Federer says loss not a setback
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Lleyton Hewitt won a title for the first time since 2010 with an upset 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win at the Brisbane International over Roger Federer. It was Hewitt’s 29th title on the ATP tour.
The Swiss great insisted that the Brisbane loss was not a setback to his Australian Open preparations and said he felt good ahead of the year’s first grand slam for the fifth time.
“I feel pretty good, especially having played all the matches I have here now, with the doubles in particular,” he said. “It’s a good thing — I didn’t quite know what to expect from myself before the tournament.
“I played consistent, I must say.”
The 32-year-old said he was not overly disappointed at his loss to Hewitt.
“I didn’t play great today, which is a bit unfortunate,” he said. “But also Lleyton was the best player I played this week. He made it toughest on me, so I have a clear idea what I need to work on, and I have a clear idea where my mind and body is at. I’m very hungry and eager to attack the Australian Open next week.”
Federer said his body had held up well, despite the amount of tennis he played and the heat in Brisbane during the week. “I’m pretty pleased just that my body is holding up good in the first week, because you don’t quite know what to expect,” he said.
Hewitt has been plagued by injury in recent years and underwent surgery in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to fix various hip and foot problems.
“I think the most pleasing thing is what I’ve had to come through and the tough times in terms of surgery,” the former Wimbledon and US Open champion said. “Before the last surgery I made no secret (that) there were no guarantees I would be able to play again at all.
“There were still times when I came back from that surgery and played that Wimbledon straight after it, and I was still doubting whether I was ever going to be pain-free again. For me that’s the most pleasing thing.”
Hewitt, the world No. 60, is projected to rise to 43 in the rankings as a result of the win, and will be one of the most dangerous floaters when the Australian Open draw is made on January 10.
In Doha, Rafael Nadal opened his 2014 campaign by winning his first title of the year in defeating Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2 at the Qatar Open on Saturday.
Although he wasn’t in top form in this first event of the season, Nadal battled to win his 61st career title, one shy of Guillermo Vilas’ total, seventh on the all-time Open era list. “I think I played my best match of the season, of the tournament, today,” Nadal said. “I was happy with how I played. It’s very exciting to start the year with a title.”
In India, world No. 8 Stanislas Wawrinka warmed up for the Australian Open by bagging the Chennai Open title with a fluent victory over Edouard Roger-Vasselin yesterday.
The top-seeded Swiss, playing his 500th ATP Tour match, outclassed the 52nd-ranked Frenchman 7-5, 6-2 in the 90-minute final at the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium.
It was the fifth career title and the second in Chennai for 28-year-old Wawrinka, who emerged from the shadows of his more famous Swiss compatriot Federer with a top 10 finish last year.
The morale-boosting win earned Wawrinka the winner’s purse of US$72,490 and 250 ranking points.
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