Nov 13, 2002

Roger Federer poses for pictures and signs autographs in the Heineken VIP hospitality area November 13, 2002 during the Tennis Masters Cup at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Nov 11, 2002

(L-R) Andre Agassi, Albert Costa, Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Lleyton Hewitt, Thomas Johansson, Carlos Moya, Jiri Novak, and Marat Safin, dressed in Chinese traditional Tang-style clothing, pose on the bank of Waitan, Shanghai. (Photo by Jiang Ren/Imagine China/DPPI)

Roger in a traditional Chinese Jacket after the Introduction Ceremony for the Tennis Masters Cup at The Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China on November 11, 2002. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Aug 26, 2002 from US Open:
Roger Federer moved on after his first round win over the Czech Republic's Jiri Vanek on Monday. The four-set match, which lasted 126 minutes, did not go as easily as the Suisse player might have planned. Ultimately though, Federer prevailed, taking Vanek 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Federer showed unmatched force, with 12 winners in the first set, as opposed to Vanek's single winner. Federer also converted three of three break points to quickly seize the first set.

Although Vanek averaged a faster first serve than Federer throughout the match, he was barely able to take control of the most crucial points. Vanek improved his play in the second set, taking three games from Federer, but ultimately Federer prevailed again, using 13 winners and his killer serve.

Vanek showed another sign of hope in the third set, winning the first three games. Federer's serve seemed to trail off during that set, as he won merely 33% of his service points. Vanek and Federer then both took a game each, before Vanek finally won the third set, 6-3.

The fourth set saw both Federer and Vanek struggling. As the score leveled off at 5-5, Federer kicked up his match play, taking the last two games, and winning with a final score of 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Federer, the No. 13 seed in the main draw, will go on to play two-time semifinalist Michael Chang in the second round.

Aug 25, 2002

Prior to practice, Swiss tennis ace, Roger Federer's trainer sprays a layer of artificial skin on his blistered foot. (Photo by Art Seitz/Zuma Press/NewsCom)

Aug 22, 2002 from ATP:
Chilean Nicolas Massu upset second seed Roger Federer 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-3 in the TD Waterhouse Cup. Federer has lost in the opening round in four of his past five tournaments and has slipped to 11th in the ATP Champions Race. Roger Federer: "I've lost all confidence lately. I feel like I'm missing energy. I started the year well - I made the Top 10 for the first time and won (Tennis Masters Series) Hamburg, but after that it's mainly been downhill, and I really can't explain why."

Aug 15, 2002 from ATP:
Swiss players Roger Federer and MARC ROSSET were among the more than 200 tennis friends who paid their last respects to Swiss Davis Cup coach Peter Carter at a funeral in St. Leonhard's Church in Basel on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Australian died in a car accident in South Africa on Aug. 1. The moving ceremony was conducted by the priest who had performed the marriage rites between Carter and his Swiss-born wife Silvia little more than a year ago. Eulogies were given by Silvia, Christine Ungricht, president of the Swiss Tennis Association and a close childhood friend from Australia. Federer, who began playing tennis as an eight-year-old with Carter, was joined at the funeral by Rosset and various players from Young Boys Basel, Carter's club team. DARREN CAHILL, a long-time hometown friend of Carter and current coach of ANDRE AGASSI, also was in attendance.

Aug 12, 2002 from TD Waterhouse Cup:
COMMACK, N.Y. - Roger Federer, currently No. 10 in the ATP Champions Race, accepted a wild card and will be part of the 48-player main field of the TD Waterhouse Cup presented by Roslyn Savings Bank, it was announced today by Kari Mutscheller, tournament director. The men's professional tennis tournament will be held August 17-25 at the Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack.

May 23, 2002 from ATP Insider:
After Roger Federer collected his first Tennis Masters Series shield in Hamburg last week, the Swiss star spoke to Stefan Nägeli of Blick Online and said that there was no shortage of people offering their congratulations. “Björn Borg called my coach Peter Lundgren and congratulated us,” Federer told Nägeli, before adding: “It is my biggest triumph on clay to date. At the beginning of my career, I had a lot of problems on this surface, lost nine times in a row. That’s why this title in Hamburg is incredible.”

May 19, 2002 from ATP:
Swiss star Roger Federer captured the first Tennis Masters Series shield of his career after defeating Marat Safin in the final in Hamburg. Federer, the No. 11 seed, played what he described as "definitely the best match" of his career to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 in just over two hours. "It's very special for me," said Federer. "I thought it would be much tougher, but I played unbelievable tennis. I could risk a lot and the balls went in. Just incredible."

Roger Federer holds aloft the trophy after defeating Marat Safin in the Final during the ATP Tennis Masters Series at the Rothenbaum Tennis Centre in Hamburg in Germany. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

May 16, 2002 from ATP Insider:
JAMES BLAKE and Roger Federer will no doubt cross paths many times in the coming years on the ATP circuit. But the two rising stars probably wouldn’t have expected to be hitting balls in flight paths while at the Tennis Masters Hamburg. During an excursion organized by Mercedes- Benz, Federer and Blake were taken to the airbus site in Hamburg Finkenwerder. With racquets in hand, the two played with felt balls across the huge wings of a “Beluga” transport aircraft, which is the largest plane in the world. “We had lots of fun,” said Federer about the extreme tennis interlude, which ended with rallies across the fuselage of the “giant of the skies.” While they were at the site, the young American and Swiss stars visited the assembly halls of the works and watched the production of an airbus cockpit. Before making their way back, the two also took their Mercedes SL 500 cars for a race.

Apr 17, 2002

Roger Federer with his award at the ATP Awards night which was held at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club during the ATP Tennis Masters Series, Monte Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Mar 25, 2002

Roger Federer looks at a trainer after stopping his match due to a injury to his thumb at the Tennis Master Series in Key Biscayne, Florida. Federer went on to beat Albert Portas 6-4, 6-1 in the third round of the mens singles. (Photo by Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images)

Mar 9, 2002 from Pacific Life Open:

ATP stars Roger Federer, Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Martin and Ivan Ljubicic joined Scooby Doo on Friday in Cartoon Network SMASH Tennis, a touring event where kids learn tennis skills from top pros and Cartoon Network's animated stars. The event, in its sixth year, is free to tennis fans at the Pacific Life Open. (Photo by Cynthia Lum)

Feb 19, 2002

Swiss tennis players Roger Federer (C, with cap) and Ivo Heuberger (C, white shirt) model during a tennis fashion show, on the sidelines of the ATP Rotterdam ABN AMRO tennis tournament, 19 February 2002 in Rotterdam. (Photo by AFP/EPA/ANP/Toussaint Kluiters/AAP Image)

Feb 3, 2002 from Yahoo! News:
Milan - Davide Sanguinetti upsets Roger Federer 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-1. "I'm the happiest person right now," said Sanguinetti. "To win my first title in Italy is just incredible. I've never had a week like this before."

Federer's loss is only his second of the year but the Swiss player, who won the Adidas International in Sydney, said he was not surprised with the way Sanguinetti played. They had practiced in Sydney and "he kicked my ass-he was running down a lot of balls today, which I don't know if he normally does, can make the difference."

Feb 2, 2002 from Yahoo! News:
Switzerland's Roger Federer has given himself another chance. Italy's Davide Sanguinetti is looking to make the most of another opportunity. Federer posted a dramatic victory over seventh seed Greg Ruseski and will meet the unseeded Sanguinetti in Sunday's final of the Milan Indoor tournament. Federer never faced a break point in his victory over the Brit.

"I was very consistent today, especially on my serve," Federer said. "I was ready at the right time with the right shots...The first set was very close. In the second set I felt I was the better player, but it still came down to the tie-break." Federer, who won in Sydney the first week of the year, improved to 13-2 in 2002.

Feb 1, 2002 from ATP:
Roger Federer fended off inspired opponents Friday to advance to an enticing semifinal showdown to Milan. Second seed and defending champion Federer, who now has a 8-0 record in Milan, came back from a slow start to stop Sargis Sargisian 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

"He's a tough player on this surface," Federer said of Greg Rusedski, whom he will play in semifnal showdown. "I got a little bit lucky today. I need to serve well and play aggressively against Greg."

Jan 31, 2002 from ATP:
Second seed Roger Federer continued his quest for a second consecutive title in Milan, but his path to the final eight was far more challenging than most expected. The Swiss star went the distance against the promising Nikolay Davydenko, finally defeating the 20-year-old Russian 6-3, 6-3, 7(5), 7-5 after nearly two and a half hours of play.

"It was unfortunate that it had to go three sets, but I'm happy I got through," said the 20-year-old-Federer. "I was playing well in the beginning. And in the second set I still thought I was the better player, but I couldn't break him."

Jul 4, 2001

Roger Federer throws a ball to the ballboy in a men's singles quarterfinal match during Wimbledon. He lost to Tim Henman 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 7-6 (8-6). (Photo by Susan Mullane/NewSport/Corbis)

Jul 2, 2001

Roger Federer drops to his knees in jubilation after defeating Pete Sampras 7-6 (9-7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5 in a men's singles fourth-round match on the Wimbledon's Center Court, ending Sampras' 31-match winning streak at the All England Club. (Photo by Susan Mullane/NewSport/Corbis)

Jun 5, 2001

Roger Federer visits the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe before his quarter final match with Alex Corretja tomorrow in French Open tennis at Roland Garros, Paris. (Photo by Fotosports)

Apr 19, 2001 from Reuters:
MONTE CARLO - 15th seed Roger Federer wasted no time dispatching France's Arnaud Di Pasquale 6-1, 6-2 in scorching heat on Centre Court to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals. Federer had an easy ride of it, needing just 61 minutes to dismantle Olympic bronze medalist Di Pasquale.

Di Pasquale, who beat the Swiss player in Sydney in the Olympic bronze medal match last year, confronted his friend when the pair reached the third round on Wednesday, saying: "I'm ready for you." The reality, however, was very different.

Federer played with poise, power and control throughout while the temperamental Di Pasquale, conqueror of top seed Marat Safin in the first round, never got his game together. Federer next meets either French ninth seed Sebastien Grosjean or Swede Magnus Gustafsson in the last eight.

Jan 25, 2001 from ATP Insider:
IN MELBOURNE...Roger Federer met with four children suffering from various illnesses to aid the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Kids Tennis Foundation. The Swiss star talked to the children, signed autographs and posed for photos in the tournament media garden.

Jan 18, 2001

MELBOURNE - Roger Federer helps 7 year old Alex James put her ticket in the charity box. On Sunday every ticket stubb placed in the black boxes will give $2 to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. (Photo by Fiona Hamilton/NewsPhotos)

Oct 16, 2000 from rowztennis:
The ATP Tour featured Switzerland's Roger Federer in its "New Balls" campaign, and the 19 year-old is fulfilling his potential. After a third round U.S. Open appearance, Federer barely missed medaling at the Olympics. France's Arnaud di Pasquale bested Federer for the bronze medal. Last week in Vienna, Federer reached the semifinals, ousting Magnus Norman and Richard Krajicek. His fabulous forehand is the cornerstone of his game.

Mar 27, 2000

Portrait of Roger Federer during a feature shoot during the Ericsson Open at Crandon Park in Key Bicayne, Florida. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Allsport/Getty Images)

Jul 5, 1998

Roger Federer holds aloft the Wimbledon Boys Singles trophy after his win over Irakli Labadze of Georgia in the Boys Singles Final during The Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club on July 5, 1998 in London. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)