallied from 3-5 down to draw level in the opener. Federer was denied two set points as Simon trailed 5-6, 15/40, as the Frenchman dug deep to force a tie-break.

Federer then relinquished a 5-3 lead in the tie-break as Simon fought back to earn a set point at 6-5. Federer quickly dispelled the danger with two unreturned serves, and clinched his third set point chance with a backhand pass up the line.

Simon left the court for a medical timeout on his injured groin at the end of the first set, but returned to frustrate Federer once more in the second set. The Frenchman denied Federer on chance after chance, saving two break points in the third game and another in the seventh game.

The right-hander then had the chance to force a decider as he drew a backhand error from Federer to lead 40/15 on the Swiss’ serve at 5-6. Two forehand errors from Simon granted Federer a reprieve on the set points, though, and the Basel native made sure he capitalised on his momentum. He opened up a 6-2 lead in the tie-break and converted his first match point as Simon netted his shot after one hour and 53 minutes. The match was played under a closed roof due to high winds in Shanghai.

Federer earned 1000 ATP Rankings points and $798,540 in prize money as he improved to a 5-2 lead over Simon in their ATP Head2Head series.

It's been a banner year for Federer despite the fact he's fallen just short at the majors, including a heart-breaking loss to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. Federer leads the tour this season in match wins (61), top-10 wins (13) and final appearances (9).

The 29-year-old Simon was bidding to win his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, having finished runner-up to Andy Murray in his first final six years ago in Madrid, when the event was held on indoor hard. After returning to the Top 30 in the ATP Rankings this week after a semi-final showing in Tokyo (l. to Raonic), former World No. 6 Simon is now projected to climb back into the Top 20 at No. 19 on Monday.

''He still has the same strengths, this fantastic serve and this huge forehand,'' Simon said. ''Now I know him, so I'm not scared anymore when I have to play him. But it's still so hard to beat him.

"He was just more opportunistic," said Simon. "We had a close match. I had a set point in the first, two in the second. It's just a few points deciding it, and he was always really good on these points. He played some great shots.

"He's putting a lot of pressure. He's always showing you that he is ready to be really aggressive on every shot. So he keeps you under pressure."

The Frenchman had knocked out two ATP World Tour Finals contenders in reaching the Shanghai final, upsetting Stan Wawrinka in the second round and Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals. He has a 27-23 win-loss record in 2014.

Date: 12th October 2014, Source: ATP and AP

Federer blows away Djokovic in straight sets

Roger Federer blew away Novak Djokovic in a fearsome Shanghai Masters performance Saturday to end the Serb's incredible winning streak in China and set up a final with Gilles Simon.

A brilliant attacking display from the 17-time Grand Slam winner, who served with aggression and spent much of his time at the net, unsettled the world number one for a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Federer faced and saved only one break point the entire match, hit 35 winners, 7 aces, and won 20 of 35 points at the net.

As well as raising expectations of 33-year-old Federer's 81st career title, the resounding victory will also restore him as world number two, displacing his great rival Rafael Nadal.

"It was a great match, I agree," said Federer, who will play for his 81st tour-level title on Sunday. "I think I played very well. There was nothing in the game today that wasn't working. I think it was a high-level match. I'm unbelievably happy with the way it went."

Djokovic, who was the two-time defending champion in Shanghai and clinched his fifth China Open title last week, was gunning for his 29th consecutive win on Chinese soil in his first match with Federer since this year's epic Wimbledon final.

Both players were looking to unnerve each other early on, with Djokovic attempting riskier groundstrokes to counter Federer confronting him at the net.

Every point was greeted with exuberant cheers in Shanghai's packed Qizhong Tennis Center, and the stadium erupted when Federer broke serve on his second break point in the fifth game.

Djokovic saved the first break point by finding a way past Federer - who was again at the net - but gave away his serve with a weak backhand slice moments later.

He then earned his sole break point of the set in the next game, which Federer saved. The Swiss then produced a perfect serving game at his next opportunity, firing four successive aces to march to a 5-3 lead before sealing the set 6-4.

Federer carried his ruthless approach into the early stages of the second set, breaking in the first game with a lifting groundstroke that was beyond Djokovic.

Djokovic staged a valiant attempt to break as he was losing 3-5 with some incredible net play as the pair tussled at deuce. But Federer recovered and claimed the set and match in one hour 36 minutes.

Federer improved to 19-17 against Djokovic with the result, and will overtake Nadal, who is suffering appendix problems, to claim second place in the rankings next week.

"He played from first to last point a very, very good match," a dejected Djokovic said.

"It's just that he played everything he wanted to play. He played the perfect match. I think he's going to tell you how he felt, but that's how I felt he played. He played an amazing match."

"This tonight is definitely one of the best matches he has played against me, that's for sure."

Federer's best showing at the Masters 1000 event was as runner up in 2010, although he did win in Shanghai when it hosted the Tennis Masters Cup in 2006 and 2007.

Federer said that confronting Djokovic at the net was part of his game-plan.

He will meet Simon in the decider Sunday, after the Frenchman powered past Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 7-6(1) to reach his first Masters final in six years and seal his return to the world top 20.

The world number 29 has only contested one Masters final to date, when he lost to Andy Murray at Madrid 2008, but he is in good form after also reaching the last four in Tokyo last week.

Simon beat Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka and then sixth seed Czech Tomas Berdych in the Shanghai quarter-finals after taking every game in the final set.

On Saturday, the Frenchman picked up where he left off in the quarters, serving up a masterclass in aggressive play early on, before sealing the match in 80 minutes.

"I really played what I had to," Simon said. "I was feeling really good from the baseline. I felt I almost didn't lose one point from the baseline the whole match."

Date: 11th October 2014, Source: AFP

Federer sets up Djokovic semi-final clash in Shanghai