Roger started off his week in Paris by soundly defeating lefty Adrian Mannarino 62 63 in under an hour. It was a routine performance from the Fedster, but I always say that a win over a left-handed player is a good win for Roger, as they can more easily access Roger's backhand. The win was also good preparation for Richard Gasquet in the 3rd round, who already holds a victory over Roger in 2011, from Rome earlier this year. I believe Roger will win in straight sets as he did last year against Gasquet, but it will not be easy, as Richard will be motivated to play well at home.
The popular topic in Paris this week is the changing of the courts. They have slowed them down from last year, in which they were imperiously fast. Changing to a slower court obviously helps the counterpunchers such as Murray, Djokovic, and Monfils, but Roger has said that he likes the way the courts are playing because they help him get more cut on his slice, which is a great advantage for him. All in all, it seems as if Roger is really motivated to win here in Paris, and fully understands how important a strong finish to 2011 could be in starting off 2012 with a bang. A win in Paris would do wonders to his confidence heading into London, with it being the one title that has always eluded him.
Djokovic and Murray got through easily, and Novak received his $1.8 million bonus for appearing. However, Nole must be extremely careful because the last thing he wants is more problems with his shoulder that could damage his chances of winning his 2nd Masters Cup/World Tour Finals/whatever you want to call it these days. Murray looked fine and just verified my suspicions that he withdrew from Basel because he didn't feel like playing after having a busy Asian swing.
Looking forward to the rest of the week, and hopefully seeing Federer lift the trophy on Sunday!
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Monday, November 07, 2011
Basel F - Federer wins 68th Career Title
Roger Federer is now a 5-time champion in his home tournament of Basel after defeating surprise finalist Kei Nishikori 61 63 in the final. Roger is also a 5-time champion at Wimbledon, Halle, the World Tour Finals, and the US Open. With the win, Roger won his second title of the year and added to his illustrious career.
From the start, the match was never really close. Roger won it very easily with some superb serving and ball-striking, and Nishikori was a little overwhelmed by playing the Fedmeister, who plays unlike anybody he had ever faced before. Roger took the ball early and robbed Nishikori of time that he would receive playing against a counterpuncher like Simon or Nadal. Nishikori was never in the match, but he did shows glimpses of why he has had such a good run since the US Open. He attacks well off both wings, and his forehand is a huge weapon. Look for him to have a breakout 2012 season as he is a rising young star.
What struck me most about the win for Roger was how much it meant to him. During his victory speech he fought back tears, and showed oncemore his undying passion for the game of tennis. Even with this being his 68th career title, he still cares about success and he still cares to hold the high standards that he has set for himself by becoming the all-time Grand Slam singles champion. This is what I love about Roger. He still has the will to compete and the will to win, and above all else he still loves to play more than anybody else on tour. While some view their careers in tennis as a chore, Roger thinks of it as a vacation. He loves the fans, he loves the atmosphere, he loves being on court, and he relishes his position as the ambassador of tennis. If everybody on tour loved tennis as much as Roger, the ATP would be a much better place in my opinion.
Looking ahead, Roger has some momentum heading into Paris and the World Tour Finals. He has a semi appearance in Paris to defend and of course the win in the World Tour Finals, so he should be extra motivated to play his very best in the final few weeks of the season. A successful end to this year could set him up very well for a 17th Grand Slam title in Australia next January, which will undoubtedly be his biggest priority over the offseason. But for now, it's all about Paris and the WTF, and I believe Roger could be looked at as the favourite to win both titles, even though he has never won in Paris before.
Anyways, I'm so happy that Roger won in Basel, and it was clear how much it meant to him, which made it extra special to watch. Here's hoping to great success for the rest of 2011 and the start of 2012!
From the start, the match was never really close. Roger won it very easily with some superb serving and ball-striking, and Nishikori was a little overwhelmed by playing the Fedmeister, who plays unlike anybody he had ever faced before. Roger took the ball early and robbed Nishikori of time that he would receive playing against a counterpuncher like Simon or Nadal. Nishikori was never in the match, but he did shows glimpses of why he has had such a good run since the US Open. He attacks well off both wings, and his forehand is a huge weapon. Look for him to have a breakout 2012 season as he is a rising young star.
What struck me most about the win for Roger was how much it meant to him. During his victory speech he fought back tears, and showed oncemore his undying passion for the game of tennis. Even with this being his 68th career title, he still cares about success and he still cares to hold the high standards that he has set for himself by becoming the all-time Grand Slam singles champion. This is what I love about Roger. He still has the will to compete and the will to win, and above all else he still loves to play more than anybody else on tour. While some view their careers in tennis as a chore, Roger thinks of it as a vacation. He loves the fans, he loves the atmosphere, he loves being on court, and he relishes his position as the ambassador of tennis. If everybody on tour loved tennis as much as Roger, the ATP would be a much better place in my opinion.
Looking ahead, Roger has some momentum heading into Paris and the World Tour Finals. He has a semi appearance in Paris to defend and of course the win in the World Tour Finals, so he should be extra motivated to play his very best in the final few weeks of the season. A successful end to this year could set him up very well for a 17th Grand Slam title in Australia next January, which will undoubtedly be his biggest priority over the offseason. But for now, it's all about Paris and the WTF, and I believe Roger could be looked at as the favourite to win both titles, even though he has never won in Paris before.
Anyways, I'm so happy that Roger won in Basel, and it was clear how much it meant to him, which made it extra special to watch. Here's hoping to great success for the rest of 2011 and the start of 2012!
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Basel SF Recap
The final is set in Basel, and it is a little surprising to see who is in it. On the one side there is of course Basel's favourite son, the great one himself, Roger Federer, but on the other side there is Japanese player Kei Nishikori, who upset Novak Djokovic 26 76(4) 60.
Federer handled countryman Stan Wawrinka rather easily in straight sets and moved into his first final since the French Open in June. With these two friends squaring off, it will always be a strategic match, as both men know each other so well. For instance, Roger quite enjoys forcing Stan to hit his BH short in the court and attacking his FH. The result of the all-Swiss semi was rather predictable, but the Djokovic/Nishikori match was not. At 6-2 4-5 0-30, it looked as if Novak would take the match in straights and move onto the final, but Nishikori would have none of it. He fought back to force a tiebreak, won it, and then took the third set 6-0 for what was, in the end, a very comfortable third set to win. Novak had issues with his shoulders and probably was not at 100%, but full credit to Nishikori for battling through and improving on his breakthrough year with a final in Basel.
The incredible physical toll that Djokovic's game has taken on his body this year has finally caught up with him it seems. He won so many physical matches during his magnificent run that it was nearly impossible for him to keep healthy forever. Like we have seen from Nadal for many years, Djokovic is struggling late in the season after wearing himself out during the busiest months of the year. On the other hand, Roger looks fresh and invigorated as he looks to win his first title since January. There is no question that Roger paces himself throughout the year perhaps better than any other player in history - it is why he has won 5 Masters Cup titles and this year is looking to win his sixth. Unlike his younger counterparts Murray, Djokovic, and Nadal, Federer understands that you cannot go 100% throughout the entire year or you will not have enough gas left in the tank at the end. Apparently Djokovic hasn't learned from Nadal's previous mistakes and now finds himself in a precarious position of trying to go into the World Tour Finals as healthy as possible.
As for the final, Roger should handle Nishikori in straights. The guy beat Djokovic which is something in of itself, but Fed should prove to be too strong in front of his hometown fans. As previously mentioned, the Maestro has not won a title since the opening tournament of the year, and he will certainly be hungry to win once again in Basel. A win would be his fifth Basel title, and would most definitely give him credence to being called the greatest player in the Basel tournament's history.
Final prediction: 63 63 Federer.
Federer handled countryman Stan Wawrinka rather easily in straight sets and moved into his first final since the French Open in June. With these two friends squaring off, it will always be a strategic match, as both men know each other so well. For instance, Roger quite enjoys forcing Stan to hit his BH short in the court and attacking his FH. The result of the all-Swiss semi was rather predictable, but the Djokovic/Nishikori match was not. At 6-2 4-5 0-30, it looked as if Novak would take the match in straights and move onto the final, but Nishikori would have none of it. He fought back to force a tiebreak, won it, and then took the third set 6-0 for what was, in the end, a very comfortable third set to win. Novak had issues with his shoulders and probably was not at 100%, but full credit to Nishikori for battling through and improving on his breakthrough year with a final in Basel.
The incredible physical toll that Djokovic's game has taken on his body this year has finally caught up with him it seems. He won so many physical matches during his magnificent run that it was nearly impossible for him to keep healthy forever. Like we have seen from Nadal for many years, Djokovic is struggling late in the season after wearing himself out during the busiest months of the year. On the other hand, Roger looks fresh and invigorated as he looks to win his first title since January. There is no question that Roger paces himself throughout the year perhaps better than any other player in history - it is why he has won 5 Masters Cup titles and this year is looking to win his sixth. Unlike his younger counterparts Murray, Djokovic, and Nadal, Federer understands that you cannot go 100% throughout the entire year or you will not have enough gas left in the tank at the end. Apparently Djokovic hasn't learned from Nadal's previous mistakes and now finds himself in a precarious position of trying to go into the World Tour Finals as healthy as possible.
As for the final, Roger should handle Nishikori in straights. The guy beat Djokovic which is something in of itself, but Fed should prove to be too strong in front of his hometown fans. As previously mentioned, the Maestro has not won a title since the opening tournament of the year, and he will certainly be hungry to win once again in Basel. A win would be his fifth Basel title, and would most definitely give him credence to being called the greatest player in the Basel tournament's history.
Final prediction: 63 63 Federer.
Friday, November 04, 2011
Basel SF Preview
Just a quick update:
Federer got through Andy Roddick 63 62 in one of his most comfortable wins against Andy (and of course there have been many of them). I didn't see the match but I read that Andy was not having a good serving day and against Roger, that puts any chances Andy has to bed right away. Hell, even when Andy is serving well, he has trouble against Fed's brick wall returning style. Anyways, it seems as if Roger's three-set victory over Nieminen was exactly what he needed - I have always said that a good tough match to get through is the best thing for a tennis player's mind as it gives them added confidence going into the next match that they can pull through should they face a tough situation. With Roger, we have seen this time and time again. Against Cilic in the 3rd round of the US Open, vs Davydenko in the Australian Open 2010 Quarterfinals, against Haas and Del Potro at the French 2009, against Andreev in the 4th round at the US Open 2008, against Tipsarevic in Australia 2008...the list really goes on and on. Roger just feeds off tough matches and it helps him better prepare himself for the tougher rounds in the final weekends.
On that same side, Stan Wawrinka got through easily against Florian Mayer with a 62 62 score. He looks to be in great form but facing Roger is always a challenge. Nevertheless, I expect a close match, and both Roger and Stan will want to put on the best show for the Swiss fans.
On the other side, Djokovic got through Baghdatis in a tough three-set encounter. He plays Nishikori in the semis so that should be an easier match for sure, leading him to the finals against a likely opponent in Roger. I believe Roger will have a good chance of beating Djokovic as Novak hasn't looked very sharp this week at all, and Roger only seems to be getting better with each passing match. It would definitely be a huge confidence boost if Roger could get a win over Djokovic for the second time this year - a feat nobody else has accomplished may I remind - and it would certainly give Roger momentum heading into Paris and the World Tour finals.
Looking forward to a great weekend in Basel, cheers!
Federer got through Andy Roddick 63 62 in one of his most comfortable wins against Andy (and of course there have been many of them). I didn't see the match but I read that Andy was not having a good serving day and against Roger, that puts any chances Andy has to bed right away. Hell, even when Andy is serving well, he has trouble against Fed's brick wall returning style. Anyways, it seems as if Roger's three-set victory over Nieminen was exactly what he needed - I have always said that a good tough match to get through is the best thing for a tennis player's mind as it gives them added confidence going into the next match that they can pull through should they face a tough situation. With Roger, we have seen this time and time again. Against Cilic in the 3rd round of the US Open, vs Davydenko in the Australian Open 2010 Quarterfinals, against Haas and Del Potro at the French 2009, against Andreev in the 4th round at the US Open 2008, against Tipsarevic in Australia 2008...the list really goes on and on. Roger just feeds off tough matches and it helps him better prepare himself for the tougher rounds in the final weekends.
On that same side, Stan Wawrinka got through easily against Florian Mayer with a 62 62 score. He looks to be in great form but facing Roger is always a challenge. Nevertheless, I expect a close match, and both Roger and Stan will want to put on the best show for the Swiss fans.
On the other side, Djokovic got through Baghdatis in a tough three-set encounter. He plays Nishikori in the semis so that should be an easier match for sure, leading him to the finals against a likely opponent in Roger. I believe Roger will have a good chance of beating Djokovic as Novak hasn't looked very sharp this week at all, and Roger only seems to be getting better with each passing match. It would definitely be a huge confidence boost if Roger could get a win over Djokovic for the second time this year - a feat nobody else has accomplished may I remind - and it would certainly give Roger momentum heading into Paris and the World Tour finals.
Looking forward to a great weekend in Basel, cheers!
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