Sep 30, 2005 from Reuters:
BANGKOK - Top seed Roger Federer eased past Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-4 6-3 in 68 minutes to reach the last four of the Thailand Open on Friday and will meet Jarkko Nieminen in the semi-finals.

Federer needed patience but had little difficulty in disposing of Muller. The Swiss world number one broke on his fifth break point in the opening game and held further break points at 3-1 and 4-2, although Muller often played his way out of trouble with a blistering serve.

Federer had to wait for a further 54 minutes to earn his second break of the match. Two consecutive double-faults at 5-3 led to Federer claiming a third break and the match.

With the win, Federer posted his 29 th consecutive win and tied Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl for the 10 th longest wining streak in the Open era.

"It was a dangerous match. It was tough to break him because I didn’t read his serves well," said Federer. "Thank God I got off to a good start and that calmed things down a little bit. I really tried after that, every service game I played, to stay very focused and not give him too much of a chance. I don't remember him having any break points so I was never under pressure too much."

"Today was just solid and consistent, what was needed. No real flashy play, and that's probably what I've got to do again tomorrow."

"I don’t have problems playing a lefty. So far I have played two of them in this tournament. Nieminem is a good friend of mine. I have a good record against him. I’m glad that he came back from a wrist injury to play well, but I feel like I'm playing well and want to continue my winning."

from Tennis X:
From the ATP: "One more title for [Roger] Federer, who is playing in this week's Thailand Open, will give him twice as many consecutive finals wins as the previous record holders (Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe each had streaks of 12 straight titles won). ESPN.com has asked fans how Federer's streak compares to other sports. In it's survey, ESPN.com asked "What is the most impressive active streak in sports?" Federer is second, having received 31 percent of the nearly 20,000 votes by early Thursday morning. With 34 percent of the vote, first place belongs to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves who have won 14 consecutive division titles. Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre's streak of 227 consecutive NFL games start gets 26 percent of the vote, while the University of Southern California's collegiate football winning streak of 24 games has nine percent of the vote."

Sep 29, 2005 from Reuters:
BANGKOK - Roger Federer recovered his poise on Thursday, beating Germany's Denis Gremelmayr 6-3 6-2 in 61 minutes to ease through to the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open.

The fluid strokes and aggressive shot-making were back in abundance against Gremelmayr, after Federer held off three break points in the opening game and then broke the left-hander for 2-0. But although he was never seriously threatened, Federer faced some tense moments as Gremelmayr settled and held a point to break back at 4-2.

Federer escaped when Gremelmayr netted a forehand, and after sealing the first set he broke to love to start the second. Gremelmayr continued to challenge, hitting some blistering shots from the baseline, and Federer had to fight off three break points in the second game before breaking again to lead 4-1.

"I was in control and didn't have to push 100 percent all the time," said Federer. "But he didn't play too bad you know. I really had to play good tennis to come through. I had a good start in both sets."

"I felt a lot more comfortable out there. I'm not tired. Maybe it looked that way but that's because I was in such control of the match. I saved my energy at times but I feel completely fine."

He said his first night here was hell as, unable to sleep because of jet-lag, he passed sleepless hours watching Champions League football in his five-star hotel. "I've had two matches now, I just need to keep getting that little bit better," Federer said. "This one was different from the first round, when the guy (Daniel) wanted to play serve-and-volley. Today my form was better, I was so jet-lagged for the first match."

The Swiss world number one has now won 74 matches this year, matching Rafael Nadal, and looked far more comfortable than in his opening match. "A different day, a different opponent. It changes everything," said Federer, who next faces Andy Roddick's U.S. Open conqueror Gilles Muller.

"Next I play against Muller, who I played against in Indian Wells where I won pretty comfortably. But he's been playing a lot better in the last few months, being a finalist in L.A., meeting Andre (Agassi), and beating Roddick at the US Open. Muller is a good player and he's getting used to playing in big matches now. He is a dangerous opponent who comes to the net and plays aggressive."

PARIS - A mouth-watering Roger Federer-Lleyton Hewitt Davis Cup clash was set up on Thursday when Switzerland were drawn to host Australia in the first round of the men's international team competition. World number one Federer is yet to confirm his participation in February's first round but is sure to step in now Switzerland's World Group opponents are known.

Sep 28, 2005 from Reuters:
BANGKOK - Tormented by frustration and a tricky opponent, Roger Federer's customary cool slipped for a second on Wednesday as the Swiss hurled his racket during a hard-fought first round victory at the Thailand Open. Federer was made to battle all the way before beating Brazilian Marcos Daniel 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in one hour and 30 minutes to open his Thai defence and the strain caused the uncharacteristic outburst.

"I was told he likes to get the rhythm and he's pretty slow from the baseline, and I get a guy serve and volleying at me," the world number one said. "It's not so easy to adjust, plus on top of that I feel a little rusty coming from clay, but in the end I played some good shots when I needed them."

Federer's frustration was understandable as 133rd-ranked Daniel refused to be intimidated by the stature of his opponent and rallied well from the baseline. At one stage Federer came within two points of allowing Daniel to serve for the opening set, and he had to wait until his eighth break point before a backhand volley error from Daniel at 5-5 gave him the first break of the match. Even then he dropped his own serve, and just one mini-break -- on the first point of the tiebreak -- decided the set in Federer's favour. Several break points also went begging in the second set, before Federer finally claimed victory on his third match point.

"It was a little bit frustration, a little bit of jet-lag. The court was faster than I had thought. I was frustrated at not taking my chances," said Federer. "It should have never happened -- maybe we'll never see another one. It was bad having to play a tiebreaker after being broken (in the 12th game of the first set)."

About Nadal winning as many titles as him this year, Federer said "Now that Wimbledon and the US Open have gone by, I'm feeling fairly relaxed. Nadal is winning titles, and that's good for him, just as long as he isn't beating me."

from Business Wire:
NEW YORK - 2K Sports announced today that Top Spin, the first online pro tennis title for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, is now available in stores across North America. Based on the #1 rated tennis video game* for the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, this latest Top Spin release builds on all of the original features that have made it a top franchise. Among the new additions are online play and Eye Toy(TM) USB Camera (for PlayStation®2) capability, and tennis stars Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams and Carlos Moya - all of which blend together to create the most authentic virtual tennis experience on the market.

Sep 27, 2005 from Malaysia Star:
BANGKOK (Agencies) - Roger Federer arrived in Bangkok on Monday after an overnight flight from Zurich to defend his title at the $550,000 Thailand Open. Even though his travel schedule from now until the end of the season in November is intense – he will be in China next Monday followed by tournaments in Europe – Federer is determined not to let down supporters and sponsors in East Asia.

"When I say I’m going to a tournament, it’s not for just one or two matches," the six-time Grand Slam champion told reporters in Bangkok. "When I say I’m going it’s because I want to win it. I promised last year after my win that I would go back to Bangkok – I’m going to defend my title and have the intention of retaining it."

Sep 26, 2005 from myDNA:
GENEVA - Tennis Star Roger Federer, as spokesperson for the United Nations International Year of Sport and Physical Education (IYSPE 2005), also supported the World Heart Day campaign, and the benefits of healthy living. "As a professional athlete, I understand first-hand the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Playing and training for tennis is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and body shape. Wherever you live in the world, moderate but regular exercise is extremely important. A small amount of effort can make a big difference and help you have a healthy heart for life too," Federer said.

Sep 25, 2005 from Davis Cup Official Site:
Having played a vital role in securing his nation’s place in the World Group of Davis Cup next year, Roger Federer hinted that he will do everything he can to help Switzerland mount a challenge for the trophy next season.

Federer has long been a Davis Cup stalwart for Switzerland since making his debut in a first round tie against Italy in 1999 and he is one of the reasons why the nation is currently ranked at nine in the ITF’s Davis Cup Nations Ranking. Federer, along with former Swiss Davis Cup heroes like Marc Rosset and Jakob Hlasek, has helped maintain Switzerland’s 16-year unbroken run in the World Group.

However, the World No. 1 felt compelled to miss his nation’s first round home tie against the Netherlands in Friborg in March in order to give himself a break. Federer admitted that the victory over Great Britain offered a reminder of just what Davis Cup means to him.

"In a way it did remind me but I was very well aware of what I was missing in Friborg at the beginning of the year, because it turned out to be a thriller and I wasn’t there to watch it or to play and to help and that was hard," said Federer. "I still look back and think it was the right decision though. What about next year? We’ll see. I’ll decide in the next couple of weeks whether I will be available. My wish is definitely to be available and to be there but we will have to see. There are a lot of things you have to manage when you are No. 1 in the world, that’s very important."

Switzerland’s captain Severin Luthi, who was captaining his first tie against the British, must have been delighted to have heard Federer sounding so positive about Davis Cup, for he admitted that, despite having an adept doubles player in Allegro and a emerging star in Stanislas Wawrinka in the team, Federer’s presence is vital if Switzerland is to challenge for the trophy in 2006. "For us it’s really important that Roger is available so we are trying everything to get him to stay in the team, but I think everybody would understand also if he wasn’t able to play. I think he wants to play, so if there is a possibility to play then he will do."

from The Sunday Times:
Roger Federer is destined for Thailand to play next week’s ATP event in Bangkok and will be joined by Andrew Murray, who has been awarded a wild card after Henman’s withdrawal because of back problems. After the pair shook hands at the net, Murray tapped the Swiss on his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Was he asking for a lift to Asia in a privately chartered jet? "No," smiled Federer. "He just said he wanted to tell me it was a great honour for him just to be on the same court as me at such an early stage of his career. I get embarrassed when people say things like that, but Murray is a very impressive guy."

Sep 24, 2005 from Davis Cup Official Site:
Yves Allegro and Roger Federer secured Switzerland’s place amongst the elite of the Davis Cup World Group next year, beating Andy Murray and Greg Rusedski 75 26 76 62 to give the Swiss an unassailable 3-0 lead over the Brits in Geneva. The 6,500-plus crowd in the Palexpo stadium erupted into noisy delight when the final backhand from Rusedski skewed long and wide to give the Swiss the tie and send Great Britain back to Euro African Zone Group I for another season.

Murray and Rusedski had chances to keep the tie alive but could not capitalise on the chances they had against the Swiss pairing. Murray’s serve proved vulnerable at the end of the first set to give Switzerland the lead but the British duo hit back to win the second set and quieten the crowd, giving their own small band of supporters reason to cheer for the first time in the tie by breaking Allegro’s serve twice.

With the match delicately poised in the third set, the Swiss went a break up to lead 2-0 only for Federer to display a rare moment of vulnerability when he dropped his serve as the Swiss lead 5-3. He redeemed himself in some style in the tiebreaker, however, as he and Allegro combined to take both points on Murray’s serve and one on Rusedski’s. When Allegro punched away the winning volley to give Switzerland a two-sets-to-one lead, the momentum shifted irrevocably in Switzerland’s direction.

Federer and Allegro broke Murray’s serve at the start of the fourth set to send the volume in the Palexpo stadium up a few notches, then staved off a break point on Allegro’s serve at 2-1. When Murray’s serve buckled again in the face of some aggressive Swiss returning, both the match and the tie were effectively over.

from Reuters:
"This is magnificent -- it's been a very special weekend," Roger Federer told the crowd as his team mates celebrated. "It's been a long time since I played in Switzerland and it gives me a lot of pleasure to play in front of my home fans."

After deciding to skip Switzerland's first round defeat at home to the Netherlands in March, Federer said he was still not sure about his Davis Cup commitments for next season but said it was his plan to be involved.

Sep 23, 2005 from Davis Cup Official Site:
Roger Federer got Switzerland off to a flying start against Great Britain, taking just an hour and 15 minutes to whip past little-known Briton Alan Mackin 60 60 62 in Friday’s opening rubber to give his team a 1-0 lead in their quest to secure a place in the Davis Cup World Group next year.

It took Mackin 54 minutes to win his first game against Federer, who was loudly cheered by ranks of red-clad Swiss supporters, who banged noise sticks and chanted his name throughout his procession to victory. The large travelling band of British supporters and his teammates sat courtside did their best to encourage Mackin and he came close to troubling Federer in the early exchanges before the Swiss settled into a rhythm and found his footing on the indoor clay court.

Mackin was 15-30 up on the Federer serve in the opening game of the match and, having lost his serve during a protracted second game, had a rare break point in his favour in the third. The opportunities came and went in a flurry of winners from Federer though and once he settled to his task Mackin was powerless to stop him building a two-set lead.

"I have never managed two 6-0 sets (back-to-back) before," said Federer. "I knew I was a big favourite of course but it wasn't so easy going into the match because I couldn't remember the last time I played someone ranked so low. It would have been a big disaster for me if I had lost so there was a lot on the line but now I'm just happy to have lots of energy left for the rest of the tie."

from AFP:
The Swiss extended their advantage on Friday when Stanislaw Wawrinka brushed aside teenage hope Andy Murray 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to clinch his first Davis Cup win at the fifth attempt.

"I think Murray should have won the second set," said Roger Federer. "Maybe he didn't believe he could win the match. I think he played a few too many drop shots and it cost him the match. It all makes the doubles very interesting. There was a lot of pressure on Stan because people have been saying that now we have a number two player who can win matches. This will give him a lot of confidence."

Sep 22, 2005 from Davis Cup Official Site:
The draw for the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group play-off tie between Switzerland and Great Britain in Geneva has been made. Faced with what team captain Jeremy Bates calls "the might of Roger Federer", Great Britain has opted to use the element of surprise against Switzerland. Instead of fielding his top two singles players, Greg Rusedski and Andy Murray, in Friday’s singles matches, Bates has opted to rest 32-year-old Rusedski and will instead pitch World No.262 Alan Mackin against Federer in the opening singles match.

Murray, 18, will make what will be his Davis Cup singles debut against Swiss No.2 Stanislas Wawrinka in Friday’s second singles. Rusedski is then scheduled to team up with Murray in Saturday’s doubles against Federer and Yves Allegro and there is every likelihood Rusedski will replace Mackin for Sunday’s reverse singles if Great Britain still has a chance of winning the tie.

Bates admitted that his team selection is a gamble but said he had little option but try and expose Wawrinka, the team’s weaker singles link. "We’ve obviously got a tremendously difficult task to try and beat Switzerland with Federer and I have to look at it realistically and try and work out the best way of getting the three points that we need," said Bates. "On paper it looks as though we will have to beat their No.2 player twice and win the doubles, though we will try and throw everything we can at Federer as well. I think that having Andy playing Wawrinka in the first match on Friday is something they weren’t expecting and it reverses the situation and puts a lot of pressure on Wawrinka because he’s never won a Davis Cup match before. I think this is the best format we can use to try and win the tie."

"I was surprised, though I wouldn’t say I was shocked," said Federer. "It’s much harder for Stan than for me because he has been preparing for Rusedski and practicing with lefties. I don’t know that much about Mackin but I guess he will want to be on the baseline a lot. The danger for me is in not knowing much about him or how he plays. I will have to do some scouting but in the end I will have to rely on my own strengths and normally that’s enough. All I care about is getting the first point for us. I haven’t played on home soil for a while and this tie really means a lot to me because I’m very pleased to be playing in Switzerland again. I am prepared to win three matches and if Stan wins one as well, that’s great."

Mackin, who has never won a live Davis Cup singles match, accepted that he had little chance of beating Federer, but the Scot, who is something of a clay-court specialist and will therefore be at home on the court Switzerland has laid for the tie, said he was determined to at least give the World No.1 a testing match. "It’s going to be a really big match for me but at the same time I’ve got nothing to lose," said Mackin. "Roger has only lost a handful of matches this year and I have to see this as a wonderful opportunity."

Rusedski and Murray have never played doubles together but Bates still has the option of replacing either man with experienced doubles player David Sherwood before Saturday’s rubber.

from The Times:
By Neil Harman - After bumping into Roger Federer in his hotel and letting slip that Great Britain have three contingencies to deal with him in the Davis Cup , the best player in the world’s immediate reaction is that you are pulling a fast one. "You’re kidding me, right?" he said.

So it’s time to explain that the best method Britain have of a return to the world group after the qualifier by winning the play-off that starts here tomorrow is to throw themselves at his mercy in two singles, hope there is a bit missing when he plays doubles and that Stanislas Wawrinka, the Switzerland No 2, cannot cope with either player he meets in his singles. "I see what you mean," Federer said, "that’s interesting."

Sep 21, 2005 from News24:
Geneva - More top-level tennis tournaments in Africa would raise awareness of the continent's problems and help promote the sport, Roger Federer said on Wednesday. "I think maybe (there should be) more tournaments in Africa, if not exhibitions," Federer said. "There's one in Morocco. Maybe we can do some further south."

Federer is able to focus on humanitarian activities after recently signing with management agency IMG. "What I wish from tennis is that the players unite more than try to do everything individually," Federer said. "We play all around the world, which gives us a great opportunity to be everywhere."

Federer was speaking as an ambassador for the UN International Year of Sport at a media conference. The UN General Assembly designated 2005 as the year to encourage sport to promote education, health, development and peace.

Federer has set up a foundation in South Africa to help children receive a better education and two hot meals a day. He said tennis commitments that occupy him for 11 months a year prevent him from expanding into other countries. "If I am there, it can sometimes have a very different impact," Federer said. "I can inspire people."

Adolf Ogi, special adviser to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and a former president of Switzerland, said that sport could build bridges - like South Korea and Japan co-hosting the 2002 World Cup. When the Pakistan cricket team toured India recently, the leaders of the two nations arranged a meeting, Ogi noted. "Sport can test what is possible for the politician," Ogi said. "Sport is an instrument, an important instrument for a better world."

Federer and Ogi also recorded an announcement in support of the upcoming UN 60th Anniversary Concert "Youssou N’Dour & Friends: United Against Malaria". Their public service announcements supporting the global campaign against malaria will be shown at the concert and aired on Swiss and international television stations broadcasting the event worldwide.

Adolf Ogi, United Nations adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, and Roger Federer, spokesperson for IYSPE 2005, address the media for the Intermediary review about the International Year of Sport and Physical Education (IYSPE 2005) at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, Sep 21, 2005. (Photo by Martial Trezzini/AP/KEYSTONE)

from Telegraph:
Roger Federer could hardly have been more complimentary about Andy Murray last night, Switzerland's world No 1 disclosing before this weekend's Davis Cup tie that he considers the British teenager to be "a great player" and "a talent". Federer says he believes Murray is a genuine threat to the Swiss team. "Andy Murray is clearly a talent. I hadn't really heard of him until Wimbledon this summer, when he reached the third round, but he has had some good results since then and I think that the Swiss team have to watch out for him," Federer said.

"When the draw was made in May I was very positive and optimistic that we would win the tie, but since then Greg Rusedski has played well and Murray has come through. I was impressed with how Murray played at Wimbledon and also at the other tournaments over the summer in the United States," said Federer.

"We didn't know Murray that well when we picked the surface. But no matter what surface you play on against Murray he's become a great player over the last few months. It's tougher than expected all of a sudden, but I still think that we are big favourites," Federer said.

The Swiss chose clay to help their second singles player, Stanislas Wawrinka. But it is also Federer's least preferred surface. And Federer reported that the air in the stadium felt humid, and that the ball was bouncing lower than he would have expected. That suggests slow conditions and long rallies.

Sep 19, 2005 from Business Wire:
BASEL, Switzerland & CLEVELAND - Roger Federer has expanded his business team by adding IMG, the world's largest sports marketing and management agency, to capitalize on his global business opportunities. His success, combined with the global reach of tennis, has expanded his worldwide marketing needs. Now IMG joins Roger's management team. "It is definitely an ideal situation," Federer emphasizes. "I continue to work with my team and can use the advantages of both the existing lean structure and a worldwide network at the same time.

"I met with IMG's new owner and chairman, Ted Forstmann, and learned about his vision for IMG going forward and the team he proposed for me at IMG. I liked what he had to say in terms of business ideas and also have found a common ground with Ted in terms of our charitable efforts in addressing children's issues, especially in Africa," Federer says. "We hope this partnership can take us to the next level."

from ESPN:
Roger Federer was the most high-profile athlete in all of the sporting world not to have representation. But on Monday, IMG announced it had signed him. Federer, who has earned almost $20 million on the court, currently has endorsement deals with Nike, Wilson, Maurice Lacroix and Swiss International Airlines. His parents and his girlfriend have previously handled much of his schedule.

In an interview for ESPN's "Outside the Lines" taped last month, Federer said he didn't have an agent because he wanted to be surrounded by people he could trust. "I really have to say that is maybe one of the reasons I played so well," Federer said. "Because I was really sure what was going on off the court, so I was really happy on the court as well."

Many tennis agents were concerned that Federer did not have an agent because they believed that he was not maximizing his value on endorsement deals. If the world's top player wasn't getting top dollar, then it would be harder for others to do the same -- though James Blake had another idea. "If he's leaving money on the table, hopefully some of the rest of us can get a little bit of that," Blake joked to ESPN, just days before he began his run to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Open.

from ATP:
Memorabilia donated by ATP and Sony WTA Tour players has raised $121,517 to benefit the American Red Cross hurricane relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Roger Federer’s autographed winning US Open racquet attracted a top bid of $25,665. Coupled with a winning bid of $14,960 for Andre Agassi’s racquet, the two racquets used in the 2005 US Open men's final netted $40,625.

Sep 16, 2005 from ATP Insider:
Tennis fans have responded quickly and generously to the online auction of autographed equipment and apparel from ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players at www.TennisKatrina.com. Through noon (Eastern U.S. time) on Thursday, 960 bids have been made to tally $67,913.48 for the American Red Cross. Among the items that are seeing the most bidding action are the autographed racquets that Roger Federer and ANDRE AGASSI used in their US Open championship match. The diamond earrings Serena Williams famously wore during the tournament, the racquets both Kim Clijsters and Mary Pierce used in the women's final on Saturday, and match-worn shoes from JAMES BLAKE and RAFAEL NADAL are also among the 43 items in the auction. Recent additions to the auction include match used shoes and a racquet from Lleyton Hewitt. In addition to the donations from the ATP and WTA players, additional items were donated by World Team Tennis to the auction. Bidding on all the auction items will close over the coming weekend.

Sep 13, 2005 from The Australian:
Tennis superman Roger Federer has appealed to Australian coach Tony Roche to work with him again for at least a dozen weeks next year. Roche watched on television in Sydney yesterday as Federer tore down ageing Andre Agassi 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-1 and he kept in touch with a few text messages and phone calls with Federer.

Federer revealed he was not sure if Roche wanted to maintain an arrangement where he has travelled on a restricted schedule with the world No.1 since late last year. "Next year, I guess we work leading up to the Aussie Open, but after that nothing is certain, you know," Federer said.

Federer's sixth grand slam win was his second since he began working on a consultancy basis with Roche, who will meet up with him at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai in November, and the Swiss star said he does not intend working with a different coach.

"I hope it will pretty much be the same sort of schedule we had this year," he said. "Schedules can always change, but I think that's what I'm looking at. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself to say he [Roche] will also do the French Open and Wimbledon. I hope it's a long term decision he made, but if he changes his mind, I understand."

from ATP:
After defending his US Open crown against Andre Agassi, World No. 1 Roger Federer had no time to rest. Immediately following his triumphant win at Flushing Meadows, Federer held post-match press conferences, gave five one-on-one television interviews with Eurosport, WOWOW and Swiss TV among others and also gave Sports Illustrated an exclusive interview. He then set about New York City to meet with more media members from around the globe.

On Monday, the Swiss star posed for photos with his US Open trophy in front of three different backdrops at Rockefeller Center for approximately 30 photographers. The six-time Grand Slam champion then headed off to Times Square for interviews with ESPN and The New York Times.

During lunchtime, instead of having a peaceful meal with his girlfriend Mirka, Federer met with approximately 50 journalists. Before leaving Times Square, Federer posed for more photos with the trophy in front of New York’s most famous intersection.

Back at the hotel, Federer only had time to put his suit on and head to the CBS studios where he was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. Following his appearance with Letterman, Federer met with rock star Gavin Rossdale for an impromptu hit on the corner of 53rd St and Broadway, on a street tennis court they had set up. Gavin's band, Institute, was taping songs for Friday night's show.

Sep 12, 2005 from SportsTicker:
It was a rare sign of emotion from the normally reserved Roger Federer, who continued to celebrate well into the night with about 10 of his friends. "I had a nice dinner," Federer said. "I let the evening unfold, flow. I like to sit in a chair with a wine glass. When I woke up, I thought, 'Why didn't I go to bed at 11?' I came back at 3 and went to bed at 5."

Last year, Federer only played in two tournaments after the U.S. Open, the Thailand Open in Bangkok and the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. This time, Federer has a much more ambitious slate. "(I have the) Davis Cup in Geneva in 10 days' time," he said. "(I have) Bangkok straight after, (then) Madrid, in my hometown in Basel, Paris, then Shanghai. That's what I committed to. "Last year I pulled out of Madrid with fatigue ... (but) my plan is to play."

from New York Times:
"It's still hard to describe everything," Kim Clijsters said with a smile yesterday afternoon in an empty players lounge. "Just this morning I woke up and said, 'I won a Grand Slam.' Then you look around and your room is a mess and you have to pack to go home." Now she no longer has to answer the question she dislikes most, "Are you too nice to win a Slam?" Her response was quick yesterday: "Look at Roger Federer, he's the nicest guy on the Tour." On her way out, Clijsters received a congratulatory hug from Federer in the players lounge.

from Roger Federer Official Site:
Kindly note that no official reception for Roger’s victory in New York will take place in Basel. Roger will next appear again on court in Geneva on September 23-25 for the Davis Cup.

Sep 11, 2005 from AFP:
NEW YORK - Roger Federer defended his US Open title dominating a third set tie-break to defuse the challenge of 35-year-old Andre Agassi before winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-1.

The top seed and title-holder looked in difficulty in the third set with Agassi 4-2 up, but he rallied brilliantly to force a tie-break and doused the Agassi flame by winning that 7/1. With the pressure off Federer moved into top gear, and he raced away with the final set in just 23 minutes dropping just one game in the process.

"This is probably the most special Grand Slam match of my career to play against Andre in New York," he said. "I had to play my best match of the tournmament and unfortunately for him I played my best match again in the final. I don't know how I do it."

Federer was the first man to defend the US Open title since Patrick Rafter in 1998 and the first in the Open era starting in 1968 to win both Wimbledon and the US Open in successive years. He has now won all six Grand Slam finals he has contested. Federer earned the $1.1 million top prize and a new 2006 Lexus GS 430 sedan. His 35th straight hard court victory also broke Sampras' mark, set twice, of 34 straight.

Agassi lost for the fourth time in a US Open final, but he also won twice in 1994 and 1999. "He's the best I've ever played against," said the American, who had needed a cortisone injection to calm the pain of a back injury just to be able to compete in the tournament. "There are other guys you play and I've played a lot of them, so many years, there's a safety zone, a place to get to, something to focus on. But anything you try to do he potentially has an answer for. It's just a question of when he starts pulling the trigger to get you to change that decision."

Agassi won the toss and elected to receive. Federer held comfortably with a barrage of big first serves. The champion forced the first break points of the final at 3-2 up in the sixth game and he converted on the second as an under-pressure Agassi flapped a forehand into the net. Federer was dominating early on and had three set points on Agassi's next serve but the American saved all three. The Swiss stylist then squandered a further four set points against a hard-scrambling Agassi on his own delivery, but finally went one set up on the eighth with a big serve followed by a forehand winner doing the damage.

Agassi drew inspiration from his efforts at the end of the first set and brought the crowd back into the match by breaking Federer in the second game of the second set to lead 2-0. He staved off three break points against his own serve in the next game and with Federer oddly passive, the Las Vegan struck again in the eighth game to level the set scores at 6-2.

The match was finely poised into the third, but Federer was rattled by the pace and crispness of the American's groundstrokes and two uncharacteristic unforced errors from him gave Agassi another break to lead 4-2. The champion rallied with a break of his own to level at 4-4 and he then had four break points to lead 6-5 but with his backhand badly misfiring, Agassi saved all, eliciting a standing ovation from the crowd. It went to a tie-break and just as he had done against Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals, Federer stepped up a gear with seven points in a row to win 7/1.

Sep 10, 2005 from Reuters:
Roger Federer battled past third seed Lleyton Hewitt, winning 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday to reach the U.S. Open men's singles final. Hewitt fought well to win the third set but world number one Federer rebounded to set up a final against 35-year-old Andre Agassi, the seventh seed.

The 24-year-old Swiss raised his brilliant all-court game when challenged, rebuffing five set points in the second set and sweeping the tiebreak 7-0 as he overcame his toughest test in this year's tournament in continuing his mastery over Hewitt.

Hewitt, fighting valiantly and resisting annoyance over more than 10 foot faults called against him in the match, ended a run of 17 consecutive losing sets against Federer by using a service break in the seventh game of the third set to extend the match.

Federer, however, broke Hewitt in the sixth game at love to take a 4-2 lead and then served out the match, clinching it when the Australian struck a backhand long.

from The Times:
He is learning how to work a New York crowd as well, which suggests that Roger Federer is not just a relentless accumulator of victories. At the climax of his destruction of David Nalbandian in the US Open quarter-finals, Federer was asked to strike a handful of balls into the throng and responded by whirling his right arm like a batter in the on-deck circle.

All around the Arthur Ashe Stadium here at Flushing Meadows, the patrons waved their arms, trying to catch his attention and, quite possibly, he selected four to aim at and placed the ball neatly into their hands from a range of more than a hundred yards. There does not seem to be much in this sport of which the world No 1 is not capable.

Sep 8, 2005 from AFP:
NEW YORK - Roger Federer won a straight sets quarter-final victory 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 over old nemesis David Nalbandian. He will play Australian third seed Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals on Saturday in a repeat of last year's final.

Federer dropped his opening serve but a game later he was already back on level terms and then abruptly stepped on the accelerator to power ahead 4-1 winning 12 points in a row. A third break of serve in the eighth game gave Federer the opening set in just 27 minutes and already Nalbandian was looking concerned.

Federer brushed off two break points on his serve to open the second set, but he failed to repeat the dose four games later as Nalbandian grabbed his second break of the match. As in the first set though, the top seed counter-attacked with a vengeance and he drew level at 4-4. Two games later, Federer was two sets up, breaking the Nalbandian serve again with a crisp forehand crosscourt winner followed by a backhand bombshell that the Argentinian at the net found too hot to handle.

Nalbandian smashed his racquet to pieces on returning to his chair at the changeover but the histrionics did nothing to change the script as Federer quickly opened up a 5-0 lead in the third with two breaks of serve. The Argentinian did get one game on the scoreboard after saving a match point, but he was heading home two minutes later as Federer converted on his fourth match point. It was Federer's 69th match win against three losses this year and his 33rd straight win on hardcourts this year.

"I wasn't nervous before the match, just curious about how it would go as he had beaten me in the past. I am really happy with the way it went," he said. "Winning the four games in a row in the first set after losing my serve really loosened me up and then in the second I was able to come back from a break down again."

from AP:
"Maybe we had enough men's tennis over the last few days," said Roger Federer, the only semifinalist who did not play five sets. Federer didn't shy away from saying that he couldn't play much better than he did against the 11th-seeded David Nalbandian in a 1-hour, 40-minute sweep.

"I played great last year and it's just looking great again," Federer said. "It's exactly the way I should be playing at this stage of tournament because the opponents are only getting tougher. The result really shows it. I've been struggling a little bit over the last few days, but this is a great rhythm I got against David. I'm surprised it went so quick. I always expect five sets or the worst, so this is great."

Federer was as enthralled by the Andre Agassi-James Blake match as the fans who stayed past 1 a.m. to watch it. "I came back from dinner and I thought, 'It's looking good for James,' and suddenly it turned around," Federer said. "What a thriller. I was up until 1:30 myself. Maybe it wasn't the best preparation, but I enjoyed it."

Sep 6, 2005 from AFP:
NEW YORK - Roger Federer failed to fire at full power at the US Open but he still had just enough game to ease past Nicolas Kiefer and into the quarter-finals. In what was a near carbon copy of their encounter in the third round at Wimbledon on June 25, Kiefer won the second set on a tie-break and harried Federer before the top seed won 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4.

"It was a difficult four sets. This was the first time I have lost a set here and it is always a strange feeling," he said. "But my reaction was good."

Kiefer had the temerity to jump out into a 2-0 lead in the opening set, but the champion won five out of the next six games to set the tone.

The second set got off to an identical start with Kiefer breaking to lead 2-0 and Federer hitting back to level at 3-3. Kiefer saved two break points at 5-5 as the set went into a tie-break which the German won comfortably 7-3. It was the first set that Federer had lost at this year's US Open.

The mistakes continued from the top seed at the start of the third set, and the alarm bells were starting to sound for him when he went two break points down at 3-3. But a big serve and a tremendous crosscourt backhand winner from behind the baseline with Kiefer poised to strike at the net got him out of trouble. That appeared to be the spark that Federer needed and he broke Kiefer's serve in the next game to go 5-3 up. He served out to go two sets to one up.

Federer then secured the service break he needed in the third game of the fourth set as Kiefer's unorthodox game started to unravel. There were no more service breaks as the champion held his own four times in succession to end his day's labor.

Sep 4, 2005 from Reuters:
NEW YORK - Roger Federer stuttered into the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Sunday with a 6-3 7-6 6-2 victory over Belgian Olivier Rochus, the 27th seed. The top seed struggled for his rhythm but clinched victory in just under two hours to move into the last 16 without dropping a set.

He will now play German Nicolas Kiefer, the only man to capture a set from him during his run to the Wimbledon title this year. "We played tough matches at Cincinnati and Wimbledon," Federer said of Kiefer.

Federer lost the opening set in Cincinnati before winning the final two, and needed four sets in the Round of 32 at Wimbledon to depatch Kiefer. "He's improved a lot in the last few months and I expect it to be a tough match," said Federer.

Federer took advantage of just one service break to win the opening set. In the second set, he recovered from an early break and then came back from a 4-1 deficit in the tiebreak to win it, 8-6. That relaxed Federer and he broke Rochus twice in the final set to seal the victory.

''It was a fun match,'' Federer said after beating the player with whom he won a junior Wimbledon doubles title. ''I'm very happy I won. My opponent is a great friend of mine.''

Sep 3, 2005 from Tennis X:
Ever heard of the band Institute? Roger Federer, who went to see the band Thursday night, has.

from New York Daily News:
Tennis ace Roger Federer had his locks tended to at Sally Hirschberger's W. 14th St. salon.

Sep 2, 2005 from Reuters:
NEW YORK - Roger Federer came through a tougher-than-expected test at the U.S. Open on Friday, beating Fabrice Santoro 7-5, 7-5, 7-6 to reach the third round. Santoro had Federer rattled and irritable at times with a dazzling array of shot-making, but the Swiss found his best tennis when it mattered to advance to a meeting with Olivier Rochus, the 27th seed from Belgium.

"I always enjoy playing against him," said Federer. "He gave me a lesson that first time I played him [in 1999]. He sizzled me with his slices. It's so different playing against him. We had a great match."

The top seed looked on course for a comfortable victory when he stormed to a 5-1 lead but Santoro, the world number 76, broke back twice and Federer needed a third break, in the 12th game, to clinch the set. The Swiss saved three break points in the seventh game of the second set before again breaking to win it, and then played a stunning tiebreak in the third, winning it 7-2 and ending up with an incredible 73 winners on the night.

Sep 1, 2005 from Roger Federer Official Site:
Roger was on stage at last Saturday's Wilson US Open Party prior to the start of the final Grand Slam of the year. The party was held at Glo, one of New Yorks hottest nightclubs, and attended by more than 600 guests, including sponsors, celebrities, Wilson sponsored players etc . On the picture Roger is on stage as the 30+ other Wilson sponsored athletes introduce themselves to the party guests late Saturday night at Glo.