The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Rivalry with top stars keeps Federer coming back
- Indian duo defeated in doubles final
- Vonn hospitalized with undisclosed illness
| Rivalry with top stars keeps Federer coming back Posted: 12 Nov 2012 05:09 PM PST LONDON: Roger Federer insists his dramatic defeat against Novak Djokovic in the final of the ATP Tour Finals was exactly the kind of epic showdown that stops him thinking about retiring. Federer's two-year reign as Tour Finals champion was brought to an end by a brilliant display from Djokovic, who underlined his status as the world number one by taking everything the Swiss great could throw at him and then hitting back even harder. Djokovic eventually won 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 after two hours and 14 minutes of enthralling action at London's O2 Arena on Monday, denying Federer the chance to add to his six Tour Finals titles and leading the 31-year-old to acknowledge the thrill he gets from going toe to toe with such a spirited rival. "It's part of the puzzle that makes me motivated, trying to play against the likes of Novak, Andy (Murray) and Rafa (Nadal)," Federer said. "I think we had some great stuff out there. It was good playing such points. "It's great playing against these guys because the ball does come back a few more times than against other players and you get those great rallies going. "I love playing against the young guys as well, because to many of them I'm an idol which is kind of strange to me. "But it's nice seeing them grow, see what the next generation comes up with." Federer admitted he was frustrated to let the title slip through his fingers after leading by a break in each set. But the 17-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged Djokovic had come up with some superb shots at the key moments. "Maybe I have a bit of regret because I had the lead twice first before him," Federer said. "But at the end of the day, that doesn't matter. You have to get over the finish line in the set and then obviously at the end of the match. He was better at that today. "You have to talk about me serving really fast three or four times and him bringing back a bullet. I think this is where he gets me on the back foot." Although Federer's 2012 campaign ended on a low note, a season which includes winning Wimbledon for the seventh time, as well as taking a silver medal at the London Olympics, can't be regarded as a failure and the Swiss is already plotting how to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet next year. "I reflect in a nice way. I think it's been a fantastic season to be part of," Federer said. "I'm very pleased that I was able to pick up my performance at the end of the season, like I played now this week. So obviously that gives me confidence for next year. "I haven't really set clear goals yet for next year. I first have to make sure I create my schedule so it makes sense. "I need to practice a whole lot more next year, because this year, I hardly did have an opportunity to do. I have some catching up to do in that standpoint." - AFP |
| Indian duo defeated in doubles final Posted: 12 Nov 2012 04:36 PM PST LONDON: Indian duo Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna crashed to a 7-5, 3-6, 10/3 defeat against Spain's Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez in the doubles final at the ATP Tour Finals on Monday. Bhupathi and Bopanna were bidding to win the season-ending event for the first time, but Granollers and Lopez held their nerve in a super tie-break to become the first Spaniards to take the doubles crown at Tour Finals since Juan Gisbert and Manuel Orantes in 1975. The Indian fifth seeds, who won their first Masters 1000 doubles title in Paris earlier this month, had already enjoyed a significant success at the Tour Finals after beating compatriot and old rival Leander Paes, and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek, in a semi-final grudge match. But they were unable to maintain their momentum against the Spanish sixth seeds, who had the better of a hard-fought encounter at London's O2 Arena. It was an especially painful defeat for Bhupathi, who has now lost in the final of the Tour Finals on five occasions, with his previous defeats coming with Paes, before their acrimonious split, in 1997, 1999 and 2000 and in 2010 with Max Mirnyi. "I was telling Rohan, Now I know how (Ivan) Lendl feels at Wimbledon, five times in the final but I haven't got the title here," Bhupathi said. "But 15 days ago, we were fighting to make it here. If you told us we were going to win Paris and make the finals of the Tour Finals, we would take it. "It's always tough playing Granollers and Lopez. They're not a conventional doubles team. They make it very, very difficult in more ways than one. "We fought hard to stay in the match and got ourselves again into a tie-breaker. This time I think we just played a bad tiebreak. That sums it up." Granollers and Lopez, playing in the Tour Finals for the first time, won the only previous meeting between the teams in the Rome semi-finals in May and that result was to prove a good omen. The Spaniards had already defeated top ranked American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan in the group stages and they continued their impressive run after taking control of a tight first set when they broke for a 6-5 lead. Bhupathi and Bopanna made them sweat as they earned a break point in the next game, but the Spaniards were able to serve it out. Both teams had chances to win the second set, but it was the Indian duo who made the decisive break for a 5-3 lead and then held their nerve to level at one set all. That meant a super tie-break was needed to settle the match and the Spaniards took the initiative as they raced into a 4-0 lead. Bhupathi and Bopanna had no answer to that early barrage and they were eventually beaten in one hour and 29 minutes. - AFP |
| Vonn hospitalized with undisclosed illness Posted: 12 Nov 2012 03:21 PM PST LOS ANGELES: Four-time alpine World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn has been admitted to hospital in Vail, Colorado, with an undisclosed illness, her spokesman confirmed Monday. Lewis Kay declined to disclose any further details about Vonn, who cancelled a promotional event in Vail on Friday because she did not feel well. Vonn skipped a World Cup slalom in Finland at the weekend, preferring to prepare for the giant slalom and slalom set for Aspen, Colorado, on November 24-25. Vonn, who has won four of the past five women's downhill season crowns, had hoped to compete against men at Lake Louise, Canada, on November 24. However, that request was turned down by the International Ski Federation. - AFP |
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