Sampras says Federer can go on and on in the game



Pete Sampras believes Roger Federer will last a lot longer in his career than he did, calling the Swiss a "young" 29 compared to himself at that age 11 a decade ago.

"He’s still very much out there playing week in and week out and I’m amazed by that," said Sampras, who retired in 2002 after turning 31, going out on a high note with a concluding US Open title over longtime rival Andre Agassi. "He's much younger 29 than I was. I just felt a little more burned out. I see that as a big difference and will enable him to be competitive for many years."

Sampras and Federer met up at the start of the month in Los Angeles for a friendly hit prior to the hardcourt Masters 1000 run at Indian Wells and Miami.

Sampras admits that motivation was tough for him toward the end of his playing day, a problem which he does not see in Federer. "For as Roger wants to play, he will be competitive," said Sampras. "When I didn’t win a tournament for a couple years, I felt a much bigger drop-off, where I was struggling week in and week out. I didn’t have that motivation.

"Roger is just a little more hungry, a little more eager than I was at the same stage. He’s obviously dealing with some players who have gotten better but I think he’ll be fine."

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20110 … n_the_game

Federer knows his secret for tennis fitness



Roger Federer knows what it takes to stay healthy in the often injury-plagued world of professional tennis.

His case of glandular fever several seasons ago and the occasional low back pain notwithstanding, Roger Federer's standout career has been carried on basically injury-free - with the Swiss crediting hard work and careful monitoring for his tennis good health.

"You have to listen to the signals of your body," said the third seed who lost his semi-final to Rafael Nadal at the Miami Masters.

"I guess it's all together, in practise and the way you live every day, how much you sleep, what you eat. There are different ways you can stay healthy. Then I think every player has their own secrets or routines that make that work. Some just get unlucky."

"It's important to kind of get professional early," said Federer of the rising tennis injury rate. "I have just a good sense of how bad are the injuries I'm playing with, how bad is the pain, how serious is it.

"Sometimes I don't even need a doctor or physio's advice to tell me what's good and bad for my body because I know it. I know how bad the pain feels and how much I can still push on it. I think it's also a secret to knowing when to take a break and knowing when you can actually push."

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20110 … is_fitness

Federer defiant in face of Miami loss



Roger Federer will not let his fourth loss of a 22-win season put him off his stride after exiting the semi-finals of the Miami Masters to Rafael Nadal.

"I know that I can do many more things in the game," said the disappointed but defiant 16-time Grand Slam champion. "Sure, it's disappointing losing a match like tonight, but those are the matches I work extremely hard for in the off season and practise. I'm very excited by what's to come still."

Federer is already making plans for imminent travel to Monte Carlo where he will begin work on the clay in time for the first of the clay-court Masters 1000 events starting a week from Sunday.

The Swiss is understandably annoyed with media trying to write off his tennis era at age 29, as was the case with Pete Sampras a decade earlier. "I don't feel like I'm 35 like you guys make me sound I am," he told said after the loss. " I'm still only 29, and I have many more years left."

Federer still maintains his fighting demeanour despite the loss on the day wife Mirka Vavrinec celebrated her 33rd birthday. "For me, these are not big setbacks," said the Swiss of his recent losses to Nadal and three this season to Novak Djokovic. "I wish I could play better right now against those guys, but it is what it is.

"I'm excited going Monaco now, he said of the clay season which starts in nine day in the principality. "I'm going to fly there directly and prepare as well as I can for the clay-court season."

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20110 … Miami_loss

MONTE CARLO: THE DRAW

11.04.2011 | Tennis
Roger is playing the 1000-Masters in Monte Carlo this week, opening this year's clay season. He will meet Philipp Kohlschreiber (ATP 34) after a first round bye. Roger has won all five matches against the German so far.

Roger, the number 2 seed, could face Austria's Jürgen Melzer (ATP 9) in the quarter-final. A meeting with Spain's David Ferrer (ATP 6) is possible in the semis before the defending champion Rafael Nadal could be up in the final.

After Roger had skipped the tournament last year, he is looking foward to an early start on clay and a great week. In 2009, he was defeated in the round of sixteen by Stanislas Wawrinka, just a few days after Roger's wedding.

http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/esp/news … osung.html

PERFECT START INTO CLAY SEASON

Roger defeated Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber (ATP 32) 6-2, 6-1 at his first round of the 1000-Masters in Monte Carlo today.

Our champion had Kohlschreiber running helplessly around centre court and wrapped up victory in just 50 minutes with his fifth ace of the match. Roger broke the German's serve early in both sets to give himself the advantage in each, and rescued the only break point against him with an ace.

Roger said after the match: "I'm really just getting a feeling again for playing on clay here on Monaco and then obviously the next two weeks when I'm not playing any tournaments it's going to be really important for me to get a sense of how well I'm hitting the ball. I really want to get some good practice in to be in great shape for Madrid and Rome."

Roger's next match will be on Thursday either against Marin Cilic or the winner of the match between Pere Riba and Potito Starace.

ROGER OUT IN QUARTERS



Roger dropped out of the Monte Carlo Masters after a 4-6, 4-6 defeat against Jürgen Melzer (ATP 9) in the quarter-finals today.

“He did well and played aggressive. He didn't give me many chances,” Roger said. “I didn't think I played terrible. It's the first week of play [on clay] so I didn't expect to play my best. It's been a solid tournament.”

Melzer had to be treated due to back problems after the first game. But he came out strong, pushing Roger into defense again and again, causing our champ to make a total of 24 unforced errors throughout the one hour 44 minute contest, not being able to convert any of the 7 break-points. The Austrian, in turn, took his two break point opportunities with gusto.

Roger will get back onto court in the beginning of May in Spain, where he will participate in the Mutua Madrileña Masters.

http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/esp/news … ieden.html

Roger zakończył tym samym, ciągnącą się od Toronto, serię 13 kolejnych półfinałów.

Rome-Madrid schedule swap the perfect solution for Federer



Swiss world No. 3 Roger Federer endorses the decision to have Rome as the last clay court Masters event before Roland Garros.

The 2011 spring schedule swap between Madrid and Rome Masters 1000 events has the full approval of Roger Federer, with the Swiss optimistic about his chances in the Roland Garros run-up period despite a surprise quarter-final exit in Monte Carlo to Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

Federer is getting back to polishing his clay game at home in Switzerland over the next fortnight. The No. 3 is more than satisfied with a new wrinkle in ATP planning which changed Rome and Madrid weeks.

Madrid, standing 1,000 meters above sea level, formerly ended six days before the start of the Grand Slam in Paris, a tough ask for player to acclimate to. Rome, the week before Madrid, stands at a more normal sea level.

So, in a fit of wisdom, the ATP reversed the two, with Madrid now starting a full fortnight before the French Open (May 1) with Rome commencing a week later on Sunday.

"We were never really happy that Madrid had the second slot because of the pre-French playing in altitude, it wasn't a smart thing. Now we have it in a better way, which I think some players are happy about.

"This year it changes around that Madrid has the first slot, which I think is clearly better for everybody," said Federer.

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20110 … or_Federer

Roger back in Rotterdam



Today Tournament Director Richard Krajicek announced that Roger will return to Rotterdam to participate in the 39th ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. This tournament will be played from 13 until 19 February 2012.

Richard Krajicek on Roger's participation: “We are very proud of the fact that Roger returns to Rotterdam. He is one of the most important athletes in sports in general, not only in tennis. He has always done very well in Rotterdam, with his victory in 2005 as one of the highlights in our 38 years history.”

Roger: “The ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament is one of the ‘special’ events for me on the ATP World Tour. In 1999, Rotterdam was one of my first big tournaments outside Switzerland. I look forward to finally being able to see my own name on the Winners Ring in the stadium, as it will be my first appearance since my victory in 2005.”

Roger has participated in the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament six times. Before winning the tournament in 2005, he reached the quarterfinals in 1999, 2002 and 2004, the semifinals in 2003 and was losing finalist in 2001 (against Nicolas Escudé). He last participated in 2005, the year in which the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament saw a record number of 108.030 visitors, winning one of the most exciting finals in the history of the tournament, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) against Ivan Ljubicic.

Roger has also been very successful in doubles. He won the doubles tournament in 2001 (with Jonas Björkman) and 2002 (with Max Mirnyi). The opponents for Roger in the ATP World Tour 500 event in Rotterdam are not known at this point in time. Over the next months the list of participants will be announced.

http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/esp/news … erdam.html

FEDERER FINDS FAMILY LIFE GETTING 'EASIER'

Roger Federer has found a winning formula for balancing tennis with family life. He became the father of twin girls, Charlene Riva and Myla Rose, 22 months ago and, like many athletes with families, was challenged with maintaining his career while adjusting to his new parental role. “A year ago I thought was extremely tough just keeping them entertained for a long time over tough flights… I think it’s getting a bit easier now again,” the World No. 3 said Monday in Madrid.

Federer is seeded third at the Mutua Madrid Open, the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament at which he claimed a rare clay-court win over Rafael Nadal in the 2009 final.

He and wife Mirka have found that staying in a location for a longer period of time has made the travel demands less problematic. “It sounds like a lot of tough traveling but you can make it easier on yourself,” Federer said. “These are really short trips of just one and a half hours. If I want to plan it that I way, I could stay here for, say, nine days, which is a long time, so you can make it work.”

Benefiting from his family’s company on the road, Federer still has the drive to win and compete at the highest level. “Once you reach a good level as a tennis player or for that matter win Grand Slams or become No. 1 in the world, it really fuels you with a motivation and energy,” stated Federer. “Clearly wanting to get that feeling back of how it feels winning big tournaments and how it feels to be right at the top of the game [is something] that I´ve been able to do it for so long.”

From a psychological standpoint, Federer believes he has no motivational barriers to continue playing for several years. “I think I've always been really good mentally all the way through, even though early on in my career that was my biggest weakness,” said the Swiss. “I'm happy that consistency is not an issue, motivation is not the issue and I really enjoy my time on tour and hope to do it for many more years to come.”

His motivation will need to be at an optimum level over the next few months, as he’s in a battle for No. 1 with Nadal and Novak Djokovic. “I thought Novak has had a good reaction since the US Open, losing the final against Rafa on a hard court, which you figure could have been Novak's big chance to win it,” assessed Federer. “He didn’t do it so he took it the right way and took the positives out of it and he's gone on a really great run since then.”

Added the 16-time major champion, “I think all of [us in] the Top 5 have been playing really well for the past nine months and there's been good times in the game right now and obviously Rafa on clay is in a league of his own, and that makes it interesting for the next few months right now.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … y-Man.aspx

Roger cruises into quarters



Roger defeated Xavier Malisse today 6-4, 6-3 and has booked his spot in the quarter-finals.

Roger played much more flexible today - just a few hours after his victory over Spain's Feliciano Lopez. He was in control of the match. He struggled only once when Malisse fought his way back into the first set but Roger eventually took it 6-4. After 70 minutes, Roger won the match with his first match ball.

"I was really happy with my performance," said Roger after the match. "I'm looking forward to the next round. Xavier is a great player, who is capable of great shots so it is very nice to get through."

In the quarter-finals, Roger will face the winner of the match between Robin Söderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Roger leads the head-to-head 15-1 against Söderling, and 3-1 against Tsonga.

http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/esp/news … etzen.html