Zverev upsets Federer to win Montreal Masters

Alexander Zverev shocked second seed Roger Federer in straight sets in the Montreal Masters final to win his fifth title of the season and 10th consecutive victory on Sunday.

The 20-year-old German used his booming serve to overpower Federer 6-3, 6-4 as the Swiss superstar never got a chance to get into the match and physically struggled in the second set.

"I tried to be aggressive as I can," said Zverev. "If Roger starts being aggressive with his forehand and backhand then it is not going to be an easy day for me."

Zverev avenged a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Federer in the Halle final in June - his only loss in a final this season. He is now tied with Federer for the most titles this season at five.

"It's a wonderful achievement for him," Federer said of Zverev. "I wish him the best for the coming months and hope he can finish the season very strong.

"I'm just really happy for him, to see that he's taking everything not just to the next level, but the two next levels."

Federer said playing a lot on the hardcourts this week caught up to him on Sunday.

"I felt all right all week. Had a bit of muscle pain, aches and pains here and there, just because it's back on the match courts, on the hard courts," Federer said. "After vacation and practice, it's always a bit of a shock for the body.

"We'll have to wait and see now how I feel in the next couple of days."

Federer will travel to Cincinnati Sunday night for the next tournament then see if he can play back to back events.

"I will take a decision in the next couple of days and see how I feel after five days of playing, if I'm ready to play in Cincy next week or not," he said.

"Looking ahead to the US Open, obviously I want to be in the best possible shape. Winning my third of the year, my 20th Grand Slam, would be completely insane. I just hope I'm going to be 100 percent ready when the moment arises."

The victory over the 19-times Grand Slam champion was the second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title of the season for Zverev, who also beat Novak Djokovic in Rome.

"This one against Roger is something so special for me because he was always a great idol growing up for me," Zverev said during his trophy presentation. "The greatest player of all time, beating him in a final, not just any final but in the final of a Masters 1000, is amazing."

Date: 14 August 2017, Source: Reuters and AFP

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Federer reaches finals of Rogers Cup

Roger Federer extended his winning streak to 16 matches and moved into the Rogers Cup final with a straight-sets victory over Robin Haase in Montreal on Saturday.

The Swiss right-hander struck “Are you kidding?” backhand passes and was untouchable on serve. He dropped only nine points on serve (45/54) and hit 28 winners, including nine aces, against Haase, who was playing in his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final.

But the 30-year-old Dutchman was eager for the fight, pushing Federer to a second-set tie-break before the all-time great advanced 6-3, 7-6 (5) to reach the Montreal title match.

“I'm happy, most happy that I'm actually really healthy going into the finals. I haven't wasted too much energy. I've been able to keep points short. I've been really clean at net. I think my concentration and just my playing has gone up a notch. I'm just playing better,” Federer said.

The 36 year old will go for his third Canadian Masters 1000 crown (2004, 2006 in Toronto), his 27^th Masters 1000 title and his 94^th tour-level title on Sunday. If Federer wins, he'll tie Ivan Lendl in second place for most tour-level titles won in the Open Era.

“I have reached levels that I never thought I would be able to reach, winning so many titles. Each title you can add is like a thrill. I am playing tennis to try to win titles. I always said that the ranking, if you're not No. 1 in the world, doesn't count really. It's secondary. Now I'm lucky because both are in sight,” Federer said. “Lendl is a legend of tennis. He reached incredible records. He was extremely consistent. He won many titles. It's fantastic and cool that I'm able to reach his level.”

Federer will meet either 20-year-old German Alexander Zverev or 18-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the final. He will be playing in his sixth final of the season on Sunday.

“To have a player at 18 or 20 years old in the finals of a Masters 1000 is not something we've seen very often, very rarely, except maybe when Andy, Novak and Rafa were coming up. They were such great teenagers that we maybe saw it more often. Not even I probably achieved finals of Masters 1000 at that age,” Federer said. “I think it's very exciting for tennis. It's the biggest stage that we have in the game on the ATP Tour. So to have young guys like this be there, it's a good opportunity for them.”

The Swiss right-hander owns a 2-1 advantage against Zverev in their ATP Head to Head series, including a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the Gerry Weber Open final in Halle in June. Federer has never faced Shapovalov, who's the youngest Masters 1000 semi-finalist (since 1990).

Earlier in the week, Federer talked about struggling to implement his aggressive game plan. In the third round, he dropped the opening set against Spaniard David Ferrer, a player he's now beaten 17 consecutive times.

But Federer was sharp from the start against Haase, breaking twice for a 3-1 lead. He served out the set to 15.

Haase, though, who's hitting top form after battling injuries for years, refused to back down. The right-hander tidied up his service games, striking eight aces and never facing a break point in the second set. But Federer found his way through the tie-break, advancing to the his third Masters 1000 final of the season when Haase lifted a forehand long.

Date: 12 August 2017, Source: ATP and Omnisport

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Aggressive Federer cruises to semi-finals in Montreal

Roger Federer remains on course to lift his 27th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and put pressure on Rafael Nadal in the two-man battle for the World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.

Bidding to capture his first trophy in Montreal - and his third overall in Canada - Federer produced a spellbinding blend of power and finesse to outclass No. 12 seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 in 68 minutes on Friday afternoon at the Rogers Cup. It was his seventh straight win over the Spaniard and Federer is now 34-2 on the season, which includes an ATP World Tour-high five titles.

“It pays off playing aggressively here in Montreal, plus I feel comfortable at net, so why not spend some time there instead of slugging it out from the baseline,” Federer, who won 21 of 25 points at the net, told after the match. “I think I did a good job again, even though it was tough to control the ball. I got some decent rhythm going.

“Yesterday, I struggled against David Ferrer early on, so today was better. I was more committed and a step further in, adjusting my position slightly realising the ball does fly a lot.”

The second seed and 2004, 2006 champion (in Toronto) will now challenge Dutchman Robin Haase, who will appear in his first Masters 1000 semi-final on Saturday, for only the second time. The pair met in a Davis Cup World Group play-off in 2012 with Federer winning the rubber 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Bautista Agut held firm through the first eight games, effective on serve and also in keeping his position on the baseline. However, the pressure began to tell and the Spaniard faltered on first serve in the ninth game of the first set. Federer surprised Bautista Agut with changes in pace, angle and net rushes, breaking to 15 when his opponent struck his first double fault.

Federer and Bautista Agut exchanged service breaks at the start of the second set. But it was Federer, quick to attack the net off his powerful forehands, who seized control and moved Bautista Agut out of his comfort zone at the baseline.

“I wanted to play a great tournament, and I think I did a good week,” said Bautista Agut. “Today, I felt that I didn’t get into the rhythm of the match and I didn’t feel the ball well. Roger plays very fast and he didn’t want to rally with me, so he went for his shots. To be in the quarter-finals here in Montreal is a very good result for me, also getting hard-court matches under my belt.”

The 36-year-old Federer has not ranked as the World No. 1 since 4 November 2012. With no ATP Rankings points to defend in the rest of the 2017 season, the Swiss superstar could potentially add to his 302 weeks at the pinnacle of men’s professional tennis as early as 21 August.

“I obviously follow it, because Rafa had an opportunity to get to No. 1 this week,” Federer said. “I thought it would take a few months to get my teeth into it, but now Rafa is out I obviously know I can make big strides, especially if I was to go further than the semis here. But it’s all connected by great play, but I have to focus on the next match against Haase.”

Date: 11 August 2017, Source: ATP and Reuters

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Federer survives Ferrer test in Montreal

Tested early and often, Roger Federer overcame a formidable performance from David Ferrer to advance to the Rogers Cup quarter-finals on Thursday. Federer prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 57 minutes.

The Swiss kept his bid alive for a first title in Montreal, improving his 2017 hard-court record to 21-1 and bumping his overall win streak to 14 straight. Meeting for the first time in three years, Federer extended his impressive ATP Head to Head advantage over Ferrer to 17-0.

"I already beat other players 17 times," said Federer. "Sometimes I played them maybe 30 or 40 times. They ended up beating me at a certain stages, like Roddick, Gonzalez and Soderling. Sometimes I beat them 10 times in a row. At the end they always ended up beating me. That's why I have a lot of respect for this match today. I know it can't continue that way. 17 is a lot.

"The last match we played were three tight sets in Toronto, then three sets Cincinnati, and again today. So these statistics are a bit ridiculous, because I have a lot of respect for David. As a person, he's very nice. He's a great fighter on the court. So this type of head-to-head is a bit strange."

Ferrer was on the front foot throughout the opener and he would halt Federer's dominant sets-won streak at 32. The ruthless run began in the first round of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle and included his title at Wimbledon and straight-set win over Peter Polansky on Wednesday.

Striking his forehand with great depth and relying on an efficient first serve, Ferrer was unflappable in closing out the 43-minute opener. The Spaniard, who is in top form after claiming his 27th ATP World Tour title two weeks ago in Bastad, struck a deep, penetrating return to snatch the initial break for 3-1. Serving for the first set at 5-4, he would fire a return at Federer's feet, which the Swiss hit into the net. The second seed struck an uncharacteristic 19 unforced errors in the first set, but the tide would take an abrupt turn in the second. After exchanging early breaks, Federer rediscovered his groove, surging ahead with another break in the fifth game.

Coming forward more often and playing more aggressive, the Swiss would turn aside a set point at 5-3 and force a decider in the next game. He would pull away from then on, breaking twice in the third and closing out a spot in the quarter-finals with a volley winner on his first match point.

"For me it was more of a struggle," Federer said about the match. "As you know, you don't always feel the same and each opponent is a different problem. He started very well, especially on the return on my second serve. I was not able to serve my first serve where I wanted to, and he hurt me on the second serve.

"From the baseline, I didn't have enough rhythm. The court is fast here. Of course, because of the surface, that it's fast, you can't just decide to put the ball in because physically David is very strong. You can't do that. You have to go into the battle. You have to accept you're going to make mistakes. But you have to keep moving forward.

"I tried with my intensity and focus to change the match, and this is what I was able to do. I was able also to change the angles, and that helped me win the match."

A two-time champion at the Canadian Masters 1000 event (2004 and '06 in Toronto), Federer advanced to the quarter-finals in Montreal for the first time since 2009. He will next face Roberto Bautista Agut, after the 12th seed edged Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2) earlier on Thursday. Federer owns a 6-0 edge in their ATP Head to Head, most recently prevailing at the Masters event in Miami earlier this year.

"We battled, both tried to find a way to win. He had a good start, I had a better finish. That was important. For me, take it how it is and hope that this match gives me some better rhythm and confidence against Bautista Agut, who plays actually very similar to David today."

Date: 11 August 2017, Source: ATP

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Federer cruises in first match since Wimbledon win

Roger Federer needed less than an hour to defeat Canadian Peter Polansky 6-2, 6-1 at the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Wednesday in his first appearance since winning a record eighth Wimbledon title in July.

A day after celebrating his 36th birthday, Federer played the aggressive game that has propelled him to five titles, including two grand slams, this year, attacking the net and rocketing second serves.

Polansky, a wildcard for the ATP Masters 1000 event, never looked comfortable. The 29-year-old double faulted twice in his first service game and had difficulty handling Federer's pinpoint serves.

"I started the first set well. In the second set, I was able to put pressure on him and he helped me with some double faults, of course. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the match. The conditions were tough here in Montreal. There was a lot of wind today and it was fast. Sometimes it's difficult to find the rhythm.

"But I was happy that I was very focused on my service games. I was aggressive. This is how I want to play for the whole week. Anyway, it's a good start," Federer said.

Federer, who has lost only two of 34 matches this year, will next play Spain's David Ferrer who prevailed in a three-setter against American Jack Sock 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-1.

''I think in this tournament I'm trying to play with confidence that I gained through the grass-court season. I have to adjust my game a little bit just because the bounce of the ball is so much higher here than at Wimbledon, and there's wind, which in Wimbledon we didn't have much of," Federer said.

''It's just really to see how it goes this week, and then learn from this week, how I need to then play in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open.''

Polansky, ranked No. 116 in the world after some strong results in challenger events, upset No. 75 Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the first round on Monday.

It was his second meeting with Federer. At the 2014 Rogers Cup, he lost 6-2, 6-0.

''Even though I lost, this is one of the most memorable experiences of my life along with the match I played against him in Toronto,'' Polansky said. ''His transition from the baseline to the net, it's a joke.

''You blink and he's at the net. You hit balls pretty hard at him and he's handling them like it's no problem. Guys I'm used to playing, if I hit really hard, they'll kind of block it but he's constantly moving forward like a freight train.''

Date: 10 August 2017, Source: Reuters and AP

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