Federer, Nadal battle into Swiss semi-finals

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stayed on course for a blockbuster Swiss Indoors final clash on Friday after battling through tough three-set quarter-finals.

Top seed and six-time champion Federer held off David Goffin 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win a re-run of his 2014 final victory over the Belgian.

Nadal, the third seed, scored a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Marin Cilic, his third three-set victory this week.

Goffin showed off a big game, duelling with the Swiss in the second set and coming out ahead 4-2 after a run of three consecutive breaks of serve.

The Belgian, who idolised Federer as a teenager, sent the match into a deciding set but immediately lost his momentum as the 34-year-old Swiss star broke in the second and sixth games before serving out the win in front of 9,000 fans.

"I thought I had it under control after the first set, but he really lifted," said Federer, who Saturday plays Jack Sock, a winner over fellow American Donald Young 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

"He played the second set much better. I'm happy to get through over such a dangerous opponent.

"I knew his game after we practised together in Dubai in December, we put in 10-15 hours on the court, played tons of sets.

"He's a great player with the footwork, the power, the tennis IQ."

Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam champion, will next face France's Richard Gasquet who survived 32 aces from Ivo Karlovic to keep his hopes of a World Tour Finals place alive with a 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(6) win.

Nadal began turning his match with 2014 US Open champion Cilic on its head after going down a set and a break.

The Spaniard retrieved the break in the fourth game, 2-2, with a forehand winner.

He then took a 5-3 lead as Cilic delivered three double-faults to lose serve in an eight-minute game, opening the door for Nadal to push through.

With the sets level, Nadal went to work closing out the evening, breaking to start the third and concluding with another break as the Croatian ended with seven double-faults while losing serve four times in two and a quarter hours.

"I was just fighting, always trying to find solutions in a difficult situation," said Nadal.

"He played a great first set and it was tough to find any chances on return.

"I changed my position on return a bit in the second set and it seemed to work well. This was an important victory for me against someone playing very well."

Cilic fired 37 winners but was undone by 49 unforced errors and is now 0-11 against top 10 players since winning the 2014 US Open.

The 29-year-old Nadal's confidence is fast returning after a slow start to 2015 and some indifferent play in the ensuing months when his ranking slumped to a 10-year low.

"I needed to play with the right tactic and motivation and try to improve every day," said Nadal.

"It's not easy but I'm working hard to find the feelings and find the mental strength to come back."

Nadal has already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals to be staged in London from November 15 along with Novak Djokovic, Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych.

Gasquet is chasing one of the last two spots remaining in the eight-player finale.

But the Frenchman with the picture-book, single-handed backhand faces almost impossible odds, needing to win the Basel title this weekend and next week's Paris Masters.

Anything less will send rivals Kei Nishikori and Spain's David Ferrer to the year-end showpiece.

Date: 30th October 2015, Source: AFP

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Federer beats Kohlschreiber, advances to Basel QF

Top seed and six-time champion Roger Federer stayed perfect against Philipp Kohlschreiber on Thursday, handing the German his 11^th ATP Head to Head defeat in as many tries 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-finals.

The World No. 3 now leads Kohlschreiber 24-3 in sets during their decade-long rivalry, and the 32-year-old German has now lost his past 15 matches against Top-10 opponents.

"It was extremely difficult, especially midway through the second and the beginning of the third," said Federer. "It was a tough set and a half for me. I wasn't struggling, but I wasn't quite feeling it."

Federer notched a break of serve in the fifth game to distance himself in the opening set, one in which he would tally 12 winners to five unforced errors.

With Federer serving to stay in the second set down 4-5, 30-40, Kohlschreiber would level the match at one set apiece with a break when Federer dumped a backhand into the net.

It was the ninth game of the third set that Federer would get his second and final break, and the 17-time Grand Slam champion would then step up to serve out the match. He would finish with 13 aces, winning 87 per cent (42 of 48) of his first-serve points.

"The spectators tonight maybe gave me that last push I needed, giving me energy and carrying me over the finish line," said Federer of the home crowd.

"It's always difficult against Philipp, he's such a tough opponent. I may have beaten him a lot but it's not been easy.

"Today was another battle and I'm just relieved to get to the quarter-finals."

The 34-year-old will next face Belgian David Goffin in a rematch of the 2014 Basel final, which Federer won 6-2, 6-2. Goffin advanced on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

Federer improved to 55-9 on the season, including nine finals, second only to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (13). He is now 58-9 lifetime in Basel. The last time he failed to reach the Swiss Indoors final was in 2003, when he fell to Ivan Ljubicic in the second round. He did not play in Basel in 2004-05, but he’s reached the final every year since 2006, when he won the title for the first time (d. Fernando Gonzalez). He began with a 14-6 record in Basel, but over the past nine years is 44-3.

Date: 29th October 2015, Source: ATP and AFP

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Federer races through Basel opener

Top seed Roger Federer began his quest for a seventh title at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Tuesday by beating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1, 6-2 in 55 minutes.

"I got off to a good start, which was a goal of mine," said Federer, who was coming off an opening-round loss at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. "Once in the lead, I was able to stretch that and keep pressure on my opponent. I'm very pleased for a first round, especially after Shanghai."

Federer raced into a 5-0 lead before wrapping up the 22-minute first set, then broke in the fifth and seventh games of the second set for his 54th match win of 2015. The Swiss lost seven of his first service points and saved two break points in the third game of the pair's third meeting.

Federer, now with a 57-9 match record and 6-5 finals mark in Basel, will next challenge Philipp Kohlschreiber, who overcame 11 aces from Jerzy Janowicz in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory.

"Clearly, it was an important victory," said Federer. "Losing today wouldn't have been great for my confidence. I feel no effects from losing in Shanghai. I hope this match is a stepping stone to greater things this week. I've played so well over the years here in Basel."

Date: 27th October 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer chasing seventh Basel title

No doubt about it, Roger Federer has been a game changer. With so many players now peaking later in their careers and continuing to play their best tennis into their 30s, the 34-year-old Swiss believes it is down to a change in professionalism and attitude, sparked by his own and others’ commitment to the tour.

Speaking at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Sunday, Federer explained how the norm in tennis has shifted, with players now contesting a full calendar and allowing no let-up as the season draws to a close. The lure of the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals has players chasing points until the end in a bid to land one of the coveted eight places in London.

Indeed, while other players are still fighting for the two remaining spots at this year’s Final Showdown, Federer is also hoping for a big finish to end the year above Andy Murray as No. 2 in the ATP Rankings.

“We were a good generation,” said World No. 3 Federer. “We were in the transition of becoming really professional, understanding that we need to change our life around to become more physical.

“The end of the season was always a grind, you just felt tired thinking about it. A lot of players would check out. I don't feel that's the case anymore.

“So a lot has happened and now it will be interesting to see the next two-three years. I think there's a good wave of players coming through and that will be a true test for our generation to see how we're going to handle it.”

Federer is preparing to make his 16^th appearance at his hometown tournament in Basel. The right-hander has a 56-9 record at the ATP World Tour 500 indoor hard court tournament, lifting the trophy six times, most recently triumphing last year with victory over David Goffin.

Casting his mind back to his first appearance in 1998, when he lost in the first round to Andre Agassi, Federer reminisced about a vast change in expectations over the course of the past 18 years.

“At first, let's say winning maybe five or six games in the first round was going to be a good result,” said Federer. “Then it was maybe if you win a set, it would be great. Winning a round would be great. Next thing you know, I was defending titles. It would be nice to do that again. That's changed obviously a lot in the approach and with experience, I'm less nervous and less anxious.

“I still enjoy it as much as ever. It's true that the routines now are easier. I know how to handle ticketing. I know how to handle having friends here and family. In the beginning there was just so much going on that it was kind of crazy, but in a good way. I remember I was always very nervous on court because I always wanted to do so well here.

“I grew up here. I played soccer just behind the stadium. I came here on my bike as a ball boy. It feels like it was yesterday. This is what makes the tournament so special.”

Federer is due to open his bid against Mikhail Kukushkin, whom he leads 2-0 in their ATP Head to Head series. The Basel native is looking claim his 1050^th match win and is chasing his sixth title of the season this week.

Date: 25th October 2015, Source: ATP

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Federer to play IPTL in Dubai, Singapore and New Delhi

Roger Federer, world number three and UAE Royals team member, has confirmed that he will compete in at least three of the five stops during the second edition of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

Federer has confirmed that he will play in the Dubai, Singapore and New Delhi stops for the Dubai-based UAE Royals.

Federer joins fellow Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, Ana Ivanovic, Kristina Mladenovic, Daniel Nestor and Goran Ivanisevic in the UAE Royals camp. They will compete against four other teams that comprise of the world’s best tennis players. IPTL 2 is scheduled to get under way in Japan from December 2.

Federer will turn up for the UAE Royals in India on December 12, in Dubai on December 15 and 16 and in Singapore on December 18.

“I am extremely pleased to be playing for the UAE Royals in Dubai, New Delhi and Singapore,” he said. “The atmosphere created by fans in these cities is both warm and electrifying, adding another level of motivation for me personally when I compete against the best in the world at these venues.”

Neelesh Bhatnagar, co-owner, UAE Royals, said he was thrilled that Federer had decided to play at three venues.

“Roger is one of the most talented and respected athletes in the world and we are exceptionally pleased to have him play for the UAE Royals. Having him on the team will certainly improve our chances of winning the second IPTL championship,” Bhatnagar said.

IPTL 2015 Schedule

Japan

December 2 - Japan Warriors v UAE Royals; Indian Aces v Singapore Slammers
December 3 - Japan Warriors v Singapore Slammers; Philippine Mavericks v UAE Royals
December 4 - Japan Warriors v Indian Aces; Philippine Mavericks v Singapore Slammers

Manila

December 6 - Philippine Mavericks v UAE Royals; Singapore Slammers v Japan Warriors
December 7 - Philippine Mavericks v Japan Warriors; Indian Aces v UAE Royals
December 8 - Philippine Mavericks v Indian Aces; UAE Royals v Singapore Slammers

New Delhi

December 10 - Indian Aces v Singapore Slammers; Japan Warriors v UAE Royals
December 11 - Indian Aces v Japan Warriors; Singapore Slammers v Philippine Mavericks
December 12 - Indian Aces v UAE Royals; Japan Warriors v Philippine Mavericks

Dubai

December 14 - UAE Royals v Philippine Mavericks; Indian Aces v Japan Warriors
December 15 - UAE Royals v Singapore Slammers; Philippine Mavericks v Indian Aces
December 16 - UAE Royals v Japan Warriors; Singapore Slammers v Indian Aces

Singapore

December 18 - Singapore Slammers v Philippine Mavericks; UAE Royals v Indian Aces
December 19 - Singapore Slammers v UAE Royals; Philippine Mavericks v Japan Warriors

December 20 - Final

Date: 21st October 2015, Source: Gulf News

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Federer loses opening match at Shanghai Masters

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

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Federer: Draw analyst, Pizza chef

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

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