/ 7 January 2006

Federer to battle Monfils in Qatar Open final

Roger Federer’s preparation for the year’s first grand slam, the Australian Open in 10 days’ time, gathered momentum as he reached the final in defence of his Qatar Open title on Friday.

The world number one from Switzerland produced his best performance of the week so far as he overcame Tommy Haas, the former world number four from Germany 6-3, 6-3 with a display of accelerating brilliance.

Federer will play in Saturday’s final against Gael Monfils, the 19-year-old Frenchman who is line to receive the tour’s newcomer of the year award for 2005 and looks set to continue his upward movement this year.

Monfils, who rose 200 places to world number 31, had too much exuberant movement and surprise counter-attacking for Filippo Volandri, the unseeded Italian, whom he outplayed 6-3, 6-4.

Haas had reckoned before the semifinal that he had a chance of beating the champion, but that appeared to last only seven games, until Federer made the first break of serve.

After that, Haas — who is trying to make a new start in 2006 and recover a top-10 ranking — began to fret a little and occasionally become over-ambitious with his shot selection.

”That game was huge,” acknowledged Federer. ”It put me ahead and may have broken him mentally a little bit. I started to play better and broke him a second time. I was pleased with my performance. I feel I am getting better. And the ankle is not giving me any problems.”

Despite this, Federer continued to play with a strap around the injury that had kept him on crutches for three weeks during November.

But after he had made the second break of serve to clinch the first set, his movement became noticeably more flowing.

”I am still in good spirits,” claimed Haas. ”If I keep working hard on what I need to improve, I will have some good battles against him, I think. I still give myself two thumbs up for this week.”

Monfils now has the biggest match of his career, with the chance of his biggest title, though not his first.

The French teenager tasted that triumph at Sopot in Poland last summer and has experience of three tour finals already.

”I think I have to take this final like I would play a match normally. Against Roger I think it will be difficult, but I hope to enjoy it,” said Monfils. ”I want to do that and to play my game because in the three finals I have played so far, I have not played my normal game. I was not enjoying it on court.

”I think I was nervous and I hope to improve. Each time when I have got to the final I was nervous and now I have a new chance.” — Sapa-AFP