Paris Masters Director Hits Out At Roger Federer Over Withdrawal - UBITENNIS
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Paris Masters Director Hits Out At Roger Federer Over Withdrawal

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6 years ago

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Roger Federer (zimbio.com)

The tournament director of the Paris Masters has accused Roger Federer of ‘weakening the credibility of the circuit’ after pulling out of this week’s Masters 1000 event.

 

Guy Forget was notified on Sunday that the 19-time grand slam champion wouldn’t be playing just hours after winning the Basel Open. Federer clinched his 95th ATP title with a three-set win over Juan Martin del Potro. As a result of his withdrawal, Rafael Nadal is required to win one match this week to secure the year-end No.1 ranking.

Federer’s decision has prompted an angry response from Forget, who claimed he spent ‘many months’ getting both Federer and Nadal to compete in the event. Is is the second time this season that the Swiss player has missed a major event in Paris after the French Open.

“You imagine my disappointment, my frustration (at Federer’s withdrawal). I had his agent (Tony Godsick) on the phone who told me of his wish to recover because he is at the end of the roll. We take note of it.” Forget told L’equipe.
“We have no other recourse against that. We are sad about all the efforts that have been made for many weeks and many months to welcome Roger and Rafa into this room.
“Unfortunately, Rafa will be alone. There are other great champions, but I am convinced that Roger’s Parisian fans will be very disappointed.”

Forget, who was a former top-five player himself during the early 1990s, went on to accuse Federer of being selfish. Questioning his scheduling and his priorities. Last week Federer became the first player to win the Basel Open for a eighth time. He has an extensive history at the event, which is held in his birthplace.

“At 36, we pay more attention than when we have 25. Nevertheless, I still think that the Masters 1000 are the nine biggest tournaments of the calendar.” Forget argued.
“When a player, whoever he is, misses this appointment, it weakens the credibility of the circuit. I greet all those who make the effort. So some are a little diminished.
“Rafael Nadal is here. Others made the effort. Some have had surgery, you can not get them out of their hospital bed.
“When a player wins a tournament 500 kilometers away and is not there the next week, we are bound to be sad.”

My body needs a rest

Throughout 2017, Federer has only played back-to-back tournaments twice. During the American Masters swing (Indian Wells and Miami) and on the grass (Stuttgart followed by Halle). He has opted to sidestep Paris to focus on the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in London at the O2 Arena.

During a press conference in Basel, the 36-year-old said he doesn’t want to push himself too hard on the tour and risk injury. Last year Federer missed six months of action due to a knee injury.

“I was always going to wait and see how I felt throughout the week.” Federer explained about skipping Paris.
“My body is again asking for a break. I can feel it. It doesn’t look like it on a tennis court, I know. People always think it is easy and simple to run through tournaments, but it really isn’t.”

Federer currently has a win-loss record of 49-4 this season with seven titles under his belt. The most he has won within the same year since 2007.

 

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Jannik Sinner beats Danil Medvedev in the China Open final to clinch the ninth title of his career

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2 hours ago

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04/10/2023

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Jannik Sinner beat Danil Medvedev 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-2) after 2 hours and 1 minute earning the first match win of his career against his Russian rival in his seventh attempt. 

 

Sinner has won the ninth title of his career and the third of the 2023 season following his triumphs Montpellier and his first ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto. The Italian player claimed the second ATP 500 title after Washington following his two wins over top 3 players Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal and Danil Medvedev in the final. 

Sinner has moved to number 4 in the ATP Live Ranking becoming the second Italian player to reach the top 5 after Adriano Panatta, who won the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome and Roland Garros in 1976 reaching a career high of world number 4. Sinner is aiming to qualify for the NITTO ATP Finals in Turin for the first time after playing as alternate in 2021.

Both players served well in the first four games of the opening set. Sinner saved a break point in the fifth game and held serve with a forehand. Medvedev fended off two break points in the eighth game. Sinner earned two mini-breaks to open up a 3-0 lead in the tie-break and hit two winners on serve to race out to 5-0. Medvedev pulled one of the mini-breaks back but Sinner closed out the first set 7-2 on his second set point. 

Medvedev saved three break points (the third with a forehand winner) in the third game of the second set to hold serve at deuce for 2-1. Sinner held serve to 30 at 3-4 and won the 10th game on serve at love to prolong the match. 

Sinner opened up a 3-0 lead with an early mini-break at the start of the second tie-break and forged to 5-2 with a service winner. Sinner earned four match points with a forehand and converted his first chance with a forehand winner to secure his 49th match of the season.  

“Danil, thanks for letting me at least one match. We have had some very tough battles, especially this year. Thanks for making me a much better player. I have been training a lot to beat you. My team are working a lot. Thank you very much and it is special this moment with you”, said Sinner during the award ceremony. 

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Iga Swiatek cruises past Magda Linette to reach the quarter final at the China Open in Beijing

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4 hours ago

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04/10/2023

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Iga Swiatek cruised past this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette 6-1 6-1 to reach the quarter final at the China Open in Beijing. Swiatek has won her 60th match in 2023. 

 

Swiatek set up a match against Caroline Garcia or Anhelina Kalinina. 

Swiatek did not face any break points and dropped just eight points on her serve and hit 16 winners to Linette’s three. She broke twice in the first set and three times in the second set. 

Swiatek has won her 18th match this year for the loss of three or fewer games. 

Swiatek has improved to 3-1 in her head-to-head matches against her compatriots. She lost her only match via retirement against Joanna Zawadswa in the first round of the Warsaw ITF W25 tournament in 2018. 

Swiatek has reached her 14th quarter final in 2023 and her ninth at WTA 1000 level. The Polish player has become the fourth player since 2009 to reach seven or more WTA 1000 quarter final in the same season after Agnieszka Radwanska, Li Na and Serena Williams. 

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Dusan Lajovic beats Stan Wawrinka to reach the second round in Shanghai

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6 hours ago

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04/10/2023

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Dusan Lajovic beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4 7-6 (9-7) on Stadium  Court at the Masters 1000 tournment in Shanghai in their first head-to-head match since Roland Garros 2015. 

 

Lajovic, who won the ATP 250 title in Banja Luka last April completed the set of winning a main-draw match at each of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments. 

Lajovic broke Wawrinka’s serve in the first game of the opening set. The Serbian player earned a double break in the seventh game to open up a 5-2. Wawrinka pulled one break back in the eighth game for 3-5, but Lajovic served out the first set to love. 

Lajovic earned went up a break twice in the third and seventh games of the second set, but Wawrinka broke back both times. Lajovic saved a set point at 6-7 in the tie-break and won the final three points to close out the match in 1 hour and 53 minutes. 

Lajovic hit 16 winners to just 7 unforced errors. The Serbian player moved to 1-2 in his three head-to-head matches against his Swiss opponent. 

Lajovic set up a second round match against Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor. 

Brandon Nakashima beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-1 7-6 (7-3) to set up a second round match against Holger Rune. Nakashima won his first Masters 1000 match since last March in Miami. Nakashima broke twice in the second and fourth games and held his final service game at love to seal the first set 6-1. Both players went on serve with no break points en route to the tie-break. Zapata Miralles earned an early mini-break at the start of the tie-break to take a 2-0 lead. Nakashima won seven of the next eight points including three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-3. 

Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Fabio Fognini 6-2 6-4 in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Kokkinakis earned an early break in the first game of the opening set. Fognini did not convert two break-back points in the second game. Fognini saved a break point in the fifth game, but Kokkinakis broke for the second time in the seventh game and held his serve in the next game to seal the first set 6-2. Fognini made three unforced errors at 4-4 in the second set and Kokkinakis earned the break after Fognini made his third double fault of the match. 

Kokkinakis leads 4-0 in his head-to-head matches against Fognini. The Australian player will face Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. 

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