Roger Federer optimistic for the season ending Finals in London
Despite losing at the hands of the twenty three year old Scott, Andy Murray in the title battle of the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters in China, the twenty nine year old Roger Federer is still optimistic about the season ending Barclays
ATP World Tour Finals in London, starting from next month. The Swiss has also reclaimed the number two position in the ATP rankings list as a result of his final appearance in China.
When asked about his decision to take part in this week’s Stockholm competition where the sixteen time Grand Slam winner has played just once in his career back in 2000, the Swiss added that the event fits nicely into his schedule
for 2010.
The Swiss tennis maestro who turned professional back in 1998 has so far appeared in a total of twenty two Grand Slam finals in his career. Federer also enjoys the record of making his way into the semi finals or better on twenty
three occasions in a row over five and a half seasons from 2004 to 2010. He came into the tournament after his United States Open appearance in New York where the right hander was defeated in the semi final round after getting the better of Robin Soderling
from Sweden in the quarters. In the semi final round, the Fed Express was toppled in five sets by the world number three Novak Djokovic. The final match score was 7–5, 1–6, 7–5, 2–6, 5–7.
Federer’s only appearance between the United States Open and the ATP World Tour in Basel was a Davis Cup back in 2009. However, this season Roger added Shanghai as well as Stockholm to his schedule, and will take part in the BNP
Paribas Masters and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London in the concluding weeks of the season.
The Swiss native when asked about his this year’s schedule said, “Last season I had quite a few things happening through the summer, winning French, winning Wimbledon, playing well in the summer, having twins, getting married,
you name it.”
The Basel born further added, “I could have done it, come here as well. However, I only required a rest. I was tired. This season, obviously the French and Wimbledon were nothing as brutal as last year. That is why also for me
it was a big priority at the beginning of the year so I could play Shanghai. I was considering either playing the week before Shanghai or the week after.”
Federer was of the view that he is looking to play well in Stockholm which will also help him to perform up to the mark in Basel, Paris as well as the season ending Barclays ATP World Tour in London, an elite eight man field, which
is going to start next month. Roger Federer along with Rafael Nadal was the first one to qualify for the London event. Few days ago, the twenty three year old Scott, Andy Murray has also successfully qualified for the season Finale after reaching the semi
final in China.
The Swiss will relinquish the mantle of ATP World Tour Champion, with the world number one Rafael Nadal already guaranteed to end the season at number one in the 2010 ATP rankings list. However, Federer is locked in a fight with
Novak Djokovic of Serbia to end at number two. He has ended no lower than number two for the last seven years in a row, starting in 2003 when he finished number two behind the American tennis ace, Andy Roddick.
World number two, Federer has so far triumphed in the Barclays ATP World Tour finals in London on four occasions in his career, most recently in 2007 when it was staged in Shanghai.
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