Roger Federer faced the media after his toughest defeat in 2015 and shot down any suggestion of him not having taken the threat of Albert Ramos seriously enough: “I’m always cautious. I don’t underestimate or lack respect for anybody out there. These guys are all touring professionals, they know what they’re doing. The margins are so small”.
Despite having thrashed Ramos 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, Federer claimed that “he’s definitely improved since then. That was a while back and that was not his favourite surface. I was awarer that he could give me a tough workout and even beat me”.
Last year, Federer also came close to falling early on in Shanghai against Florian Mayer and admitted, “I definitely thought of last year’s match. But at the same time it was a completely different match. Playing a lefty maybe also had something to do with it. Who knows? Albert was doing a good job of trying to stay on the offensive as well as I was trying to do the same. There were some good rallies there. I had my chances. I just couldn’t make it today. I’ve got to look into it. But at the end of the day this can happen during the year. Unfortunately, here in Shanghai where I was the defending champion, I was really hoping again to play a great tournament”.
Federer will almost probably not be able to claim back his second position in the ranking from Andy Murray after this defeat but will have to bounce back quickly for the final Masters of the season in Paris, and the World Tour Finals in London.
