The Roger Federer resurgence continues. After a disappointing 2013 when the Swiss reached only one Masters final – in Rome – he has made that grade in two of the first three ATP 1000 events of the year, on two different surfaces: hard courts in Indian Wells and the Monte Carlo clay.
So there is plenty to cheer about for Federer fans, but there could be one worrying indication in those two final defeats: he won the opening set against both Novak Djokovic at Indians Wells and Stanislas Wawrinka on Sunday before losing in three.
Since his triumph at Dubai, where he won a trio of three-setters on his way to the title, Federer has played four three-set matches and lost three, the third being his defeat against Kei Nishikori in the Miami quarter-final. In all three he led after the first set.
Against Wawrinka, Federer looked every bit his 32 years in the third set. His opponent noticed it as well.
“I saw that he was a little bit tired,” Wawrinka said.
The heart, then, is willing, but the limbs are maybe not. He seems to be losing steam as the match progresses. Could this affect his chances at the grand slam tournaments, with their best-of-five formats? Federer is optimistic.
“You must see the positive side,” he said. “Try not to be disappointed or frustrated. What I see is that if I’m in that position again, if I keep trying as I did, at a certain point it’s going to go my way.”
It went his way in Dubai and Federer fans hope that continues to happen regularly.
Men’s tour this week
Stanislas Wawrinka’s win over Roger Federer in Monte Carlo was the first all-Swiss final in 14 years on the World Tour.
At the same event, Mike Bryan became the first player to win 100 Tour-level doubles when he and his twin brother Bob defeated Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-3, 3-6, 10-8.
Women’s tour this week
Rising star Donna Vekic had her first tour win defeating Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4) in the Malaysian Open final.
At 17 years, 10 months and 23 days, the Croatian is the first player under 18 to win a WTA title since Vania King won Bangkok in 2006 at age 17 years, 8 months and 12 days.
Schedule
Barcelona Open
Place: Barcelona, Spain
Venue: Real Club de Tenis
Duration: Thursday-Sunday
Prize money: Euro 1.8m (Dh9.1m)
Surface: Clay
Defending champion: Rafael Nadal
Porsche Grand Prix
Place: Stuttgart, Germany
Venue: Porsche Arena
Duration: Thursday-Sunday
Prize money:$710,000 (Dh2.6m)
Surface:Clay/indoor
Defending champion: Maria Sharapova
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