2010 If Stockholm Men’s singles Competition - Highlights
World number two Roger Federer recorded his 50th victory of the year by beating Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter final round of the 2010 in Stockholm Men’s singles Competition on Friday. The Swiss tennis maestro
bounced back from a set down to get past his compatriot fellow in three sets to confirm his semi final berth in Sweden. The final match score was 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
"It was very close obviously. The score was 6-2, 2-0, which is a clear indication that you are in trouble. I found a way to come back just in time. I was happy to be able to come through this time. I think the match against Murray in Sunday's
Shanghai Rolex Master's final helped me today”, reflected Federer after his victory on Friday.
Roger has now reached the fifty victories milestone for nine seasons in a row, levelling a mark also achieved by the former world number one Pete Sampras from the United States of America. The right hander as a result of this victory has
improved his lifetime mark to 6-1 versus Wawrinka, whom he outlasted in two sets at the French Open earlier this season in Roland Garros when they faced each other the previous time.
The Fed Express will next take on Ivan Ljubicic, from Croatia in the semi final round on Saturday. The Swiss has triumphed in nine matches in a row against him and leads the pair head to head encounter at 12-3. However, it will be their
first clash in more than two seasons.
Federer after the match while commenting on his meeting with the former world number one Stefan Edberg in Sweden also added, "It was a big moment for me. I had never hit with him before. He has the last hero that I had not played with
before. It was nice talking to him in the locker room yesterday. We started talking about hitting a few balls. He was in a suit and I didn't even know if he had his gear or not."
Meanwhile, the Swedish tennis ace Robin Soderling who is currently ranked number five in the world by the Association of tennis professionals fell short of a single victory on his way to qualify for the season ending Barclays ATP World
Tour Finals in London on Friday, as he was toppled by the world number forty seven Florian Mayer in two sets. The final match score was 7-6(8), 6-1.
Florian, who had triumphed in their last clash at the Australian Open back in 2007, kept his nerve in a tight opening set and broke his second seed opponent during the fourth and sixth game of the decisive set to seal victory in the end.
He previously reached the final four at the German Open Tennis tournament this season in July where he was overpowered by Golubev.
He as a result of his quarter final victory on Friday has improved his match record to 22-15 on the year. Soderling on the other hand fell to 48-19 season mark.
If Robin had reached the final four battle in Sweden, he could have grabbed the fifth position at the elite eight man field competition in London which is going to start next month. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic
have already qualified for the season ending Finals.
Elsewhere, the fourth seed Ljubicic, who is looking to grab his seventh ATP World Tour crown, fought his way into the final four by defeating Ivan Dodig, a qualifier from Croatia in three sets on Friday. The final match score was 4-6,
6-2, 6-4.The thirty one year old Ivan needed two hours and nineteen minutes to get past his opponent in Sweden.
Jarkko Nieminen of Finland also cruised past James Blake, a qualifier from America to made his way into the semi final round with a score line of 6-0, 6-2. The twenty nine year old Jarkko who blasted a total of five aces and prevented
two break points he faced against James closed out the match in fifty minutes on Friday.
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