Roger Federer aims to overtake Pete Sampras' record in 2012 ATP season – Tennis Special
Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, believes he has lot more left in him to reclaim the world number one spot in the next ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season. The world number three is determined to achieve his goal in 2012 and hopes that the Australian
Open will be a perfect stop to get back in vintage form.
The former world number one is aiming to overtake the legendary Pete Sampras’ record for reining the top spot in men’s rankings for the most number of weeks. Federer just fell short one week to break the record of 286 weeks as the world number one player.
He was outdone by Robin Soderling of Sweden in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros in 2010, letting an opening for Spain’s Rafael Nadal to claim the top spot in the South African Airways ATP World Rankings.
Federer hopes he get another shot at Sampras’ record in the coming year and all he has to do is lunge two spots further in men’s rankings but it is easier said than done. The two tennis titans, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, stand in his way to glory.
The Swiss needs to surpass these two tennis icons to climb up the world number one spot, which will require him to capture more than 5000 ranking points.
Many critics are of the view that at the age of 30, probably it will not be achievable for Federer to rule the men’s ranking for another time, especially with Djokovic and Nadal in sublime form. Furthermore, the world number four, Andy Murray of the Great
Britain, lays merely 780 ranking points below the Swiss maestro and is also a strong contender for climbing up the men’s ratings. Murray already toppled Federer from the world number three spot in October this year but the mighty Swiss made a tremendous finish
to the season to reclaim his position in the end.
So the Swiss maestro has been locked in a two-way situation, where he has to aim for improving his ranking but sustain his current position as well so that Murray might not pull him down for another time. There are no doubts about Federer’s abilities or
skill in the game and anything can be expected from the Swiss maestro. However, it is his age factor and the declining form which cause worry among his fans. Federer appears very confident to carry on his wining roll in the 2012 ATP season and a whole lot
of championship titles to accomplish his target to reaching the top spot.
“Well, that’s a long way to go, but who knows? One day maybe I’ll get there,” Federer told The New York Times earlier this month. “I had to just kind of ignore it at the moment because I know that Novak with his unbelievable year has kind
of put that very far from me, but then again, all of a sudden you play well and you win 17 matches in a row and you’re back where you at least feel if you win a Slam or something, you’re right in the conversation again, so that’s interesting and that excites
me.”
Federer has not lost a match since his heart-breaking defeat at the hands of Djokovic in the semi-final of the US Open and is riding a 17-match winning streak, which includes three championship titles as well. Let us see whether the Swiss maestro carries
on his legacy in the next season or fades away in the lights of other blistering tennis stars.
Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in the article are the writer’s own personal views and have nothing to do with bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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