Showing posts with label Brisbane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brisbane. Show all posts
Monday, January 18, 2016
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
Roger Federer praises Raonic improvement after losing to him in Brisbane International Final
For those at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, the 2016 final was déjà vu - Roger Federer vs. Milos Raonic. Last year, the Swiss notched his 1000th match win in clinching the title over the Canadian. This time, the 25 year old would turn the tables, exacting revenge 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday.
Federer admitted he was too inconsistent and could not find his rhythm, but acknowledged Raonic's improved tactics and consistency. For the Swiss, it was a completely different match-up from their 10 previous encounters.
"His consistent power is something that's so impressive," said Federer. "The focus he brings to every single serve. I've always said it's amazing that he can do that.
"For a big guy he moves well. He's improved his fitness the last few years. Also tactically he's better now than he's ever been. He's made a conscious effort of playing close to the baseline, which before when he was working with the Spanish coaches he was way back.
"I think like this it's more on his racquet and it's probably not a bad thing. I thought he was playing really good tennis here last year and in also Indian Wells when I played him. I was quite impressed how good he was. Unfortunately he got injured and he had some issue which then didn't allow him to play anymore since. So it's a great start for him. I'm very happy for him."
Never one to make excuses, Federer revealed he has been experiencing a lingering cough and sore throat over the past week. Despite the ailment, he says he is happy to reach the final and kick off the new season with new coach Ivan Ljubicic.
"I'm very happy how the first week went. We just discussed quickly the week. We were both thrilled that I got to play as many matches as I did here this week, because we saw how bad I was doing on Tuesday.
"I've still got a cough and the throat is a bit weird. Definitely got to make sure I get over it as quickly as possible. As long as I keep on playing and doing all that stuff it's not going to go away faster. So I am going to rest up tomorrow. I also have to see, but then probably hit the practice courts again. In practice you can manage how hard you're going to do it. Obviously health is No. 1 [priority].
"The good thing is the off-season was great. I have a base there, so I think within three to four days I should be back at 100 per cent, if things progress normally, which I think they are now."
Federer, who appeared in a hard-court final for a record 17th consecutive year, will make a 17th straight appearance at the Australian Open next week. Seeded third, the Swiss is bidding for a fifth title at the first Grand Slam of the year.
Federer admitted he was too inconsistent and could not find his rhythm, but acknowledged Raonic's improved tactics and consistency. For the Swiss, it was a completely different match-up from their 10 previous encounters.
"His consistent power is something that's so impressive," said Federer. "The focus he brings to every single serve. I've always said it's amazing that he can do that.
"For a big guy he moves well. He's improved his fitness the last few years. Also tactically he's better now than he's ever been. He's made a conscious effort of playing close to the baseline, which before when he was working with the Spanish coaches he was way back.
"I think like this it's more on his racquet and it's probably not a bad thing. I thought he was playing really good tennis here last year and in also Indian Wells when I played him. I was quite impressed how good he was. Unfortunately he got injured and he had some issue which then didn't allow him to play anymore since. So it's a great start for him. I'm very happy for him."
Never one to make excuses, Federer revealed he has been experiencing a lingering cough and sore throat over the past week. Despite the ailment, he says he is happy to reach the final and kick off the new season with new coach Ivan Ljubicic.
"I'm very happy how the first week went. We just discussed quickly the week. We were both thrilled that I got to play as many matches as I did here this week, because we saw how bad I was doing on Tuesday.
"I've still got a cough and the throat is a bit weird. Definitely got to make sure I get over it as quickly as possible. As long as I keep on playing and doing all that stuff it's not going to go away faster. So I am going to rest up tomorrow. I also have to see, but then probably hit the practice courts again. In practice you can manage how hard you're going to do it. Obviously health is No. 1 [priority].
"The good thing is the off-season was great. I have a base there, so I think within three to four days I should be back at 100 per cent, if things progress normally, which I think they are now."
Federer, who appeared in a hard-court final for a record 17th consecutive year, will make a 17th straight appearance at the Australian Open next week. Seeded third, the Swiss is bidding for a fifth title at the first Grand Slam of the year.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Martina Hingis 2-time Brisbane International Champion with Sania Mirza!
Martina Hingis Official Facebook
BRISBANE, Australia - Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza won their 10th WTA doubles title together in Brisbane and have now won 26 matches in a row - the longest doubles winning streak in 22 years.
Saturday's final was a tight affair early on, as Hingis and Mirza's opponents in the final, Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic, rebounded from a 2-0 deficit with four games of their own to build a 4-2 lead. But the No.1-seeded Swiss-Indian combo flipped the script completely from there, rattling off 11 of the last 13 games of the match to get by the German wildcard pairing in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
"They're obviously very good players, so we knew we had to come out and play our best," Mirza said. "We let the lead go a little bit after 2-0, and we were both trying to find our form again on the court. It was big we broke on the deuce point at 6-5, and after that the tide really changed in our favor."
Though she came out on the losing end, Kerber still made history - she's the first player in the tournament's history to reach both the singles and doubles finals. She was runner-up in singles too.
"It wasn't my night tonight. I lost two finals," she said at the trophy ceremony. "But it was still a great week, and congratulations to Sania and Martina - you are the best, good luck in Melbourne!"
And so, Hingis and Mirza's winning streak lives on - at 26 matches in a row it's the longest doubles winning streak since Gigi Fernández and Natasha Zvereva won 28 matches in a row together in 1994.
Hingis and Mirza also hit double digit WTA doubles titles together - Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston,Wimbledon, US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and WTA Finals in 2015, and now Brisbane.
Even more impressive? Hingis and Mirza are actually 10-1 in WTA doubles finals together.
They're playing again this week coming up, at the Apia International Sydney - again as top seeds.
"Every match at the beginning of the season is a good match, just trying to get that confidence going," Hingis said. "It's great we already have this Brisbane title in our pockets, and we're really looking forward to Sydney. We'll get a couple days off before we play and then we will start again.
"I always have such great support in Australia so I really look forward to the next tournaments."
Another year, another title. Different partner same result.
Congrats Martina & Sania there are not enough superlatives at this point.
Loved Petkovic's comment in her runner's up speech "congratulations, but please stop winning because it's starting to get annoying" :D.
Also the bit about being glad Sania and Martina are not playing in the Olympic games together and "unless you plan on changing your citizenship, if you are please let us all know ahead of time". :D
Great girls, great speech. Fantastic tournament.
All the best in Sydney ladies :).
Saturday, January 09, 2016
Roger Federer sets up re-match of last year's Brisbane International final with Milos Raonic
menstennisforums.com
Roger Federer raced past Dominic Thiem in his first career FedEx ATP Head2Head against the Austrian on Saturday at the Brisbane International 6-1, 6-4, setting up a rematch of the 2015 final against Canada’s Milos Raonic. It marks the Swiss’ third straight trip to Brisbane’s trophy match.
“I think it was my best match of the tournament,” said Federer, who totaled 12 winners to just 10 unforced errors in the hour-long affair. “I thought I hit the ball pretty well, but that’s usually how it goes. You always play better toward the end. Nobody cares how you played at the beginning, as long as you got there. I’m very excited to be back in the final. It’s going to be special playing Milos again tomorrow.”
The defending champ was in control from the very start at Pat Rafter Arena, where he raced out to a 5-0 lead in the 22-minute first-set before Thiem managed to get on the scoreboard.
Like Federer, the No. 8-seed boasts a sweeping one-handed backhand, which he used to good effect in his quarter-final upset of No. 3 seed Marin Cilic. But the 22-year-old, who finished 2015 as the youngest player in the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, was rarely able to use it to hurt his veteran opponent in the semi-finals.
Federer converted service breaks in the first and seventh games of the final set, as the unforced errors began to mount for Thiem (he finished with 26). With the loss, he fell to 1-10 against Top-10 competition.
Federer, 34, defeated Raonic in last year’s title match, which served as his 1,000th career victory on the ATP World Tour.
"Big serving guys are always just tricky,” said Federer of his match-up with Raonic, against whom he is 9-1 in FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, his lone loss coming in the ATP Masters 1000 Paris quarter-finals in 2014. “I don't know if it's that I don't like to play them — I always embrace the challenge of playing big servers. I have a really good record against them. I usually do a good job of getting the ball back and then finding a way. Sometimes it’s worked and sometimes it hasn't. But I have no problems playing against him. Clearly, I respect his game. I think he's made a lot of progress in the past few years.”
“I think it was my best match of the tournament,” said Federer, who totaled 12 winners to just 10 unforced errors in the hour-long affair. “I thought I hit the ball pretty well, but that’s usually how it goes. You always play better toward the end. Nobody cares how you played at the beginning, as long as you got there. I’m very excited to be back in the final. It’s going to be special playing Milos again tomorrow.”
The defending champ was in control from the very start at Pat Rafter Arena, where he raced out to a 5-0 lead in the 22-minute first-set before Thiem managed to get on the scoreboard.
Like Federer, the No. 8-seed boasts a sweeping one-handed backhand, which he used to good effect in his quarter-final upset of No. 3 seed Marin Cilic. But the 22-year-old, who finished 2015 as the youngest player in the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, was rarely able to use it to hurt his veteran opponent in the semi-finals.
Federer converted service breaks in the first and seventh games of the final set, as the unforced errors began to mount for Thiem (he finished with 26). With the loss, he fell to 1-10 against Top-10 competition.
Federer, 34, defeated Raonic in last year’s title match, which served as his 1,000th career victory on the ATP World Tour.
"Big serving guys are always just tricky,” said Federer of his match-up with Raonic, against whom he is 9-1 in FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, his lone loss coming in the ATP Masters 1000 Paris quarter-finals in 2014. “I don't know if it's that I don't like to play them — I always embrace the challenge of playing big servers. I have a really good record against them. I usually do a good job of getting the ball back and then finding a way. Sometimes it’s worked and sometimes it hasn't. But I have no problems playing against him. Clearly, I respect his game. I think he's made a lot of progress in the past few years.”
Roger Federer battles past Dimitrov to reach Brisbane International semis
Top seed and defending champion Federer, vying to capture his 89th tour-level title this week, worked hard to beat Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 on Friday night. The Swiss is now 4-0 lifetime against Dimitrov, including a victory in last year's Brisbane semi-finals.
Federer converted his third set point opportunity to clinch the 36-minute opener. Dimitrov survived two break points in the sixth game of the second set, then broke Federer to 15 en route to a 5-3 lead. Federer bounced back prior to a tie-break, which saw Dimitrov win five of the first six points.
From 2-2 in the deciding set, Federer won two straight games but could not clinch any of his three match point chances on Dimitrov's serve at 3-5, 0/40. Dimitrov won five straight points, before Federer closed out to love for victory in two hours and eight minutes. Federer won 27 of 35 points at the net.
"I thought I played really well considering, and caught sort of a second wind in the third set," said Federer. "I had to focus hard, so I thought I was able to relax again midway or at the beginning of the third at some stage, and the break came at the right time, so that was good. I thought he served actually very well. I took advantage of the fact of getting maybe too many second serves in the third."
Earlier in the evening, eighth seed Thiem knocked out third seed Marin Cilic 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in two hours. He had to wait until the final game to convert the first of his eight break point opportunities (breaking to love) in the pair's first meeting.
"[It] was a very good match from me," said Thiem, who lifted three ATP World Tour titles in 2015. "Today [was] a big test. [A] bad first set where he destroyed me, but then I'm really happy about the win."
Thiem finished last year as the youngest player (22) in the Top 20 Emirates ATP Rankings at No. 20. He was also the first Austrian to place in the Top 20 since Jurgen Melzer (at No. 11) in 2010.
Looking ahead to his match against Thiem, Federer said, "I think he's got a great big backhand. Maybe likes slower courts, like to set up his shots. I guess you've got to take time away from a him. Like a Stan version in some ways if you compare him to one the top guys. He likes to play from far, but he's making a nice effort trying to play on the baseline as well. He uses a lot of spin as well on his serve. We'll see how it goes tomorrow...I thought it was a good win for him to beat Cilic today, because Cilic was looking good for a while there."
Friday, January 08, 2016
Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza reach finals of Brisbane International extend their match winning streak to 25
BRISBANE, Australia - Just days into the new season and they've already hit another milestone -Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza won their 25th match in a row at the Brisbane International on Friday.
Hingis and Mirza, the No.1-ranked team in the world and top seeds at the Premier-level tournament, faced some resistance - Andreja Klepac and Alla Kudryavtseva, the No.4 seeds, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and, after dropping the first set, were a game away from winning the second set up 5-4.
But Hingis and Mirza did all the right things at all the right times and closed it out, 6-3, 7-5.
Hingis and Mirza's 25-match winning streak, which has brought them five titles in a row at the US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and the WTA Finals, is the longest winning streak since Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci's 25 in a row in 2012 - the Italians also won five titles in a row, at Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, the French Open and 's-Hertogenbosch (the streak was snapped at Wimbledon).
To find the last doubles team to win more than 25 matches in a row you have to go all the way back to the 1994 season, when Gigi Fernández and Natasha Zvereva rattled off 28 victories in a row.
The other semifinal, which took place later in the day, saw Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja square off against the German wildcard pairing of Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic.
wtatennis.com
Another year, another final. That's number 11 going all the way back to March of last year.
Hingis and Mirza, the No.1-ranked team in the world and top seeds at the Premier-level tournament, faced some resistance - Andreja Klepac and Alla Kudryavtseva, the No.4 seeds, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and, after dropping the first set, were a game away from winning the second set up 5-4.
But Hingis and Mirza did all the right things at all the right times and closed it out, 6-3, 7-5.
Hingis and Mirza's 25-match winning streak, which has brought them five titles in a row at the US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and the WTA Finals, is the longest winning streak since Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci's 25 in a row in 2012 - the Italians also won five titles in a row, at Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, the French Open and 's-Hertogenbosch (the streak was snapped at Wimbledon).
To find the last doubles team to win more than 25 matches in a row you have to go all the way back to the 1994 season, when Gigi Fernández and Natasha Zvereva rattled off 28 victories in a row.
The other semifinal, which took place later in the day, saw Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja square off against the German wildcard pairing of Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic.
wtatennis.com
Another year, another final. That's number 11 going all the way back to March of last year.
Hingis won Brisbane last year with Sabine Lisicki this year she's back as the defending champ with a different partner.
Who would have thought it.
Congrats to both Martina & Sania on another milestone victory.
Congrats to both Martina & Sania on another milestone victory.
Bring the title home ladies!.
Thursday, January 07, 2016
Roger Federer off to a perfect start at Brisbane International
Roger Federer Tumblr Tag
Roger Federer has shrugged off sickness to book his place in the Brisbane International quarterfinals and assured he is fit enough to defend his crown.
The Swiss maestro and current world No.3 got his 2016 campaign off to the ideal start, making light work of German qualifier Tobias Kamke in a 6-2, 6-1 victory at Pat Rafter Arena on Thursday night.
Wrapping up the win in less than an hour, top seed Federer showed no sign of injury or ailment against the world’s 233rd-ranked player, who could do little to counter the 17-time grand slam winner’s irresistible poise and power.
But if the 34-year-old was a little sluggish, it was because of a flu-like illness he contracted off his family in the days leading up to the tournament.
“The way I started to feel late last night and today, with the speed of the court and all that, I felt like I’m happy to give it a go,” he said.
“I guess I got some kind of flu. My whole family had it.
“I was the last guy to get it, so I knew what I was getting into when I was not feeling well.”
Federer, who had a bye in the first round, said he asked tournament organisers for a later start to give him extra time to overcome his illness.
“So (I) started to feel a little bit better. That’s why I came out (on Wednesday) for a hit, just to see how things are. I was happy,” he said.
“There was no need to push it at all. I am not somebody that needs to play much before matches.”
Even so, Federer said he was “quite surprised” he went so well against Kamke, with the win setting up a quarterfinal showdown with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.
It is a rematch of last year’s Brisbane semifinal, in which Federer prevailed in straight sets before beating Canada’s Milos Raonic in the final.
brisbaneinternational.com.au
The Swiss maestro and current world No.3 got his 2016 campaign off to the ideal start, making light work of German qualifier Tobias Kamke in a 6-2, 6-1 victory at Pat Rafter Arena on Thursday night.
Wrapping up the win in less than an hour, top seed Federer showed no sign of injury or ailment against the world’s 233rd-ranked player, who could do little to counter the 17-time grand slam winner’s irresistible poise and power.
But if the 34-year-old was a little sluggish, it was because of a flu-like illness he contracted off his family in the days leading up to the tournament.
“The way I started to feel late last night and today, with the speed of the court and all that, I felt like I’m happy to give it a go,” he said.
“I guess I got some kind of flu. My whole family had it.
“I was the last guy to get it, so I knew what I was getting into when I was not feeling well.”
Federer, who had a bye in the first round, said he asked tournament organisers for a later start to give him extra time to overcome his illness.
“So (I) started to feel a little bit better. That’s why I came out (on Wednesday) for a hit, just to see how things are. I was happy,” he said.
“There was no need to push it at all. I am not somebody that needs to play much before matches.”
Even so, Federer said he was “quite surprised” he went so well against Kamke, with the win setting up a quarterfinal showdown with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.
It is a rematch of last year’s Brisbane semifinal, in which Federer prevailed in straight sets before beating Canada’s Milos Raonic in the final.
brisbaneinternational.com.au
Monday, January 04, 2016
Roger Federer & Maria Sharapova at A Summer Night in Brisbane
BRISBANE, Australia - Two of the biggest names in the history of tennis, Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer, were the guests of honor at A Summer Night, a gala that was held at Brisbane City Hall over the weekend, just ahead of the first Premier-level tournament of the year, the Brisbane International.
Federer was the next to take the microphone and discussed winning, losing, and being 'totally Zen':
And then it was time to talk about Christmas - what time did Sharapova wake up that morning?!
The two were then asked about their origins, with Federer leaving home as a teenager and Sharapova moving from Russia to the United States at age 7. Here's how they think back to their beginnings:
Federer was the next to take the microphone and discussed winning, losing, and being 'totally Zen':
First up, Sharapova talked about returning to Brisbane - she's the defending champion, after all.
And then it was time to talk about Christmas - what time did Sharapova wake up that morning?!
Sunday, January 03, 2016
Saturday, January 02, 2016
Friday, January 01, 2016
Roger Federer shares 2016 outlook before start of Brisbane International
After claiming six ATP World Tour titles and compiling a 63-11 record last year, defending championRoger Federer will start his season in Brisbane for a third consecutive year.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be back in Brisbane,” Federer said at the launch event for the Citycat Transport system. “I had a wonderful last two years here and was not going to miss it again as long as I am playing tennis. My family really enjoys it here and the people are super friendly. They love their tennis here in Brisbane.”
Federer fell to Lleyton Hewitt in the 2014 finals during his first trip to the Australian city, then captured the title in a milestone match against Milos Raonic in 2015.
“Winning my 1000th match here last year was thrilling,” added Federer, who used the tournament win as the starting blocks of a season which saw him finish No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. “It was so fitting to do it in the final with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver there.”
“I had a great season last year, playing aggressive tennis,” noted Federer, who turned heads with a new return strategy in 2015, stepping deep into the court to take on his opponents’ serves. “Of course, players adapt so we will see how aggressively I can play this year. I’ve been playing really well for a year and a half now, since I came back from my back injury. That’s been very encouraging. With age and experience, I know where I am and I feel like I’m in a good place. It’ll be an interesting year, with a lot of young guys trying to make a move.”
Beyond on-court results, the Swiss would like to continue to find a happy medium between work and family in 2016.
“For me, it’s more about family when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions,” said Federer, a father of four who frequently travels with his children. “I want to be a good dad, be patient with my kids and enjoy life as long as I can.”
atpworldtour.com
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be back in Brisbane,” Federer said at the launch event for the Citycat Transport system. “I had a wonderful last two years here and was not going to miss it again as long as I am playing tennis. My family really enjoys it here and the people are super friendly. They love their tennis here in Brisbane.”
Federer fell to Lleyton Hewitt in the 2014 finals during his first trip to the Australian city, then captured the title in a milestone match against Milos Raonic in 2015.
“Winning my 1000th match here last year was thrilling,” added Federer, who used the tournament win as the starting blocks of a season which saw him finish No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. “It was so fitting to do it in the final with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver there.”
“I had a great season last year, playing aggressive tennis,” noted Federer, who turned heads with a new return strategy in 2015, stepping deep into the court to take on his opponents’ serves. “Of course, players adapt so we will see how aggressively I can play this year. I’ve been playing really well for a year and a half now, since I came back from my back injury. That’s been very encouraging. With age and experience, I know where I am and I feel like I’m in a good place. It’ll be an interesting year, with a lot of young guys trying to make a move.”
Beyond on-court results, the Swiss would like to continue to find a happy medium between work and family in 2016.
“For me, it’s more about family when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions,” said Federer, a father of four who frequently travels with his children. “I want to be a good dad, be patient with my kids and enjoy life as long as I can.”
atpworldtour.com
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Martina Hingis & Sabine Lisicki Brisbane International Champions!
Pics from Martina Hingis Fanclub on Facebook & hingis.ch
The first week of play for the 2015 season featured scintillating doubles action at three events, including another triumph for star-studded duo Martina Hingis and Sabine Lisicki.
Hingis and Lisicki's previous lone WTA title together was a big one, Miami in 2014. But they had not teamed up since May until this week.
The Swiss-German pairing's reunion at the Brisbane International was quite successful, as they did not drop a set all tournament, including a 6-2, 7-5 defeat of No.4 seeds Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik in Saturday's final.
"It was a mix between my aggressive game and her making some amazing shots at the net," Lisicki said. "We complement each other very well, and the most important thing is it's so much fun."
This was Hingis' 41st WTA doubles title, tied with Kathy Jordan for 19th-most in the Open Era, and Lisicki's fourth.
"I'm very happy that I contacted her making sure she was available to play in Brisbane," Hingis said. "I couldn't ask for a better outcome.
"It was an amazing week, as was the one in Miami. When Sabine is on, I think we're a great match. I have two great partners with Sabine and Flavia. If the opportunity arises again at some point to play with Sabine, I'll be very happy."
Monday, January 12, 2015
Roger Federer 1000th match winner & Brisbane International Champion!
The girls cheering their daddy on :)
Swiss Federer, 33, beat the Canadian, 24, 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 on Pat Rafter Arena to clinch his 83rd career title.
The world number two becomes the third man, after Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, to secure 1,000 ATP wins.
"I've played a lot of tennis over the years so to get to 1,000 wins means a lot to me," said Federer.
It's a special moment, no doubt about that. I will never forget this match."
The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who lost to Lleyton Hewitt in last year's Brisbane final, is the first player since Lendl in 1992 to reach the milestone.
He has now won at least one tournament every year since 2001, an unbroken run spanning 15 seasons.
Federer now heads to Melbourne to begin preparations for the Australian Open, which begins on 19 January and is a Grand Slam he has won four times.
The Swiss has been in fine form in Brisbane, brushing aside Australian qualifier James Duckworth in 39 minutes and then beating Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in 53 minutes to reach the final.
Federer began strongly in final, breaking Raonic's serve in the third game before going on to take the set 6-4.
He broke in the opening game of the second set, but Raonic broke back for 2-2 and then dominated the tie-break, winning seven successive points to seal the set and level the match.
Federer was under pressure early in the third but Raonic failed to capitalise and the Swiss recovered to break in the 10th game and secure victory in two hours and 13 minutes.
Raonic said: "We all know today is a significant milestone for Roger. When we came out and they listed all the things you've won, I thought you must have been playing for 2,000 wins."
bbc.com
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Roger Federer rolls on into the finals at Brisbane International
He's fighting off the stars of the so-called "Millenials" generation but it's Roger Federer who can become tennis's millennium man in Brisbane.
The Swiss great will take on Canadian rising star Milos Raonic on Sunday in the Brisbane International final, knowing with a win in the decider he'll claim the 1000th win of his ATP Tour career.
Only two men, American Jimmy Connors (1253) and Czech great Ivan Lendl (1071), have claimed more than a thousand victories in tour history.
Should Federer maintain the form displayed in victories 998 and 999, it's almost a certainty that the 33-year-old will pass the milestone.
After taking just 41 minutes to demolish Australia's James Duckworth in the quarter-finals, Federer turned it on once more against highly rated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday to claim a 6-2 6-2 semi-final win in just 53 minutes.
Since being surprised by world No.153 John Millman in his opening set of the tournament, Federer has claimed six straight sets to race into the final.
The 17-time grand slam champion, who cited his 2003 Wimbledon final victory over Australia's Mark Philippoussis as the highlight of his 999 wins, said there's no doubt claiming 1000 wins on tour would be a great achievement.
"I hope it's tomorrow, clearly," Federer said.
"It's a really big number, no doubt about it. Love to get it tomorrow, especially in the finals in an ATP event where most of my wins have come.
"If not tomorrow, I hope it happens at the Australian Open ... I don't know if it's a goal, but it would definitely be an incredible milestone to reach."
The Swiss great will take on Canadian rising star Milos Raonic on Sunday in the Brisbane International final, knowing with a win in the decider he'll claim the 1000th win of his ATP Tour career.
Only two men, American Jimmy Connors (1253) and Czech great Ivan Lendl (1071), have claimed more than a thousand victories in tour history.
Should Federer maintain the form displayed in victories 998 and 999, it's almost a certainty that the 33-year-old will pass the milestone.
After taking just 41 minutes to demolish Australia's James Duckworth in the quarter-finals, Federer turned it on once more against highly rated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday to claim a 6-2 6-2 semi-final win in just 53 minutes.
Since being surprised by world No.153 John Millman in his opening set of the tournament, Federer has claimed six straight sets to race into the final.
The 17-time grand slam champion, who cited his 2003 Wimbledon final victory over Australia's Mark Philippoussis as the highlight of his 999 wins, said there's no doubt claiming 1000 wins on tour would be a great achievement.
"I hope it's tomorrow, clearly," Federer said.
"It's a really big number, no doubt about it. Love to get it tomorrow, especially in the finals in an ATP event where most of my wins have come.
"If not tomorrow, I hope it happens at the Australian Open ... I don't know if it's a goal, but it would definitely be an incredible milestone to reach."
Saturday, January 10, 2015
10 questions with Martina Hingis at Brisbane International
Awww. Martina is a fan of Covert Affairs. Too bad the series ended this year :(.
Friday, January 09, 2015
Roger Federer flies into the semis in Brisbane
Roger Federer will take on Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals of the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp on Saturday, as he edges closer to becoming the third player in the Open Era (since 1968) to record 1,000 career match wins.
Twenty four hours after battling back to beat John Millman, Federer calmly defeated another Australian wild card, James Duckworth, 6-0, 6-1 in 41 minutes.
"I was very happy the way I played," said Federer. "I played aggressive, served well, and then especially on the return I kept the pressure on time and time again. Next thing you know, it was like I was running away with the score."
Federer lost just six points in the 16-minute opener and he had won eight straight games before Duckworth held serve to 15 for 1-2 in the second set. He won 25 of his 30 service points overall.
“[It was a] rough night,” said Duckworth. “We all have days that aren't as good as others. [It was] a bit of a combination of things: me not playing great; didn't probably hit the ball as well as I had the last two matches, and Roger was seeing the ball pretty big… He didn’t do too much wrong tonight.”
Federer is now just two match wins shy of 1,000 career match wins. Should he lift the trophy on Sunday, he would join Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
On Thursday night, Federer recovered from a set and 1-3 deficit to beat Millman in just over two hours
"I'm very happy," admitted Federer. "I saved energy and stress and nerves and everything, because yesterday was quite nerve wracking and physically difficult because it was first match of the season. You're always going to be a bit tense in that match."
Federer has beaten Dimitrov in the Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-finals for the past two years.
Twenty four hours after battling back to beat John Millman, Federer calmly defeated another Australian wild card, James Duckworth, 6-0, 6-1 in 41 minutes.
"I was very happy the way I played," said Federer. "I played aggressive, served well, and then especially on the return I kept the pressure on time and time again. Next thing you know, it was like I was running away with the score."
Federer lost just six points in the 16-minute opener and he had won eight straight games before Duckworth held serve to 15 for 1-2 in the second set. He won 25 of his 30 service points overall.
“[It was a] rough night,” said Duckworth. “We all have days that aren't as good as others. [It was] a bit of a combination of things: me not playing great; didn't probably hit the ball as well as I had the last two matches, and Roger was seeing the ball pretty big… He didn’t do too much wrong tonight.”
Federer is now just two match wins shy of 1,000 career match wins. Should he lift the trophy on Sunday, he would join Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
On Thursday night, Federer recovered from a set and 1-3 deficit to beat Millman in just over two hours
"I'm very happy," admitted Federer. "I saved energy and stress and nerves and everything, because yesterday was quite nerve wracking and physically difficult because it was first match of the season. You're always going to be a bit tense in that match."
Federer has beaten Dimitrov in the Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-finals for the past two years.
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Roger Federer survives tough battle his first match of the year in Brisbane
Roger Federer appeared rusty in his season-opening match at the Brisbane International as he struggled to beat the Australian wildcard entry John Millman 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The weather was reasonably mild for sub-tropical Brisbane, where Federer lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the final last year, but it was the hot reception from the No153-ranked Millman that was to trouble him.
“I’m sweating like crazy,” Federer said afterwards. “Under a lot of pressure. I think I got quite lucky in the second set. He was playing great tennis.”
It was slow start for the 33-year-old Swiss who had a first-round bye. He wasted four break-point chances in an opening game that lasted seven minutes before Millman held.
Federer was broken in the 10th game, saving three set points before hitting a swinging forehand volley too long to surrender the first set to Millman, who was getting raucous support from his hometown crowd.
The top-seeded Federer dropped serve to give Millman a 3-1 lead in the second set. However, he broke back immediately, setting it up with a classic one-handed backhand down the line, and saved three break points in the next game to keep it on serve. That was when things started to go his way.
“First match of the season, you never know quite what to expect,” said Federer, who walked on court with 996 career match wins on the ATP tour, 993 more than Millman. “Credit to him for pushing it.”
Federer will face another Australian wildcard in the next round after James Duckworth beat Jarkko Nieminen 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
theguardian.com
The weather was reasonably mild for sub-tropical Brisbane, where Federer lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the final last year, but it was the hot reception from the No153-ranked Millman that was to trouble him.
“I’m sweating like crazy,” Federer said afterwards. “Under a lot of pressure. I think I got quite lucky in the second set. He was playing great tennis.”
It was slow start for the 33-year-old Swiss who had a first-round bye. He wasted four break-point chances in an opening game that lasted seven minutes before Millman held.
Federer was broken in the 10th game, saving three set points before hitting a swinging forehand volley too long to surrender the first set to Millman, who was getting raucous support from his hometown crowd.
The top-seeded Federer dropped serve to give Millman a 3-1 lead in the second set. However, he broke back immediately, setting it up with a classic one-handed backhand down the line, and saved three break points in the next game to keep it on serve. That was when things started to go his way.
“First match of the season, you never know quite what to expect,” said Federer, who walked on court with 996 career match wins on the ATP tour, 993 more than Millman. “Credit to him for pushing it.”
Federer will face another Australian wildcard in the next round after James Duckworth beat Jarkko Nieminen 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
theguardian.com
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