Roger Federer withdraws from Shanghai Rolex Masters – Tennis News
Former world number one, Swiss Maestro Roger Federer decided to withdraw from the Shanghai Rolex Masters which will be staged from October 8th to the 16th at the Magnolia-roofed Qizhong Stadium, Shanghai, China.
Federer reasoned that he needed time off to rest and convalesce after having played a hectic summer season. This decision was taken after consultation with his entire crew and in a regretful manner addressed his fans saying, “I
look forward to returning to the ATP World Tour as soon as possible. I have very fond memories of Shanghai so I will miss this amazing tournament and all my loyal Chinese fans, but I look forward to returning to China next fall”.
The Fed Express (Federer) played his first match here in 2010 defeating John Isner in the second round to move into the third where he flabbergasted Andreas Seppi to qualify into the quarterfinal. He put Robin Soderling to shame
by overpowering him in straight sets and progressed into the semi final where he defeated the then world number two, Novak Djokovic. The only loss that Federer saw was at the hands of the Scotsman Andy Murray in the final to end up as the runner up.
The five times US Open Champion, this year managed to reach the semi-finals, where he threw away two match points in a five set defeat to Novak Djokovic. Moreover, he then flew to Sydney and expertly led Switzerland to a 3-2 victory
over Australia in the Davis Cup World Group play-offs.
The sixteen times Grand Slam Champion also won the year-end championships in Shanghai in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, he defeated James Blake and in 2007 by defeating David Ferrer in straight three sets of 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. He will soon
be returning to his hometown tournament in Basel on the 31st of October this year.
The Fed Express is one of the few male players to capture a Career Grand Slam and has achieved that feat on three diverse surfaces. The other two players to have ever done that are Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal. Many tennis connoisseurs,
sports analysts, past and present players consider Federer to be the greatest tennis genius of all time, thus, making him a laureate in tennis history.
Also missing from the event will be the top ranked Swede Robin Soderling. Plagued by injuries that forced him to miss the 2011 Roland Garros and the 2011 US Open; Soderling last played on tour in Bastad in July. As the two of the
top ten have confirmed their withdrawals, rumours of Djokovic’s probable withdrawal have also risen. The Serb suffering froma tear in his back muscle pulled out of China Open this week and is perhaps expected to miss the Shanghai Masters as well, should he
not recover.
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