 Apr 29, 2008 from Reuters:
LONDON - Roger Federer will earn 750,000 pounds, an increase of 7.1 percent on 2007, if he wins a sixth successive Wimbledon title in July.
The women's champion will receive the same amount after Wimbledon brought in equal prize money last year, the All England Club's chief executive Ian Ritchie told a news conference on Tuesday.
Federer and women's champion Venus Williams took home 700,000 pounds apiece in 2007. Total prize money will rise by 4.7 percent, from 11,282,710 pounds to 11,812,000.
Prize money for each of the men's and women's doubles events will top one million pounds for the first time, with the winning pairs receiving 230,000 pounds.
Ritchie also said building work to fit a retractable roof for the 2009 championships was on schedule. On Tuesday Wimbledon's grounds were filled with cranes, scaffolding and builders but Ritchie said the arenas, including an enlarged Centre Court with 1,200 extra seats, would be ready for this year's tournament which runs from June 23 to July 6.
Apr 28, 2008 from Market Wire:
BEIJING - Mercedes-Benz China Ltd. announced today that they have entered into a multi-year advertising and strategic marketing partnership with Roger Federer. As a component of this partnership, Roger Federer will join "Swing for the Stars" -- a Junior Tennis Development Program launched by Mercedes-Benz in cooperation with the China Tennis Association (CTA). "It's exciting to work with a top brand like Mercedes-Benz in China. I look forward to helping them grow their business while increasing the popularity of tennis in China," said Federer.
"Roger is an extraordinary tennis player and a fantastic role model. We are happy and proud to have him represent our brand as well as be involved in our program. Roger's resolute will for winning and success is what Mercedes-Benz has pursued for many years, sharing also the same vision with Mercedes-Benz on junior tennis training programs. It is these common features that promote the collaboration between Roger and Mercedes-Benz," said Klaus Maier, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz China.
For other information, please visit: media.daimler.com and mercedes-benz.com.cn
Apr 26, 2008 from Reuters:
MONTE CARLO - Roger Federer has set up a third straight final showdown with Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters after Serbian Novak Djokovic retired ill from their semi-final match.
The Swiss top seed was leading 6-3, 3-2 when Australian Open champion Djokovic, seeded third, pulled out after complaining of dizziness and a sore throat.
In the first set against Djokovic, the Swiss was back to his brilliant self. He saved three break points in the fifth game before stealing Djokovic's serve on his first attempt to open a decisive 5-3 lead.
Djokovic seemed in a position to bother the 12-times grand slam winner in the second set, only for him to leave the court following a quick chat with Federer.
Apr 24, 2008 from ATP:
Roger Federer is in pursuit of the one Grand Slam title that's eluded him thus far in his career, Roland Garros.
The World No. 1 recently hired Jose Higueras as coach, former mentor of Michael Chang and Jim Courier, who both went on to capture the title in Paris. Courier won twice in 1991-92.
Chang, who became the youngest man ever to win the singles crown in Paris at 17 years, 3 months old in 1989, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with ATPtennis.com. The American played 16 consecutive years at Roland Garros from 1988-2003, compiling a 38-15 match record. He also reached the final in 1995, losing to Thomas Muster.
Chang, a winner of 34 titles in his career and who reached No. 2 in the world on Sept. 9, 1996, will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July.
When asked about Federer's selection of bringing Higueras on board, Chang said, "I think Roger is obviously trying to get as much help as he can to win the only major that has eluded him. I can't blame him for that and to me, it's not a huge surprise. Jose is certainly one of the best coaches out there with clay being his specialty. Jose's knowledge of the surface and Spanish tennis (since Roger's losses in the finals were to Nadal) can bring a new understanding of clay court tennis to Roger's game."
Federer is 1-6 lifetime on clay against Nadal with his last three losses at Roland Garros coming to the Spaniard. Chang says a veteran coach like Higueras could be beneficial in Federer's quest to lift the champion's trophy for the first time.
"A new voice in Jose certainly won't hurt and I believe it will help Roger understand even better some of the 'secrets' of playing in Paris, especially when it comes to conditions and how the courts and balls are playing because each year, it's always a bit different. Sometimes small modifications can make a huge difference."
"The coach can play a significant role for sure, but Roger's health, stamina and overall play need to be there as well. I'm sure he will be eager though."
Chang said Higueras' easy-going demeanor and work ethic are two valuable traits which makes him an excellent coach. "Jose is very easy to work with and he works extremely hard. I think that's one reason why Courier and I did so well with him. We weren't afraid to work and we weren't afraid to implement new ideas that we knew could help us improve. On top of that, Jose is very professional, very low key and very personable too. That's not always easy to find these days."
Chang made his second appearance at Roland Garros in 1989 and had never won a pro clay court title prior Paris. He praised Higueras for his guidance. "Jose is a great coach and the two weeks we had in Paris were extraordinary," said Chang. "Growing up on hard courts, I never had a very good understanding of 'how' to play on clay even though my game was well suited to it. After spending much time with him in '89 as well as '88 on the clay, playing on the surface wasn't such a mystery for me anymore. I learned the differences of certain shots, angles, spins and bounces and those helped me tremendously in developing a strategy against various styles of players. I think of all the surfaces, clay makes you think and out smart your opponent more than any other type of court."
Apr 23, 2008 from AP:
MONTE CARLO - Roger Federer rallied from 5-1 down in third set to defeat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (1) Wednesday in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion, who twice came within two points of defeat, won five straight games to take a 6-5 lead before heading to the tiebreaker. Federer then won the match when the 137th-ranked Ramirez Hidalgo hit a forehand long.
Federer had 55 unforced errors in the match and looked shaky on his serve early, needing to save a break point in the fifth game of the first set. But Ramirez Hidalgo's unforced errors gave Federer a chance to serve out the set at 5-1.
Federer outscored Ramirez Hidalgo 14-1 in winners in the first set, but allowed him back in the match with some errant play in the second set.
from AFP:
A Briton ranked as the worst professional tennis player in the world won praise from world number one Roger Federer Wednesday, after managing his first professional victory.
Twenty-one-year-old Robert Dee, ranked world number 1,466, beat American teenager Arzhang Derkshani Tuesday in a low-level tournament in Barcelona 6-4, 6-3 to record his first victory in 55 matches.
That unexpected win meant that Dee avoided the embarrassment of bettering the record Guatemalan Diego Beltranena who had also lost 54 matches on the trot.
"All you can do is work hard and hope it will turn in your favour," said Federer whose 40 million dollars in prize money dwarfs Dee's total of 2,220 dollars in his three years playing such tennis outposts as Rwanda and Sudan.
"It's not going to happen again. That's some streak to have against you."
Worryingly for Dee, he then lost his next match.
from Reuters:
A poor start to the tennis season due to glandular fever would not distract Roger Federer from trying to achieve the remainder of his goals for the year.
"Some people don't understand how extraordinary the last four years have been," Federer, who has been number one since 2004, told La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview on Wednesday.
"I can't be finished in February when I had won the Masters Cup in November. Now I'm well.
"I had glandular fever at the start of the year but I wanted to play anyway because I have lots of goals and they are all important.
"Winning my first Roland Garros, my sixth Wimbledon title, the Olympics and beating Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slams," he added of his goals for the rest of the year.
from PRNewswire:
NEW YORK - Atari, Inc. today announced the upcoming launch of Smash Court Tennis 3 for the Xbox 360, the latest star-packed tennis smash in the renowned series from NAMCO BANDAI Games. Featuring the biggest names in tennis including Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, highly realistic visuals, a host of gameplay enhancements and online play via Xbox LIVE online game service, Smash Court Tennis 3 will be lobbing and smashing its way into North American retailers in June 2008.
Apr 22, 2008 from Masters Series Monte-Carlo:
Roger Federer took to the skies high above Monaco Tuesday on the eve of his first match at the 2008 Masters Series Monte-Carlo Presented by Rolex.
"I have taken the helicopter quite a few times but it was the first flight over Monte Carlo," Federer said. "It is such a beautiful city. We flew over the Monte Carlo Country Club, I hope I did not disturb the players!"
from PRNewswire:
BOSTON - Gillette is offering consumers a unique opportunity to play their favorite sport with their dad and one of the greatest athletes in the world.
As part of the Gillette Champions program, the "Play a Champion with Dad" promotion, which runs through August 15, 2008, will give 5 lucky consumers and their fathers, the chance to tee it up with the world's best golfer, Tiger Woods, or hit tennis balls with twelve-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer, or travel to Europe and play soccer with international superstar and French striker, Thierry Henry.
"This will be a memorable experience for the winners and their guest," said Michelle Potorski, Associate Marketing Director, Gillette North America. "It's exciting to meet one of the Champions. Through this promotion, consumers will actually have the opportunity to be on the same playing field as the Champions. It will be an incredible memory and could be the ultimate Father's Day gift."
The grand prize winners will receive airfare, a multi-night trip and accommodations, $1,000 spending money, as well as the opportunity to meet Tiger, Roger or Thierry on a golf course, a tennis court or a soccer pitch. There are also more than two thousand instant win prizes available.
To enter the "Play a Champion with Dad" Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes or for more information, visit www.gillettechampions.com for all promotion details.
Apr 21, 2008 from Masters Series Monte-Carlo:
After his win in Estoril Sunday, Roger Federer has arrived in Monaco. He hit his first balls Monday afternoon on the court 8 surrounded by hundreds of fans.
Apr 20, 2008 from Estoril Open:
Roger Federer snapped a five-month title drought by winning his 54th career ATP trophy at the Estoril Open on Sunday.
The Swiss was leading World No. 4 and 2003 champion Nikolay Davydenko 7-6(5) 1-2 after one hour and 20 minutes, when Davydenko retired due to a muscle strain in his left leg that he sustained towards the end of the first set.
Federer extends his perfect 12-0 record over Davydenko, who captured his second career ATP Masters Series shield at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida, two weeks ago. It was the pair’s third clay-court meeting.
Federer put Davydenko under pressure from the start, failing to convert two break points in the first game and three more in the fifth game. Davydenko went 0-4 into the tie-break.
Federer moved into a 5-1 lead in the tie-break and eventually won 7-5 in 62 minutes.
Davydenko received treatment for his injury at the end of the first set, and while he responded with a break of the Federer serve in the opening game of the second set - the 26-year-old retired minites later.
Federer has now won 54 ATP titles in 17 different countries, the most among active players on the ATP circuit.
He improves to 16-4 on the season, with his first ATP title since capturing his fourth Tennis Masters Cup title in Shanghai in November 2007.
Federer wins €59,100 in prize money and 175 South African ATP Rankings points, while Davydenko collects €31,000 and 120 points. The Estoril Open had a record attendance of 53,888 spectators this year.
Federer: “It feels great to win a title again and the circumstances were unfortunate. It would have been nice for Nikolay to finish. I think it’s the first time in my life that someone has retired against me – in 70-80 finals. It was cool in the cold conditions, but it is a great start to the clay-court season to win a title.
“It’s a good week for me to start off with. I think [Higueras] is happy for me, he didn’t confuse me and we’ll be off together to Monaco for hopefully a good week there.
“Nikolay felt something at the end of the first set, I saw Nikolay holding his leg before the changeover. I congratulated on a great run in Miami, Davis Cup and it is unfortunate to celebrate a win in this way. I’m still very proud to have won this tournament.”
Apr 17, 2008 from Estoril Open:
Steady rain didn’t bother Roger Federer at the Estoril Open Thursday, as the ATP World No. 1 wasted no time in beating Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-2 in 61 minutes for a place in the quarterfinals.
Federer made his move in the fourth game of the opening set, with two superb passing shots to break the Hanescu serve.
The 26-year-old Swiss broke twice more in the second set and committed a total of 28 unforced errors – rather half he made in the opening match.
Having dropped just 11 points on serve in his third career win over Hanescu, the World No. 1 rushed for cover from the steady rain. At no point did the chair umpire halt the contest on Court Central.
"The rain really made it difficult today," Federer said. "It's a good test so far."
After the match Federer went to practise for 25 minutes with Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Lüthi on an outside court.
For the first time since 2000 he’s began the first three months of the year without a title. It is also his longest final drought since the end of 2002 and first month of 2003 when he went seven tournaments without a final.
The 26-year-old will meet a Portuguese: either qualifier Joao Sousa or wild card Frederico Gil, who became two years ago the first local to reach the quarterfinals since Nuno Marques in 1995.
Gil was leading Sousa 7-6(5), 0-1 when play was suspended due to rain. The pair will return to Court Central at 10am on Friday to resume the match.
from AFP:
"It was rainy throughout the match, that's always a hard thing," said Federer.
"The balls have a very dead feel, the kick serve is non-existant. You have to play in a different way. Victor had a hard time today, he struggled to hit winners and I didn't make too many mistakes.
"I played offensive and he didn't know what to do. It was a good match. I'm very happy but it's not a match to over-rate. It was a solid performance though."
Federer was watched by his new coaching brains trust headed by Spain's Jose Higueras and Swiss Davis Cup coach Severin Luethi. He has on trial this week to see how the arrangement might work.
"Usually you start with a coach during practise week," said the Swiss. "We started during a tournament. My practise weeks are in December, January and February. Here, there is a match always around the corner. It's a bit harder but so far so good. I'm happy the way it's going and we'll see what happens in the future."
from Roger Federer Official Site:
Dear Fans
I have decided that I will play the Davis Cup tie this September against Belgium. I am looking forward to the opportunity to help Switzerland, along with my teammates, get back into the World Group for the 2009 season. I was so excited that the team was able to pull it out in Belarus last weekend and very much hope we can carry this momentum into the tie in September.
All the best from Estoril,
Roger
Apr 16, 2008 from AFP:
ESTORIL - Roger Federer will be ready to ride to the Davis Cup rescue for Switzerland after the nation was drawn on Wednesday to face visiting Belgium in the World Group playoffs in September.
At the weekend, Stanislas Wawrinka led the nation down the comeback road with his pair of singles wins in the 4-1 defeat of Balarus in Minsk.
That victory set the stage for Federer to come on board for the September 19-21 tie which could cement the former finalist nation back in the elite grouping of the worldwide competition.
"The chances are very good that I will play," Federer confirmed at Estoril. "I'm proud the team could win over Belarus without me. It's a great effort. I'd love to get Switzerland back into the World Group. I'd say my decision is pretty much taken."
Swiss Davis Cup coach Severin Luethi is on hand this week in Estoril as part of 'Team Federer', working with the star pupil alongside Federer's new provisional coach Jose Higueras.
Switzerland and Belgium last played in Brussels in 1999, with the hosts winning.
Federer's way in the top half of the 32-man Estoril draw is looking clear, with the defeat of fourth seed Jarkko Nieminen eliminating any Top 50 player from Federer's side.
The Swiss is working on confidence this week as he trials Higueras, with the possibility that the 55-year-old could be brought on board for the clay season and perhaps beyond.
"I've not had too many days on clay, it will be tough to change surface for all players," said Federer. "I hope I can then get on a roll. I hope Estoril will pay off and I can do well at other events especially Roland Garros."
from Estoril Open:
Former World No. 1 Jim Courier believes his former coach Jose Higueras could be the key to helping Roger Federer clinch the only Grand Slam title to elude him.
The 1991 and 1992 Roland Garros champion praised Federer’s decision to hire Higueras for the Estoril Open, saying: “There are a handful of great coaching minds out there and Jose is one of them so I was not surprised to see Roger hire Jose.”
With a 1-6 record on clay against Rafael Nadal, Courier believes the voice of Higueras might give Federer an edge when and if they meet on clay this spring.
“I am sure Roger is looking for a spark and a new voice often can do that,” said Courier, who had a 118-37 career record at the four major championships.
Higueras helped Courier to the No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings in 1992, a position the American held for 58 weeks in total during his 13-year career.
“Jose understands the mind of a champion, knows how to deliver information tactfully and knows how to prepare a player as well as anyone you'll find,” said Courier.
“It's anyone's guess as to whether they will connect as player and coach but it seems like a logical choice by Roger.”
Apr 15, 2008 from Estoril Open:
Roger Federer survived a slow start and an error-strewn encounter Tuesday to take his place in the Estoril Open second round.
The ATP World No. 1 hit 17 aces and wracked up 53 unforced errors in beating Olivier Rochus of Belgium 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a shade over two hours.
The last time the pair met at Halle in 2005, Rochus failed to convert match points in a three-set loss. Federer now holds a 6-0 career advantage over the World No. 77, who played with a shoulder support.
Despite suffering four first round exits this year, the 27-year-old Rochus started full of confidence and broke once for a 4-3 lead when Federer hit a double fault. Rochus saved all six break points in the first set.
Federer failed to convert two break point opportunities in the fourth game of the second set. But the pressure began to tell on the Rochus serve and Federer broke in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead.
With greater composure on the sun-baked clay at the Estadio Nacional, Federer broke two times in the third set to wrap up his 12th victory of the season.
Federer will next meet Romanian Victor Hanescu in the second round on Thursday. Federer has a 2-0 lead over the World No. 68, who beat Olivier Patience of France 6-1, 7-6(2) on Tuesday.
from AFP:
"Getting through a match like this is good, especially being down a set," said Federer. "I had to come back and fight, but the reward was great. I played well towards the end.
"I played well towards the end. This is a bit of a relief. I was under a lot of pressure today, at the end especially."
Rochus, who counts Federer as a friend after the pair grew up on court together a decade and a half ago, said he may be facing surgery on his right shoulder for inflammation.
"It was bothering me, but I served good," said the Belgian. "But Roger started making less errors and lifted his game.
"I knew when I trailed 5-2 in the second set that it would be tough. I'[ve know Roger for 14 years, it's always an honour to play against him."
Apr 14, 2008 from Estoril Open:
Roger Federer will work with former Top 10 ATP pro Jose Higueras at the Estoril Open this week, with a view to continuing the coaching arrangement during the European clay-court season. Federer confirmed the news at a press conference in Estoril on Monday.
“Jose will be with me this week and we’ll see how it goes,” said Federer. “He has come over from the States and we have worked together for three days.
“I’ve been thinking about a coach for a long time, I had a few names but there isn’t too many out there. Once I had Jose in my mind I asked him if he’d be interested. He was quite flexible and came over. I took the decision when I was in the States.
“The decision I have taken is not because of the French Open, but because I want to continue to improve as a player. I think it would be the wrong approach to hire him just for Paris.
“We’ll see how it goes this week and he might come back for Rome and Roland Garros. [If we work out] he will definitely be my coach in a similar way to Tony [Roche], travelling a few weeks but not all the time.”
Higueras, who captured 15 of his 16 career titles on clay and reached a personal-best No. 6 in the ATP Rankings in June 1983, also advanced to the semifinals at Roland Garros in 1982-83.
In nearly two decades of coaching, the 55-year-old Spaniard helped guide Michael Chang and Jim Courier to Roland Garros crowns.
He also worked with Pete Sampras in his pursuit of capturing the French title, along with former Roland Garros champions Carlos Moya and Sergi Bruguera. He also had stints with Todd Martin, Dmitry Tursunov and is also currently working with American Robby Ginepri.
On Saturday, Higueras trained with Federer for three hours on Court Central at the Estadio Nacional. The 26-year-old Federer has been without a coach since breaking up with Aussie Tony Roche after Rome last May.
The Swiss has a 102-36 career record with six titles on clay, winning ATP Masters Series Hamburg four times (2002, '04-05, '07), Munich (2003) and Gstaad (2004).
In the last two years, he's compiled a 32-6 clay court mark with five of the losses coming to rival Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is 6-1 lifetime on clay against Federer, including Roland Garros final wins in 2006-07 and semifinals in 2005.
from TENNIS.com:
Unlike some, Federer has not pressed the panic button after failing to lift a trophy three months into this season. After reaching the Australian Open semifinals while recovering from what turned out to be mononucleosis, the No. 1 remains surprised that he did so well under the conditions.
"I disagree with those who say I'm playing bad. I'm definitely not playing bad. I'm on the verge of playing great again, that's what I'm looking at. We're now in a different part of the season, it's back to zero for everybody."
Federer, guarded by a special detail of four security men around the grounds on site, said that this week is important as a test of his clay form. He is competing at the smaller event due mainly to the Beijing Olympic scheduling which knocks one week off of the spring clay season.
"Being here as the ultimate favourite and having maybe an easier draw than at a Masters, it's the right thing to kick off the clay court season," he said. "I've not had too many days on clay, it will be tough for all of us. But I hope I can then get on a roll.
"I hope Estoril will pay off and I can do well at other events - especially the French Open."
Apr 13, 2008 from Roger Federer Official Site:
Dear Fans,
Today I arrived in Estoril for my first clay court tournament of the year. I am excited to be playing this tournament for the first time and look forward to playing in front of the portuguese fans. Joining me in Estoril this week will be my fitness trainer, Pierre Paganini and Swiss Davis Cup capt, Severin Luthi will come later in the week from Belarus.
I am also excited as I have asked Jose Higueras, one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in the world of tennis, to join me. Jose has coached many of the games great players including former #1 Jim Courier and Michael Chang. We are going to spend the week together to see if we could make a good team.
I am feeling great, eager and ready for the next several months of tennis in Europe,
Love
Roger
from Estoril Open:
Roger Federer took time out from his preparations for the Estoril Open to visit the Portuguese MotoGP on Sunday.
The Swiss, who was invited by his sponsor Emmi, joined Tournament Director Joăo Lagos at the Circuito do Estoril, where he met seven-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi.
Federer took a keen interest in the fortunes of his compatriot and 250cc rider Tom Lüthi and visited Rossi in his motor home prior to the race.
"It's been a great experience and I had a lot of fun here,” said Federer. “I enjoyed watching Tom's race and it was very nice to meet Valentino. I'm glad that I became a tennis player and not a motorcyclist. This would be too dangerous for me.”
The 26-year-old received a warm welcome from the crowd when he walked onto the grid prior to the start of the MotoGP race. He then returned to the Estadio Nacional for practice ahead of his first round clash against Olivier Rochus of Belgium.
from DPA:
In his day at the track, Federer was feted by a Swiss moto sponsor, went with Rossi to the Italian's Yamada paddock motorhome for a chat and watched compatriot Luethi race.
"I'm glad I have got tennis instead of moto," admitted Federer, who also did PR duties earlier this week in Basle for Rolex at a watch fair. "It's much more dangerous than I'm used to. And it's really loud."
Apr 12, 2008 from Reuters:
JAMOR, Portugal - Roger Federer practised with a new coach at Portugal's Estoril Open on Saturday in an attempt to recover from a poor start to the 2008 season and improve his claycourt game.
Spaniard Jose Higueras, 55, who helped American Michael Chang win the French Open aged just 17 in 1989, coached the Swiss for over two hours on centre court.
The pair appeared to be getting to know each other under the watchful eye of hundreds of spectators. At one point, Federer stopped to catch his breath and Higueras asked him if he liked to play golf.
"I do sometimes," said Federer. "But I couldn't care less if the ball lands on the rough or on the fairway."
Apr 3, 2008 from AP:
KEY BISCAYNE - Andy Roddick ended a streak of 11 consecutive losses to Roger Federer by beating him 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open in Florida.
Dominating with his serve, Roddick took advantage of Federer's suddenly shaky play in the final set to earn a place in the semifinals against Nikolay Davydenko.
Roddick improved to 2-15 against Federer, who has yet to reach a final in 2008, making this his worst start since 2000.
To beat Federer for the first time since 2003, Roddick had to be at his best, especially down the stretch. He fell behind love-30 serving at 3-3 in the final set, then won the next 11 points, five of them thanks to unforced errors by Federer. Twice during the stretch Federer shanked shots.
Federer lost serve at love to fall behind 5-3, losing the only break point he faced in the match. Roddick closed out the victory with a 140-mph service winner, and he served well throughout, hitting 18 aces — including two in the tiebreaker. That helped him end a streak of 10 consecutive sets lost against Federer.
Apr 1, 2008 from Reuters:
MIAMI - Roger Federer was back to his best on Tuesday to reach the last eight at the Sony Ericcson Open with a 7-6 6-2 win over Jose Acasuso.
The Swiss top seed made it through to his sixth Miami quarter-final on the back of an impressive service game against the Argentine world number 45.
There were no breaks in the first set and Federer squeezed through in the tiebreak 7-5 after winning the final two points.
Federer raced to a 4-0 lead in the second to unnerve Acasuso, who could only watch the world number one serve out the match to love starting with two aces.
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