Federer eases to win on return

AFP - Mon, 02 Nov 19:07:00 2009

Roger Federer eased through to the second round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel on his return after a six week break with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Belgian qualifier Olivier Rochus.

Roger Federer ATP Basel 2009 - 0

The world number one - bidding for a fourth successive Swiss Indoors title - shook off the rust from a six-week break to roar through and a date with Italian Andreas Seppi in just 66 minutes.

Federer's march to victory was preceded by an operatic performance with massed choir and selections from Aida as his hometown honoured three straight titles at the St Jakobshalle by the world-famed native son.

"I felt so good out there," said the winner, who needed three match points to go through after earning the first two winning chances with his 11th and 12th aces of a quick evening.

"This was my longest pause, even longer than in the close season. But I really needed it and it was worth it," said the winner of a first French Open title and sixth Wimbledon title this season.

"It's so great to be playing in Switzerland. I haven't done it for a year and I really missed it.

"I felt I played a good match and just want to carry on like this."

Federer improved to an overwhelming 6-0 over Rochus, who lost to Marcos Baghdatis in the Stockholm final just over a week ago.

The Swiss top seed broke in the sixth game of the 29-minute first set, then fired his fifth ace for a 5-2 lead before securing the opening lead.

In the second, Federer went ahead 3-2 and was untroubled save his minor niggles in closing out the straightforward victory.

Federer admits that Basel is the event closest to his heart after getting his start here as a ballboy a decade and a half ago.

The top seed has not played since helping his nation retain their place in the Davis Cup World Group with a win over Italy in September - Federer chose to rest rather than play the autumn tournaments in Asia.

The 15-time grand slam champion has laid low and got to know his three-month old twin girls as he assumed his additional new role as a father. He was unable to help himself as he bragged about his daft hand with a dirty nappy.

"I have an unbelievable technique," he said to laughter - mainly from his wife sitting in the stands.

Federer has not lost in Basel since the second round in 2003 when he was beaten by Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The Swiss who plans to go flat-out through this week, the Paris Masters starting next Monday and the year-end eight-man World Tour Finals in London, brings a 55-8 record this season to the court, with titles in Paris and Wimbledon as well as the Madrid and Cincinnati Masters events.

Fellow Swiss Stephane Bohli failed to give the home crowd a winning start on the day, with the number 148 journeyman losing 4-6 6-1 7-5 in the first-round to Italy's Seppi.

Bohli, now 0-4 at the ATP level this season, sprang a surprise on Seppi by winning the first set before the 51st-ranked Italian pulled his game together.

In the day's opening contest, Frenchman Florent Serra survived 28 aces off the racket of serve machine Ivo Karlovic but still subdued the Croatian 7-6 (5) 6-4.

AFP

Comment 17 - 36 of 36

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  1. great to see Federer back from his break, looked pretty­ good considering a 6 week sabbatical.
    Dascau, i­ honestly dont see what your trying to achieve with your­ comments. Federer and Nadal right now together stand­ head and shoulders above every other player, its a­ shame that Nadal is still recovering from his Abdominal­ strain, but hopefully he'll be fit for London and­ better still we get a match up between the top 2 in the­ final.
    At this moment in time, the record books say,­ overall, Federer is the best player in the world apart­ from clay. As long as Nadal's knees hold up, there­ should be no reason why he cannot challenge that­ mantle.
    until then, why not just enjoy this weeks­ tennis

    From casualsmilez, on Tue 3 Nov 5:27PM

  2. "Don't expect any more answers from me"­ Ooh, what a nightmare...

    From vd, on Tue 3 Nov 5:22PM

  3. So the posts like "We miss you" and­ "Wellcome back" in your retarded brain­ translate - he's the best, fabulous, excellent etc.­ So you can see even what is not written here, amazing­ what the lack of brain can do.
    He carried the signs of­ mono for months on his right cheeck, but who cares­ he's Roger and whatever excuses he makes no one is­ going to believe him. On the other hand poor Nadal has­ bad knees and abs and has problems with his underwears­ anytime he serves, the hair needs to be behind his­ ears, and the bottles need to be lined up, and those 20­ seconds between points become 40 or more, but poor guy­ needs to take some breath. And then sometimes when­ things are not going his way he needs the trainer on­ the court because he has some strange problems, but as­ soon as the trainer is gone he runs fester than ever.­
    Don't expect any more answers from me because by­ replying to retards you risk to become one yourself.

    From Ilda S, on Tue 3 Nov 5:05PM

  4. Am I spoiling your party? PERFECT!

    From Dascau, on Tue 3 Nov 4:38PM

  5. "So­ prepare yourself for more knee injuries, abs­ injuries­ and who knows what other excuses."­ Indeed. Nadal should have had mononucleosis. Mono is so­ much more convenient for it can resurface anytime you­ need it. "People here­ are saying that they missed­ Federer during his break" Really? Well, I do NOT­ care. And, when Nadal wins a first round match, all the­ retar...sorry, federer fans say that his and is near.­ But when the "greatest" (hahahahahaha!) wins­ a match like this (first round in a tier 7 tournament),­ he is fabulous, the best, excellent, bla, bla...

    From Dascau, on Tue 3 Nov 4:37PM

  6. Dascau, you have 2 eyes and no brain. You come here­ with a comment that has nothing to do with the article,­ and you expect a different answer from me? People here­ are saying that they missed Federer during his break,­ and you start talking about why he's not the­ greatest, because your Rafa leads him 13:7? AND 11 of­ these matches were played on clay, remember? I­ understand your frustration though, but you have to get­ used to it, you know why? Because the peak of Rafa is­ over (also thanks to the worst year of Federer) and­ from now on it's only going to get worse. So­ prepare yourself for more knee injuries, abs injuries­ and who knows what other excuses.

    From Ilda S, on Tue 3 Nov 4:20PM

  7. "Dascau, i only see one retarded person here, and­­ that's you." This is the ONLY answer I­ expected. We have a saying where I live: The one-eyed­ man is king in the land of the blind. But you retards­ don't get it, so: federer is the one-eyed man and­ the blind are 99% of his generation.

    From Dascau, on Tue 3 Nov 4:10PM

  8. Dascau, i only see one retarded person here, and­ that's you.

    From Ilda S, on Tue 3 Nov 4:01PM

  9. Nai- golemiqt na vsi4ki vremena......

    From Radoslav, on Tue 3 Nov 3:59PM

  10. People who use their brain said that federer is not the­ greatest for he is clearly lead by Nadal. Some idiot­ wrote some time ago, as an answer, that Nadal must thus­ be the worst in history because he is 0-2 down against­ a nobody. But he "forgot" to mention that­ federer is 7-13 against someone who is 0-2 against a­ nobody. Andfederer's fans still ask themselves why ­ 99% of them are being considerer retards.

    From Dascau, on Tue 3 Nov 3:48PM

  11. THE MASTER IS BACK

    From Ten-Ten, on Tue 3 Nov 12:56PM

  12. Good to have Roger Federer back. But there is no point­ in getting over-hyped. Especially since men's­ tennis has become highly competitive and on a given day­ anyone can beat the other among the top ten players. As­ far Federer, yesterday is by-gone and tomorrow all­ afresh, uncertain, new. So should he be running faster­ to stay in the same place-the top of the lot.

    From Emmveeyem, on Tue 3 Nov 5:46AM

  13. WB Roger....lookin forward to seein you recapture­ Aussie and retain French !!!

    From Zuberman, on Tue 3 Nov 4:53AM

  14. Tennis? Nappy changing? is there anything this man­ can't do?? Great having him back!

    From Stephen M, on Tue 3 Nov 12:17AM

  15. Welcome back Roger!

    From Victor, on Mon 2 Nov 10:57PM

  16. I think he could beat the williams sisters by himself

    From jjmalone, on Mon 2 Nov 10:18PM

  17. so good to have you back

    From jjmalone, on Mon 2 Nov 10:17PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    lol,a comment that only says "Djokovic's gonna­ win" can get many many thumbs down. Just shows you­ how sensitive and intolerant some Roger fans can be...

    From cero, on Mon 2 Nov 10:16PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    well done roger, keep taking the crystal meth.

    From supernickbnp, on Mon 2 Nov 9:56PM

  20. jon60p i bet u missed Murray alot, bet u was crying­ while he was away. SAD GIT!!!

    From vamp.rick, on Mon 2 Nov 9:17PM
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