Young Federer Bombs into Shanghai for Another Breakthrough

Home>>Sports

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, November 09, 2002

Young Federer Bombs into Shanghai for Another Breakthrough

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Roger Federer, a name that captured the tennis world's attention in 2001 with his stunning defeat of seven-time champion Pete Sampras in Wimbledon, is eager for another breakthrough in the season-ending Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup to seal his reputation.

With a game similar to Sampras, the youngest of the eight starsin Shanghai has every reason to cap his best-ever season with another surprise to be drawn from Shanghai though he actually hasn't got a single Grand Slam title and just clinched his first Masters Series victory in Hamburg in May.

The 21-year-old got off to a sizzling start this year. His fluid all-court attack and natural serve-and-volley prowess helpedhis early two successes this season in Sydney, the first event he played, and Hamburg, where he dismantled Marat Safin in three straight sets in the final.

"He's got so much talent, and if he's on, he's an extremely tough opponent to play." World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt said of the Swiss No. 1 while the two playing the Paris Masters.

However, if Federer's not on, it'll be a different case.

After his Hamburg triumph, Federer entered into a slump that lasted for most of the summer, as he went just 6-8 including disappointing first-round losses at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, where he was considered among the leading contenders for the title.

He began to turn things around at the US Open, reaching the fourth round where he lost to Mirnyi, but his game really took offwith the start of the indoor season.

Indeed, Federer has gone 14-4 under the roof in his last five events, including a third title of the year in Vienna, a semifinalappearance in his hometown event of Basel, and quarterfinal showings in Moscow and the Tennis Masters Series events in Madrid and Paris.

He surged to sixth in the ATP Champions Race and booked the place in his first Tennis Masters Cup after his impressive 6-2, 7-6 victory over Germany's Tommy Haas in Paris.

Maybe, just maybe, his run of success indoors, combined with his natural gifts, bode very well for Federer's prospects to stun the world again in Shanghai.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Results of Shanghai Open Tennis Tournament

Preparation for 2002 Shanghai Masters Tennis Tournament in Final Sprint

Distraught Kournikova Downed in Final of Shanghai Open Tennis

Chinese Dragon & American Eagle Must Find Language of Cooperation: Kissinger ( 3 Messages)

Joint Efforts Be Made to Eradicate Scourge to Humankind ( 2 Messages)

Upcoming Party Congress Likely to Discuss 'Xiaokang' ( 10 Messages)

China to Enroll 270,000 Graduate Students Next Year ( 2 Messages)

Kato's Criminal Activities "Irrefutable", FM Spokesman ( 2 Messages)