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Federer Gunning For ATP No. 1 in Rotterdam
69 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
Roger Federer has the chance to be ATP World No. 1 again and he wants to take his shot at making tennis history as the oldest world no. 1 in history. Roger will take a wild card into next week’s ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, where he can reclaim the No. 1 ATP Ranking for the first time in more than five years if he advances to the semifinals.
Federer last held the top ranking on October 4, 2012. From his No. 1 ranking, Federer closed the gap to within 155 points of Rafael Nadal after winning his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Nadal is not playing next week so Federer will obtain enough points to overtake Nadal if he can reach at least the semi.
36 year old Federer has previously played Rotterdam Tour 500 tournament eight times, winning twice, in 2005 and 2012.
Federer first became the ATP No. 1 fourteen years ago on February 2, 2004. He still holds the all time record for most weeks spent at No. 1 (302). If Federer achieves his objective next week of reaching at least the semifinal he will erase the record of Andre Agassi who currently holds the honor of being the oldest World No. 1 which he achieved at the age of 33.
Nadal is not scheduled to return to action until the final week of February when he will play Acapulco. Sam Querrey defeated Nadal at Acapulco last year.
Rotterdam Tournament Director Richard Krajicek was obviously thrilled about Federer joining his draw: “We are thrilled that Roger has chosen to come to the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament last minute. After his fantastic result at the Australian Open, it is tremendous news that he will be joining us in Rotterdam. It is a crown to the celebration of the history of our tournament.”
Roger Federer comments: “The tournament is special for me. I remember playing for the first time in 1999 as it was one of the first events where I got the chance to play at the highest level. It feels good to join in the celebrations of the 45th edition.”
1 · Federer · No · RF · Roger Federer
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« Previous 1 2Scoop Malinowski · February 9, 2018 at 10:21 am
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Britbox; Tomic will definitely have to change and mature and show that he can be a more reliable, tenacious, consistently driven competitor. He showed that to reach into the teens of the rankings. He can do better, he said he would like to be top 5. So it's doable. i would not count him out. But he will have to change and mature. The tanking and the rubbish attitude must be eliminated for him to be taken seriously. I believe Tomic's best days could be ahead. Up to him to prove that. Right now, in the court of public opinion Tomic's image has no chance against Hewitt's image. Unless Tomic has some potentially devastating information of corruption linked to Hewitt. I doubt that but Tomic's tone in that interview was matter-of-fact, rock solid, self-assured, kind of the smug cat who just ate the canary kind of grin.
Scoop Malinowski · February 9, 2018 at 10:26 am
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Duke, I think Hewitt wants to be captain for a long time. He loves Davis Cup and it still gets his juices and passion flowing. Not sure Hewitt will be happy as just a coach and TV commentator. He still loves to compete and Davis Cup is his only outlet for that. I agree, Hewitt better be careful with his relations with Hewitt. If Hewitt alienates Kyrgios as he apparently did with Tomic (he coached Hewitt at the 2016 US Open) then Kyrgios has the power and influence now as the Aussie top player to run Hewitt out of town. Kyrgios says all the right things about Hewitt but their chemistry did not look good at all when Kyrgios lost the second set to Zverev and then offered little resistance in the third. Kyrgios lost and left the court immediately without Hewitt and I did not see any words spoken or eye contact in that third set. It's unbelievable that Hewitt, one of the great champions of modern tennis history, might need to kiss the ass of Nick Kyrgios to keep his job.
10isfan · February 9, 2018 at 11:21 am
Gimelstob on tv said Fed’s camp was already crunching the numbers the day after AO to see how he can get the number one ranking. This is a record he wants and I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t support his playing if it could mess up a major like last year, but with FO far off, it would be great to see him get a record that likely won’t be surpassed.
Scoop Malinowski · February 9, 2018 at 1:10 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Federer downplayed no.1 at the end of last year after he missed it but I think that was PR lip service. He wanted no. 1 and his actions this week by accepting the WC into Roggerdam prove it. I mean who wouldn't want to be No. 1? I'm sure Fed is going to get huge HUGE bonuses from Nike, Wilson, his sponsors for regaining no. 1 but it's unlikely the media or TV commentators will discuss that.
Busted · February 9, 2018 at 1:15 pm
How is that a 22 year-old has so damned many injuries? Elbow, shoulder, knees, head…
Busted · February 9, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Well, I for one can understand crying during a match IF you're injured and you're watching the dream you've worked hard for your whole life go up in smoke – ie, Cilic at Wimbledon. Especially less talented "journeymen" players. They don't know if they're ever going to have another opportunity to be in a Slam final. Some people cry when they're frustrated and angry. Add that on top of watching your dreams go up in smoke? Crying is a natural response to the stress of it all. Now…that's a grand slam…Stan crying at IW last year is another story entirely…
Busted · February 9, 2018 at 1:29 pm
LOL! Djokovic's "one major injury" is his elbow. His RIGHT ELBOW. I hate to be logical here…but…unless he's going to start playing left-handed…that whole not being able to swing a racket thing is kind of a HUGE problem for a tennis player. :lulz2: The fact of the matter is – he's played too many 3-5 hour matches. That's a lot of forehands, backhands and serves. He said the elbow bothered him for 2 years before took time off. Now he's had minor surgery of some type. If that doesn't fix his issue, then he'll be playing in a lot of pain the rest of his career IF he can even continue playing.
Nadal? Listen…he can't seem to go more than a few months without injuring something .
As for Murray? He may play until he's 36…but how many former #1's – or even top 5 players – have come back from hip surgery to regain their previous highest ranking? Kuerten couldn't do it and neither could Hewitt.
Chazz · February 9, 2018 at 1:34 pm
I don’t expect Murray or Djoker to win any major titles again. They have huge physical issues and at least with Djoker he doesn’t have the mental edge anymore. Nadal? Yes, I expect he has at least a few left in him. Stan? No.
Busted · February 9, 2018 at 1:40 pm
scoop said:
↑
I really am not buying the Tomic has evidence of anything. He's sour and bitter and talking smack. He's the Trump of tennis – always accusing everyone else of being corrupt or being out to get him when HE is his own worst enemy. If he had evidence of Tennis Australia corruption then he'd have made it known when he leveled the accusations instead of saying, "I know it's there." It's "alternative facts" unless he provides "real facts" as proof. It's like Trump claiming Obama was secretly taping him at Trump Tower and the intelligence community saying it never happened and it's not something a POTUS has the right to request. As they used to say in the old Wendy's commercial, "WHERE'S THE BEEF?"
Scoop Malinowski · February 9, 2018 at 1:56 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Would not be surprised if 75% of Kyrgios's injuries are fake. In Brisbane in the first round he acted like he had a bad knee. He won the match in three sets and then won the title. So Kyrgios is a tricky, deceptive player who probably uses injuries or injury illusions to his advantage.
catherine · February 9, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Referríng back to thread about Simona’s lack of sponsorship at AO – I just noticed in her final press conference she was wearing an Adidas top which suggests she has signed with them again.
Would be mad to split now when she is probably going into her best year yet.
Re Kyrgios, he’s appears a big strong man but may be prone to injury, either through body build or wrong type of training or mixture of both. Some of his injuries are most likely extra sensitive reaction to niggling pains and anxiety about them.
Hartt · February 9, 2018 at 3:15 pm
I wish I could post pics here, because there are recent ones of Simona wearing a white shirt with a big “Nike” on the front and another of her in black with the Nike swoosh. A poster in Romania said the Nike deal was for $1.3 million.
On Match Call Migrants there is a lot of angst about whether she will be a Nike clone or whether she will get the Sharapova line. I don’t know which is worse!
catherine · February 9, 2018 at 3:54 pm
Hartt – that’s really strange because she was definitely wearing a top with Adidas logo after the AO final and you’d think she wouldn’t do that if she hadn’t a deal with them.
However, if it’s Nike then I hope they give her something better than some of the stuff I’ve seen.
It’s a pity really – she’s been with Adidas for ten years I think – but maybe the company’s spending so much on Angie and Wozniaki that there’s no money left.
I suppose we’ll see her decked out in the new gear either at Fed Cup or in Qatar.
catherine · February 9, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Yes – looks like it is Nike – just had a look around online.
I wish she’d stuck with a European brand but I suppose money talks 🙂
catherine · February 9, 2018 at 4:26 pm
Martin bts Moutet SS in Quito.
Scoop Malinowski · February 9, 2018 at 6:16 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Martin earned it. Moutet could have won it but he looked annoyed early and maybe drained from the tough three setters vs Menendez Maceiras and Karlovic. Moutet fought hard and saved MPs but couldn't get over the hump. Martin, wearing his hodge podge Australian attire and Head shoes, probably was more desperate to get to the SF as he has to be mid 20s with a sub journeyman status.
Busted · February 10, 2018 at 5:17 pm
How is that any different than Andy Murray constantly grabbing body parts like he's injured when he's not?
Scoop Malinowski · February 10, 2018 at 5:33 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Busted, injury faking or exaggerating is commonplace in tennis on all levels. Murray is a master at it. As is Nick.
herios · February 11, 2018 at 8:08 pm
I know that Kyrgios has now bad reputation after not putting all the time full effort, however, as far as injuries, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Why?
Because he has a history of injuries which goes back to his junior years when he was not as much in the spotlight.
He is more fragile than he looks.