After he turned pro in 1998, Roger Federer fretted about his poor track record in finals.
But with a remarkable run of 17 consecutive wins in finals, the only thing the world number one worries about these days is setting new records.
”I didn’t have a great record in the beginning of my career in finals. I lost more than I won,” said the Swiss superstar, who beat Lleyton Hewitt in the final of the Indian Wells Masters Series event on Sunday.
”I remember I had a good record in finals in juniors. I was very disappointed to have a bad one in the beginning of my pro career.
”Somehow I turned it around. To come through here is very special, especially in my first Masters Series of the year.”
Indeed, Federer earned his seventh title in his past eight tournaments dating back to the US Open.
When Marat Safin upset Federer to win the Australian earlier this year, it sparked talk of a rivalry among the top four players in the world — Federer, Safin, Hewitt and Andy Roddick.
But the 23-year-old Federer showed once again on Sunday just how huge the gap is by dismantling number two Hewitt in straight sets.
A bewildered Hewitt could only stand on centre court and scratch his head after losing to Federer for the seventh straight time, including the 2004 US Open final.
”It is not like he’s doing something freaky out there,” Australian Hewitt said. ”If you want to be the best player in the world, you’ve got to look at where the benchmark is and he’s set it pretty high right at the moment.”
American tennis fans have finally started to warm up to Federer and are coming to realise his Tiger Woods-like dominance is something at which to marvel.
He and Hewitt were given a standing ovation by the Indian Wells crowd after a stunning 45-shot rally in which the point was eventually won by the Aussie.
”You don’t normally get a standing ovation,” Hewitt said. ”Maybe after you win a Davis Cup final or something. Not normally after a point, especially when both of you are not from America.”
Still Federer was perplexed by the sight of a near-empty main Indian Wells stadium when he beat red-hot Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in two tiebreakers in a night match.
”Many people left after the first set, which is a little bit disappointing to see,” Federer said. ”It was kind of a quiet atmosphere. It was cold. Maybe there is kids there, elder people who usually go to bed earlier. I don’t know.
”It is a huge stadium. Even though there are people there, it feels kind of empty.”
Federer is so dominant that his opponents have to raise the level of their games and work harder than ever to try to beat him.
”I sense that some players have changed a bit when they play me,” Federer said. ”They would serve and volley more or play more aggressive or more safe.
”An example is Roddick, the way he played at the Wimbledon finals. I haven’t seen him be that aggressive. Then the same in Toronto and in Bangkok. It was always very different. He’s tried to change things up but they didn’t work. For them, I think it is tough to switch.”
Federer is a master at taking players out of their comfort zones, forcing them to panic in tight situations.
”I went for it a little bit more than I probably had to,” Hewitt said of the Indian Wells final. ”He makes you go for that little bit extra every time because he really does cut off the angles extremely well.”
Up next for Federer is the ATP Masters Series tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida, this week, where he has been seeded first. Roddick is the next-highest seed after Hewitt withdrew with a foot injury.
Asked if there is any unfinished business to take care of this year besides defending the 11 titles he won last year, Federer said he looks forward to the challenge of playing in the French Open, which begins on May 23.
”You have tournaments close to your heart,” Federer said. ”Other ones you want to win. Definitely it would be nice to win the French and complete, I would say, the grand slam. This is not something I am really aiming at, to break somebody’s record on grand slams. If it happens, it’s extraordinary.
”But if it doesn’t, I still believe I’m having a good career so far. I am still far away from hanging the racquet against the wall and walking away from tennis.
”I just hope I stay healthy. Then maybe I can break a couple of records, we will see.” — Sapa-AFP