The Hindu : Sport : Federer eyeing further milestones

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006

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Federer eyeing further milestones

LONDON: Four successive Wimbledon championships, eight Grand Slam titles, 39 tournament wins in all. The milestones just keep piling up for Roger Federer.

How far can he go? Is the 24-year-old Swiss player on the way to becoming the best ever?

``I am maybe heading down that road,'' Federer said after subduing nemesis Rafael Nadal 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3 in the men's final on Sunday. ``By winning today and making it four in a row, it's a very elite club. There's more to come maybe. I have the opportunity.''

His next goal: Equalling Bjorn Borg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles. The Swedish great was the champion at the All England Club from 1976-80.

Beyond that, Federer is on course to surpass the all-time record of seven Wimbledon men's singles titles, shared by Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.

``I don't really feel like I'm playing for the records,'' Federer said. ``I play this game because I love it.''

But the numbers can't be ignored. Federer is tied with Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Fred Perry and Ken Rosewall with eight Grand Slam titles. Clearly within his reach is Sampras's record of 14 major titles.

Extra motivation

``I'm very well aware of the records,'' Federer said. ``This is maybe a little extra motivation. Maybe if in four years' time I'm so close to so many records again, that's what's going to keep me going. But at the moment it's not. When you start passing guys who are legends, this is when it hits you.''

Federer is the first man to reach five straight Slam finals since Fred Stolle in 1965. He's played in 16 consecutive tour finals overall going back to June 2005, and won 48 grass-court matches in a row.

Federer's coach, Tony Roche, thinks he can only get better.

``The way he played for the two weeks, he had a tough draw coming in here,'' Roche said. ``But to not only win, but the manner that he won, it shows what a great player he is. I know he wants to improve. As long as he has that attitude, there's no reason he can't.''

There was a lot at stake on Sunday for Federer. The No. 1-ranked player was coming off five consecutive losses to No. 2 Nadal, including four finals this year.

The 20-year-old Spaniard beat Federer in the French Open final last month, thwarting his bid for a career Grand Slam.

But this match was on Federer's home turf and his favourite surface. And Roche let him know it.

``He told me before the match, it's your house, it's your court,'' Federer said. ``I have to try to win, not to lose the keys. I feel very comfortable on that court, that's for sure.''

The smooth-stroking Federer immediately established his supremacy over the power-slugging Nadal, winning the first set without dropping a game. It was the first time Nadal had lost a set at love in 131 matches since February 2005.

``I got off to a flyer,'' Federer said. ``One set in hand. He was under pressure all the time. That was the difference.''

To his credit, Nadal recovered and pushed Federer hard for the rest of the way. After dropping the third set, the only set he lost all tournament, Federer lifted his game — and his dominant serve — in the fourth to close out the match. His celebrations were muted, but the message was loud and clear.

``That was very important for me,'' Federer said. ``It was important to get him back, not to let him beat me on grass, on clay, on hard court, on all surfaces this year. It was a big, big match. I stepped up to the plate.''

Federer said his overall, two-week performance was his best yet at a Grand Slam. He sailed through a tough draw that included grass-courters Richard Gasquet, Tim Henman and Mario Ancic.

The next Slam is the U.S. Open, a tournament Federer has won for the past two years. Nadal lost in the third round last year.

With Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick no longer the forces they were, men's tennis figures to continue to be dominated by the Federer-Nadal rivalry.

Nadal, who has won a record 60 consecutive matches on clay, has shown he can compete on any surface.

``He's making Federer a better player,'' former three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe said. ``That's all you can ask for in a rival. This is the best thing that could happen to this rivalry, Federer winning here.''

Nadal took heart in his own performance on grass. Nobody expected him to get this far, yet he managed to adapt his game.

``When I was playing my best tennis, the match was close, very close,'' he said. ``Not much difference. So that's good. That's nice for me.''

As for Federer's invincibility on grass, Nadal said, ``He's unbelievable. Now he's the best. We're going to see in the future.''

Open field

The situation in women's tennis is much more wide open.

Serena Williams was out injured, and her sister Venus — the defending champion — went out in the third round. Former champion Maria Sharapova lost in the semifinals.

When it was over, Amelie Mauresmo had her first Wimbledon title. She conquered her fragile psyche to beat Justine Henin-Hardenne 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, in Saturday's final, stopping the Belgian's bid to win the only major championship missing from her collection.

``It seems that I finally found how maybe to handle the nerves a bit better,'' said Mauresmo, the first Frenchwoman to win here since Suzanne Lenglen earned her sixth title in 1925. ``I really know much more now how to play tennis than a few years ago.'' — AP

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