ATP Tour Finals 2010: Federer Defeats Nadal 6-3 3-6 6-1

As predicted, Roger Federer of Switzerland won his 5th ATP Tour Final championships on Sunday in London  by defeating World #1 Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-3 3-6 6-1 in 97 minutes. Federer joined Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras as the third man to win the tour-ending championship for the 5th time, which he had previously won in 2003 (d. Andre Agassi), 2004 (d. Lleyton Hewitt), 2006 (d. James Blake), and 2007 (d. David Ferrer). Interestingly, it was also the 4th time he won the Australian Open (the first tournament of the year) and the season-ending championship in the same year (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2010). (Novak Djokovic was able to achieve the same feat in 2008.)

Federer improved to a career record of 8 wins, 14 losses against his arch nemesis (with the clay court record of 2 wins and 10 losses), who is now regularly being called the greatest clay court player of all time. Federer won his 66th ATP tour title, placing him firmly in fourth position on the all-time list, a mere 11 titles behind John McEnroe at 77, Lendl at 94 and Jimmy Connors at 107.

Nadal is firmly ensconced at #1 and basically has no ranking points to defend until the clay court season. The earliest Federer could challenge for the #1 ranking again is probably Wimbledon 2011. It should be an exciting year!

Federer Beats Djokovic To Regain Basel Title

Roger Federer regained his hometown title in Basel, Switzerland by defeating defending champion Novak Djokovic in 3-sets (as I  predicted yesterday) 6-4 3-6 6-1. Federer has now won the tournament 4 times in the last 5 years, and Basel became the 9th tournament that the Swiss Great has won at least 4 times.

Federer improved to 12-6 career head-to-head versus Djokovic and with his 65th tournament win pulled out of a  tie with Pete Sampras at #4 on the list of all-time most tournaments won.

Federer-Djokovic Rematch For Basel Final

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic each won their semifinal matches, setting up a rematch of last year's final which was won by the Serbian, ending the Swiss's win streak of 3 consecutive Basel titles.

Federer leads Djokovic 11-6 in the career head-to-head match-up, as well as 2-1 this year. Djokovic, however, won their most important meeting this year, in the 2010 US Open semifinals, and is 2-1 in finals this year as compared to Federer's measly 3-4 record (although one of those 3 wins is the 2010 Australian Open).

MadProfessah's Prediction: Federer in 3 sets.

Federer To Face Roddick In Basel Semis; Djokovic in Other Semi

World #2 Roger Federer will face American Andy Roddick for the first time since they played their historic, classic Wimbledon final in July 2009 which Federer won 16-14 in the fifth set. Federer and Roddick will play in the semifinals of the Swiss Indoor tournament which is played in the 16-time major champion's home town of Basel, Switzerland where Federer once served as a ball boy and now owns part of the tournament. 

World #3 and Defending champion Novak Djokovic will play fellow Serbian Victor Troicki in the other semifinal. Last year, Djokovic defeated Federer before his hometown crowd in an exciting 3-set match.

The French Indoor ATP Masters series event begins in Paris on Monday and World #1 Rafael Nadal will not be playing, having withdrawn today due to medical reasons (injured shoulder).

WIMBLEDON 2010: Federer Survives 1st Round Scare

Defending champion Roger Federer survived a scare in the first round of Wimbledon by losing his first two sets (ever!) to Alejandro Falla but came back to win 5-7 4-6 6-4 7-6(1) 6-0.

Djokovic defeats Federer in Basel Final

This one's gotta hurt. World #4 Novak Djokovic defeated World #1 Roger Federer 6-4 4-6 6-2 in the final of Swiss Indoor championships in Federer's hometown of Basel. Djokovic won his tour-leading 71st match of the year and 4th title. Federer fell to 59-9 and lost in the deciding set in a final for the 3rd time this year (Australian Open final to Radael Nadal, U.S. Open final to Juan Martin del Potro and now to Djokovic). He was also attemptig to win his hometown tournament where he had served as a ball boy as youth for the fourth consecutive year.

Federer Will Win Olympic Medal (in Doubles)

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka defeated the top doubles team in the world, American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6(4) 6-4 to reach the Beijing Olympics Men's Doubles final, assuring that 12-time Grand Slam champion Federer will win his first Olympic medal, something Pete Sampras was never able to do.

The Swiss team will face the unlikely Swedish team of Thomas Johansson and Simon Aspelin in the Gold Medal match on Saturday, who defeated the excellent French team of Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra in the longest tennis match in Olympic history, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 19-17 in 4 hours, 46 minutes.