Related News
Federer joins 1,000 club in grand style
January 25, 2012, Wednesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
ROGER Federer celebrated his 1,000th match by brushing aside the challenge of Juan Martin del Potro to become the first man through to the Australian Open semi-finals yesterday.
The Swiss maestro, bidding to become only the second man to win five Australian Open titles, eased to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win as Roy Emerson, who lifted the trophy six times in the 1960s, looked on.
His appearance on a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena means Federer, who turned pro in 1998, becomes one of just eight male players to have played 1,000 or more tour-level matches, which he described as a "big milestone".
"It's nice to win this one. I mean, eventually I will forget which was one was my 1,000th match and someone will remind me again," said Federer, 30, who set up a potential tie with long-time rival Rafael Nadal.
"I do not remember my 500, and that was the US Open final against Agassi (2005). No bigger matches than those ones.
"It's a big milestone, I agree. It's a lot of matches and a lot of tennis. Either I have been around for a long time or I'm extremely fit. You decide which way you want to describe it. I don't know. But I'm happy."
In a rematch of the 2009 US Open final won by the Argentine, the third seed started in ominous fashion, unveiling his full repertoire of strokes and breaking del Potro at his first opportunity.
The tall del Potro, seeded 11th, settled and forced a break of his own in the seventh game, but a double-fault cost him the opener.
An exquisite backhand down the line gave Federer another break and a 3-1 lead in the second set, and he moved two sets clear after a tough ninth game in which he was forced to save four break points.
But that game proved a key missed opportunity for del Potro as he was again broken early in the third set, and an untroubled Federer broke again on his way to taking it 6-2.
"I'm very happy," Federer said. "I thought it was a great match. It was tough with the sun and shade creeping across the court but I thought we did well. I thought it was a high-quality match."
Federer said he was aware of the dangers posed by the 6ft 6ins (198 cm) del Potro but said he was "able to manoeuvre him" around the court.
Victory for 16-time grand slam winner Federer, who has not yet dropped a set -- although he had a walkover in the second round -- means he advances to his 30th grand slam semi-final, just one behind Jimmy Connors on the all-time list.
The Swiss is chasing his first major since his Australian Open triumph in 2010 after failing to win a grand slam last year for the first time since he captured his first, at Wimbledon in 2003.
Del Potro last year made a rapid comeback from a wrist injury that kept him out for most of 2010, improving from a low of 485 in the rankings in January 2011 to a year-end ranking of 11.--AFP
The Swiss maestro, bidding to become only the second man to win five Australian Open titles, eased to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win as Roy Emerson, who lifted the trophy six times in the 1960s, looked on.
His appearance on a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena means Federer, who turned pro in 1998, becomes one of just eight male players to have played 1,000 or more tour-level matches, which he described as a "big milestone".
"It's nice to win this one. I mean, eventually I will forget which was one was my 1,000th match and someone will remind me again," said Federer, 30, who set up a potential tie with long-time rival Rafael Nadal.
"I do not remember my 500, and that was the US Open final against Agassi (2005). No bigger matches than those ones.
"It's a big milestone, I agree. It's a lot of matches and a lot of tennis. Either I have been around for a long time or I'm extremely fit. You decide which way you want to describe it. I don't know. But I'm happy."
In a rematch of the 2009 US Open final won by the Argentine, the third seed started in ominous fashion, unveiling his full repertoire of strokes and breaking del Potro at his first opportunity.
The tall del Potro, seeded 11th, settled and forced a break of his own in the seventh game, but a double-fault cost him the opener.
An exquisite backhand down the line gave Federer another break and a 3-1 lead in the second set, and he moved two sets clear after a tough ninth game in which he was forced to save four break points.
But that game proved a key missed opportunity for del Potro as he was again broken early in the third set, and an untroubled Federer broke again on his way to taking it 6-2.
"I'm very happy," Federer said. "I thought it was a great match. It was tough with the sun and shade creeping across the court but I thought we did well. I thought it was a high-quality match."
Federer said he was aware of the dangers posed by the 6ft 6ins (198 cm) del Potro but said he was "able to manoeuvre him" around the court.
Victory for 16-time grand slam winner Federer, who has not yet dropped a set -- although he had a walkover in the second round -- means he advances to his 30th grand slam semi-final, just one behind Jimmy Connors on the all-time list.
The Swiss is chasing his first major since his Australian Open triumph in 2010 after failing to win a grand slam last year for the first time since he captured his first, at Wimbledon in 2003.
Del Potro last year made a rapid comeback from a wrist injury that kept him out for most of 2010, improving from a low of 485 in the rankings in January 2011 to a year-end ranking of 11.--AFP
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
