Federer claims 1,000th win with Brisbane crown

Brisbane (Australia) (AFP) - Roger Federer brought up his 1,000th victory at tour level in style Sunday when he beat Canadian Milos Raonic in three tough sets to win the Brisbane International.

Federer was forced to absorb some superb shotmaking and blistering serves from the 24-year-old before winning 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes at the Pat Rafter Arena.

Federer's glittering career now includes 83 singles titles, including 17 Grand Slams, since his first victory over Frenchman Guillaume Raoux in Toulouse in 1998.

The 33-year-old is third on the all-time list for matches won, behind Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071).

"To get to 1,000 wins in front of you two greats means a lot to me," Federer said, describing it as a "special day".

"I'll never forget this moment," he added as he was presented with his Brisbane International trophy by Roy Emerson, as well as a special award for his 1,000th win by Rod Laver.

"It feels very different to any other match I've ever won, because I never thought about anything reaching 500 or 800.

"All those numbers didn't mean anything to me, but for some reason 1,000 means a lot because it's such a huge number. Just alone to count to 1,000 is going to take a while."

A few Sunday Morning thoughts ..............

Roger Federer is a millionaire, many times over, as are others who play tennis. When he enters the "courts," he has to carry out a large bag of rackets,  bottles, towels and other paraphernalia that he will need for the match. Doesn't that hurt his arm, couldn't he find someone to carry it out for him?

Trump probably has a limo take him  everywhere, a driver who opens the door for him, and "flunky's" who do all of his other beckoning.

Athletes, many of which are multi millionaires, endure all sorts of demeaning things they have to put up with. Sit on a bench, eat sunflower seeds and spit out the shells on the floor. In football, they put up with being ferociously tackled,, knocked to the turf, and having one concussion after another one, Retire with their millions, and then, forget how they made them.

In golf, at least they have someone do the heavy work for them, but not tennis, you do all the heavy work yourself. Probably, in Rogers case, tailor made clothes, startlingly white sweaters, probably cashmere, the most expense, comfortable, appropriate shoes, appropriate for the surface, and he has to carry it out to the court, and when done, back in. Why can he not have someone carry it for him?

"Here, Joe, carry this bag out to the court, play tennis, and when done, pick up this check for six million."

"Oh, Ok!"

Federer reaches Indian Wells final

Indian Wells (United States) (AFP) - Four-time champion Roger Federer marched into the final of the Indian Wells ATP Masters on Saturday with a masterful 6-3, 6-1 victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam champion who is seeded seventh here this year, dominated the 31st-ranked Dolgopolov, thwarting the Ukrainian's bid to become just the sixth player to beat both Rafael Nadal and Federer in the same tournament.

Federer put 72 percent of his first serves in play and didn't face break point in an efficient display before an adoring crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden's stadium court.

The Swiss great will play the winner of the second semi-final between world number two and second seed Novak Djokovic and 12th-seeded American John Isner.

By reaching the semi-finals, Federer was assured of returning to the top five in the world rankings for the first time since September of 2013.

After a modest 2013 campaign that saw him win just one ATP title, the 32-year-old Swiss has opened 2014 with a title in Brisbane, reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, and won the title in February in Dubai, where he beat Djokovic in the semi-finals.

If he wins a fifth title on Sunday to go with those he captured in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2012, Federer will rise to number four in the world next week.

Federer downs Berdych for sixth Dubai Open

I knew he still had some tournament life left ... I think Roger is a TRUE professional, not many left.

Dubai (AFP) - Roger Federer followed his best win in 18 months by taking his first title in nine months with a revenge victory over Tomas Berdych in Saturday's final of the Dubai Open.

Federer came from behind to beat world number two Novak Djokovic on Friday.

Now he did the same against Berdych, the man who saved two match points against him in last year's semi-finals, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to claim a sixth title in the UAE.

It was never a great final, for the error count was too high, but it became increasingly dramatic as the game's best known player worked his way back into it against one of the sport's most dangerous hitters.

Federer was a set and a break down and appeared to be out of it but managed to find some good returns at last, just as the match was slipping away, and broke back at once. Then his standard went up.

It extended Federer's record of Dubai titles to six, and moved him above John McEnroe's total of 77 titles into third place in the all-time title list.

Only Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors remain above the Swiss.

Most of all it helped the Grand Slam record-holder to maintain his belief that even at 32, he has another major in him.

"Red Soles in the Sunset"

Roger Federer was only on the court for 68 minutes on Monday, but that was long enough for Wimbledon's Powers That Be to decide his orange-soled shoes don't pass muster for the tournament. As a result, the All England Club has ordered the seven-time Wimbledon champion to change his shoes for his Wednesday match.

The club requires players to don all white, and permits only the smallest modifications to that template. Federer's bright orange soles ran afoul of that requirement, according to the Daily Mail, which suggested that Serena Williams may have received similar orders.

Federer is paid an estimated $10 million a year by Nike, which outfits him in a different set of scripted attire each tournament. Manufacturers must submit their proposed designs to the All England Club at least 90 days before the tournament begins. However, footwear often isn't included in that scripting.

Obviously, a player's shoes are one of the most important components of his or her game. But we're fairly certain that a) Federer can come up with a compliant pair and b) he could play in shoeboxes, wooden clogs or bare feet and still make the semifinals.

GREAT in many ways ..............

A  long article, but it is nice to know that some "super stars" live in the real world, and accept their responsibility. "No man stands so tall, as when he stoops, to help a child."

GOVHU, South Africa (Reuters) - "Big brother Roger," as the village schoolteachers call him, smiles at the small children and asks them to guess which sport he plays.
Most of the bright-eyed three-year-olds have no idea who their visitor is but one, quicker than the rest, pipes up: "You play tennis!".
Delighted, Roger Federer turns his palms up to reveal a badly calloused right hand punished by 23 years of holding a racquet, showing the children the difference from the smoother left one.
There are few parts of the world where the man considered as the greatest ever tennis player and holder of a record 17 grand slam titles is not instantly recognized.
Here, in rural South Africa where he is visiting one of the village pre-schools his charitable foundation supports, the Swiss is unfamiliar to the children but commands their attention and curiosity.
In a small, cool, classroom, the toddlers sheltering from the heat stand with heads tipped upwards and eyes fixed on the towering champion as he hits a tennis ball against a wall, demonstrating how to swing a racquet.
Federer looks composed in the sweltering heat of Limpopo province, on the border with Zimbabwe, even though his bright red shirt, wet with sweat by noon, gives him away.
Deep in the densely vegetated village some 20 kilometers from the nearest paved road, the ground is parched and dust flies into the air as brightly-costumed Venda women dance to entertain their world-famous guest.
"My heart is in South Africa, through my mum," Federer, the son of a Swiss father and a South African mother, told Reuters.
"My mum being from here, me spending a lot of time here as well, I feel most connected to this part of the world."
The Roger Federer Foundation supports 40 pre-schools in the area and spends over $3 million a year on educational projects in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia and Federer's home country Switzerland. Over 50,000 children benefited from the foundation's efforts in 2012 to improve quality education in pre-schools and primary schools.
BROKEN EDUCATION SYSTEM
"When I travelled the world, I definitely saw poor countries, people who told me it was so hard for them to get an education," said Federer, who was visiting two pre-schools in the Limpopo province with his mother this week to mark the 10th anniversary of his foundation being founded.
"I always liked the idea of education because in our world going to school is the most normal thing in the world. We sometimes forget what a privilege it is, to go to school."

Roger Federer wins 7th Wimbledon title

By CHRIS LEHOURITES 

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Once the Centre Court roof was closed, nothing could stop Roger Federer from winning his record-tying seventh Wimbledon title.

The 30-year-old Federer finally equaled Pete Sampras' record at the All England Club, and won his 17th Grand Slam title overall, by beating Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 Sunday.

"I'm happy that closing the roof maybe helped me today, because I wasn't sure if that was going to help me or not," Federer said.

Once Murray's forehand landed wide on match point, Federer collapsed to the grass with tears welling in his eyes. He got up quickly and shook hands with Murray at the net.

Up in the players' box, Federer's wife and twin daughters cheered and smiled as he took his seat to await yet another Wimbledon trophy presentation.

"When the roof closed, he played unbelievable tennis," Murray said.

Federer is now 17-7 in Grand Slam finals, including 7-1 atWimbledon. Murray dropped to 0-4 in major finals, with three of those losses coming against Federer.

"It's amazing. It equals me with Pete Sampras, who's my hero," said Federer, who lost in the quarterfinals at the All England Club in 2010 and '11. "It just feels amazing."

Just Wondering???

Wimbledon, tennis, I am not a big tennis fan, but generally watch this tournament. Just watched Roger Federer, best Jockovich. Have followed Federer for a few years, he is a "true"  professional, in my bookm has all of the attributes of a champion.

A question, there are three judges on each end of the court, both men and women. The men wear trousers, and the women wear long skirts, all but one woman, she wears slacks, have wondered why. Never got a really good look, could be a long haired man.

Many of the players have their own physicians, masseurs, psychologists and an entourage of many. But, when the come onto the court they are carrying a couple of heavy bags of equipment, clothes, etc, and they look heavy, slung over their shoulders. Same thing when the match is over. Perhaps they just played tennis, under a hot sun, for a few hours, and they have to lug the same equipment off the court. 


The heaviest things a golfer carries is one club, he has a caddy to carry everything else.

Federer Bows - Not out, to the Prince of Wales

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Roger Federer gave Prince Charles a bow, then gave Fabio Fognini a royal thumping.


With the Prince of Wales visiting Wimbledon for the first time since 1970, Federer was at his best Wednesday and beat Fognini 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.

Six-time champion Federer won 37 of 41 points on his first serve, and won 21 of 23 points at the net against Fognini, an Italian ranked 68th.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall sat in the first row of the Royal Box as Federer walked onto Centre Court for the day's first match. Federer and Fognini stood side by side as they bowed awkwardly toward the royals, and Charles responded with a wave and grin.

"They do brief you beforehand," Federer said. "I guess you don't do anything stupid. You behave. Obviously we were asked to bow, which is obviously no problem to do. We're thrilled for the tennis family that they came to watch Wimbledon today."

When Federer completed his victory, Charles and Camilla joined the crowd's applause.

Federer ... he stands all alone now

Roger Federer WOW, what a match..

Hats off to Andy Roddick. He played the best match of his career, and lost.

I quit watching it a few times, would flip over to other channels, but always went back, and glad I did. Got to see the final shot ......

Don't have to watch much tennis anymore ..... there will never be one like that.