Mar 31, 2006 from AP:
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - An hour of court time at Crandon Park was more than enough Friday night for Roger Federer. Even with a brief lapse, Federer needed only 59 minutes to reach the final at the Nasdaq-100 Open, beating David Ferrer 6-1, 6-4.

The result was hardly a surprise: Federer has advanced to the final in his past 11 tournaments, the longest such men's streak since John McEnroe made 12 consecutive finals in 1984. Federer will bid for his second successive Key Biscayne title Sunday against No. 6 seed Ivan Ljubicic. Federer has won his past six meetings against Ljubicic, although three times they split sets. Overall Federer leads 9-3.

Ferrer was coming off a win over Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals, but Federer quickly cooled him off, taking the opening set in 18 minutes. A flurry of errors, including two sloppy volleys, then put Federer in a 3-0 hole to start the second set. The lapse didn't last long.

from Tennis Week:
Roger Federer has reached an autograph signing agreement with Steiner Sports Marketing, which is now accepting pre-orders for its Roger Federer Collection, a series of Federer-signed framed photos.

"This is an incredible package of images and photographs that capture the career of Roger Federer," said Chris Amoroso, Vice President of Steiner Sports. "We have managed to capture the most prominent moments in Roger’s career set at Grand Slam venues and other scenic settings. These images represent the finest efforts in sports photography, and give voice to the defining moments in Roger’s career and chronicle his ascension as the best tennis player of his time."

Mar 30, 2006 from AP:
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - Roger Federer rallied from a break down in the opening set and beat No. 9-seeded James Blake 7-6 (2), 6-4 in Thursday's NASDAQ-100 Open quarterfinal. He will play No. 11-seeded David Ferrer in Friday's semifinal.

Federer extended winning streaks of 25 consecutive matches against Americans, 46 matches in a row in the United States and a record 22 in a row in Masters Series events. He has reached the semifinals in his past 13 tournaments.

from ASAP Sports:
Q. What are your feelings about that fantastic overhead that you hit and that just came back?

JAMES BLAKE: Unbelievable. I was just talking to my coach and actually to Andy in the locker room. We were talking about some of the things that he does that are frustrating to us because myself and Andy now are very frustrated by playing him a lot. We got through talking about a bunch of things and then I was like, "And that's not even to mention I hit a jump overhead as hard as I could 130 at him and he just blocked it back like it wasn't much of a big deal." I mean, just those things, you don't even think about how good he is at that.

Q. Is there anything wrong with the guy? Is there anything at all wrong with him?

JAMES BLAKE: Man, he speaks too many languages. He was in here for too long. He was doing it in Swiss German, French, in English. I mean, pick one. Gosh (smiling). No, I mean, I was hoping maybe I'd be better at him at the challenges, but we were both 0-for-1 tonight. I didn't even beat him in that.

from Tennis X:
Roger Federer has gone 155 matches without a straight-sets loss, and has not lost in back-to-back tournaments since August 2004.

from Sun-Sentinel:
A year ago, Roger Federer drew about the same number of people to his practices as American idol Andy Roddick. This year, on the first day of the tournament, Roddick is hitting on Court 9 with maybe 75 to 100 people watching, by most standards a good crowd. On the very next court, about three times as many people are gawking at Federer.

Fans now react to Federer like he were a rock star. It doesn't matter that he is perhaps the world's most undermarketed athlete. People know something special when they see it.

"Oh my God, it's him!" shouts a man with gray hair. Almost in unison, fans pick up their cell phones and start dialing friends and loved ones to report they are in the presence of The Great Federer.

The contrast between Sharapova's and Federer's practices is extreme. Federer's session with friend and sometimes doubles partner Yves Allegro is uncoached. His part-time adviser, Tony Roche, only attends a handful of tournaments a year. It's difficult to overstate how unusual that is. For most players, their coach is an appendage.

Mar 28, 2006 from Sports Network:
Miami, FL - Roger Federer handled Dmitry Tursunov 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday at the $3.45 million NASDAQ-100 Open and next meets ninth-seeded American James Blake.

Federer broke Tursunov four times in the routine outing, which ended in a mere 57 minutes. The mighty Swiss converted on his first match point of the day when his Russian counterpart misfired long on one final forehand.

Federer is now 65-1 on hardcourts since early last year and has won 45 straight matches in the U.S. He is also riding a record 21-match Masters Series winning streak and is looking to reach his 11th consecutive tournament final.

Mar 27, 2006 from Sun-Sentinel:
KEY BISCAYNE - It might have looked like the entire Roger Federer repertoire out there Monday night, but he had to have left a few shots in the bag. This rout lasted only 68 minutes. The guy requires a couple hours at least to display his entire portfolio.

Nevertheless, there was enough there in this 6-1, 6-3 third-round win over Tommy Haas to leave 13,000 on the stadium court gaping in awe as Federer, with childhood hero Boris Becker watching from the stands, delivered precise shot after shot, leaving the flummoxed Haas in a state of perpetual frustration.

In the penultimate game, Federer's shoe caught too much traction as he raced right and he took a tumble, losing his racket. And still Haas couldn't convert the point.

By Charles Bricker - I look forward to Monday mornings at the Nasdaq, where, at about 9 a.m., most of the juniors in the Luxilon Cup tournament gather for breakfast together, for a few words from some notable speaker and the pulling of the draw. t gave me a chance to sit down with 18-year-old Robin Roshardt, the boys Orange Bowl winner and the next in a growing line of Swiss players who are undoubtedly being inspired to some extent by Roger Federer.

Roshardt is already pushing six-feet tall and, like most other juniors, plays almost exclusively from the baseline. Naturally, my first serious question was, "Have you met Roger." He had, briefly, some years ago, but he got a lot friendlier with Roger at the Australian Open, where a Federer representative asked if he was available for about a 45-minute training session with the great one.

"I thought about it for one second," said Roshardt, whose English is just fine. "I was so nervous the first five minutes my hands were shaking on the racket."

from Globe and Mail:
Probably the best chance to assess the new "instant replay" system for appealing line calls came during Roger Federer's opening match at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami on Saturday.

Despite telling ESPN2 in an interview before the match, "I hope not to use my calls," Federer challenged a Arnaud Clément first serve that had been ruled an ace in the final game of the first set. Federer was proved correct. It took only about 10 seconds for the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling technology to produce a graphic, shown on the giant screen in the stadium, but during the delay, the leprechaunish Clément added a bit of levity by asking the umpire whether he got another first serve.

Though done quickly, the procedure demonstrated that if a first serve is challenged and the challenge proves correct, the server's normal rhythm between serves will be interrupted. At 3-3 in the second set, Federer challenged a ruling that one of his first serves was wide. He was proved wrong, though just barely.

Something unexpected occurred during the 10th game of the second set. The umpire announced that Hawk-Eye was down and therefore the players could not challenge. A few points later, it was up again and he informed each player. "If it's on and off and the umpire has more communication with the players, that's one thing they won't like," ESPN2 commentator Brad Gilbert said.

It does appear umpire-player interaction will increase. Another example occurred at 3-0 in the final set, when Federer was already seated during a changeover. The umpire was still talking to Clément about whether he would challenge the game-ending ace. Irked by the time lag, a peeved Federer said to the umpire: "He can't wait that long. It [the challenge system] is really not going to work." After the match, Federer was more conciliatory, suggesting he will "give it a chance."

The challenge protocol -- two for a player in each set and one in a tiebreaker, with the number maintained during the set if proved correct -- is intended to jazz up the product. Logically, the most efficient system would be to allow umpires to consult the technology at will when they, or a player, believe there may be a mistake.

"It's all about the show," said Gilbert. "Bring it on." His fellow ESPN2 broadcaster, Mary Carillo, disagreed, saying the procedure was like "a game show." About the possibility of a situation where a player had used up his or her challenges, she declared, "You have great technology and you don't get to use it?"

Mar 25, 2006 from Reuters:
MIAMI - Roger Federer lost his first tiebreak this year before beating Arnaud Clement 6-2 6-7 6-0 as he began his title defence at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Saturday. Federer's victory enabled him to equal Pete Sampras's 19-match Masters Series winning streak. The Swiss began his run in Hamburg last year while Sampras's took place from Indian Wells to Stockholm in 1994.

The Swiss top seed seemed headed for a straight sets win against Clement but squandered a 4-0 lead in the second set tiebreak as he tried to close out the contest against the Frenchman who beat Rafael Nadal in Marseille last month. Federer's uncharacteristic lapse saw him drop seven straight points as 53rd-ranked Clement forced a deciding set. It was the world number one's first loss in nine tiebreaks in 2006.

Federer quickly snapped back with a break at the start of the third set and quickly wrapped up the match as he earned his 23rd win of a season that so far. He will face Tommy Haas in the third round. "This will be our third time this year," Federer told reporters. "He's coming back strong, it will be tough for me. He likes to play in the States, he almost grew up here. I have to watch out."

Mar 23, 2006 from Tennis Week:
Solidifying a relationship that began at age 10, Roger Federer has signed a lifetime agreement with Wilson for racquets, string, tennis balls and tennis accessories. Federer has competed with Wilson racquets since day one, signing his first professional agreement with the Chicago-based athletic company in 1997.

Federer officially signed the contract Wednesday with his agent Tony Godsick of IMG and Wilson Tour Director Michael Wallace present. Wilson did not disclose any financial terms of the deal though it is said to be the most lucrative racquet endorsement contract in history that may pay Federer as much as $2 million annually and continue after he retires from playing tournament tennis.

In honor of this tremendously successful partnership, Wilson will issue a commemorative Federer poster to be released in April. As an ambassador to the Wilson brand, Federer joins a legacy of past Wilson Hall of Famers and multiple Grand Slam winners including Jack Kramer, Pete Sampras, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, and Billy Jean King.

"I've literally grown up with a Wilson tennis racquet in my hand," said Federer, whose mother gave him his first Wilson racket at age 10. "Having come this far, I can't imagine competing with anything else. Wilson and I share a commitment to advancing tennis and fostering athletics, and I'm very happy to extend our relationship."

Federer, who formerly played with the Wilson Pro Staff, currently plays with the Wilson nSix-One tour.

"Roger Federer embodies everything we admire in an athlete," said Wilson Sporting Goods President Chris Considine. "He's the epitome of athleticism and professionalism, and he's among the nicest, most sincere people with whom our company has ever worked with. We're truly honored to have him as a lifetime ambassador to the Wilson brand."

A fan of Wilson nCode technology, Federer debuted the first nCode racket at Wimbledon in 2004 and went on to win the Wimbledon title. Since then he has competed with a Wilson nSix-One Tour exclusively. The racket is a favorite of skilled players and ranks among Wilson's top sellers. With Federer's help, Wilson has also developed and marketed a successful line of Federer recreational and junior rackets.

from NASDAQ-100 Open:
The scene was classic South Beach – palm trees, oceanside bars, and a lavish gourmet dinner – at the Delano Wednesday night, where James Blake and Andy Roddick played host to the NASDAQ-100 Open's official player party.

From their exclusive poolside bungalows, Roddick and Blake socialized with other players – including Bob Bryan and Jeff Morrison – as well as tournament sponsors and their own personal guests. Blake's brother Thomas, a former pro player himself, and Roddick's brother (and new coach) John, were both in attendance.

The star-studded guest list was highlighted by Maria Sharapova – glamorous as ever in a slinky black tank top and denim mini – and Kim Clijsters, who happily posed for photos with party guests. Roger Federer, accompanied by girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec and a group of friends – surveyed the scene from a poolside terrace dinner table.

Also in attendance were a host of ATP and WTA players, including Jelena Jankovic, Martina Muller and Galina Voskoboeva, as well as Wesley Moodie, Vince Spadea, Ivo Karlovic and Rainer Schuttler. Arriving on fashionably late European time were Juan Carlos Ferrero and Rafael Nadal. On hand to cover the behind-the-scenes action was former ATP doubles star Murphy Jensen with The Tennis Channel's "Open Access."

Mar 22, 2006 from Tennis Masters Cup:
Roger Federer was voted “the most popular singles player” amongst Chinese fans in the poll launched by Sina, the exclusive Internet Service Provider for the Chinese official website for the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai, and the largest Internet portal in China.

11,204 Chinese fans participated in the poll to support their favorite players. Federer won “the most popular singles player” vote with 47.02%, followed by Marat Safin at 17.08%. Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal all exceeded 5%. The Bryan Brothers won “the best doubles players” with a supporting rate of 72.96%. Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi came in second place with 7.04%. Marcos Baghdatis was honored “the best new player of the year” with a 61.49% supporting rate.

from Business Wire:
Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will face off against each other with 2K Sports' Top Spin 2 video game on Thursday, March 23, 11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Hospitality Village. Playing as their "virtual selves," they will star in the first ever Virtual NASDAQ-100 Tennis Tournament. Meet the players, take pictures and capture great broadcast footage of the world's best tennis players as they play and discuss Top Spin 2.

Top Spin 2 features all the intensity and realism of a professional tennis match. Characters include the top players like Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer. Featuring Grand Slam events in venues that are alive and dynamic, gamers can take the court online with more strokes and shot control than ever before. It will be available in April 2006 for the Xbox 360 and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance.

from Sun-Sentinel:
In addition to the five subtle edges Roger Federer brings to court, there's one other you should know about. He was completely unflustered, even amused, by a shaving cream prank a half-hour before the final of a major tournament last year, and that, perhaps more than anything, defines the fully composed temperament of the best player in the world and how he uses that to enhance his tennis.

The joke was perpetrated on Sunday, Aug. 21, before the start of the Federer-Andy Roddick final at the Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati. Roddick and his coach at the time, Dean Goldfine, squirted shaving cream onto the earpiece of a telephone in the trainer's room in the clubhouse. When Federer entered the locker room, Roddick signaled Goldfine to phone the trainer's line and told Federer, "I think that's for you, Roger. Someone has been trying to reach you."

Mar 21, 2006 from ATP:
World No. 1 Roger Federer walked away with three awards at Tuesday night's Stars for Stars party in Miami. Federer was chosen as the 2005 ATP Player of the Year and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award winner. Also, StarsforStarsMiami.com visitors voted Federer as their choice for the Fans' Favorite Award for the third year running. Federer received 5,412 of the 14,584 votes cast, or 37 percent of all votes. Rafael Nadal attracted 1,691 votes, Andy Roddick 1,413 votes, Andre Agassi 1,194 votes, Marat Safin 1,068 votes, and David Nalbandian 1,017 votes.

"It is great that I was able to defend all my awards. Three titles in three different categories, what more could I ask for," Roger commented joyfully.

from The Times:
Among the handwritten notes that arrived at James Blake's bedside two years ago as he recovered from a condition that affected his hearing and caused a facial paralysis brought on by the death of his father was one from Roger Federer. He had been the No 1 player for six months but was already aware of the responsibilities he believed it carried.

Unless they are bosom buddies, the welfare of the opposition does not often come top of a player's agenda, given the self-interest at the heart of sporting success, but Federer is, and will always be, a cut above your regular superstar. "I heard about James and said to Mirka we've got to do something about this," Federer said. "So we got in touch."

Mar 20, 2006 from Los Angeles Times:
Breaking news: Sea World comes to Switzerland. Surely, three consecutive singles titles at the Pacific Life Open should mean three trophies of black whales taking up space in Roger Federer's household. Not yet, according to the great man himself. "I hope I get the [big] whale," said a smiling Federer, referring to the unique trophy at Indian Wells. Guess his famous cow needs some company. "Animal Farm" meets Tennis World.

The self-confidence about his game settled in long ago. And James Blake made sure Federer's other qualities were not overlooked. During the post-match presentations, Blake told the crowd about the time he received a note in 2004 while he was hospitalized in Rome after breaking his neck during practice.

from Tennis X:
With a win in his Miami opener, Roger Federer will tie Pete Sampras' Masters Series record of 19 consecutive matches, another teeth-gnasher for the retired American former No. 1 who sits on the sidelines watching his records fall.

Mar 19, 2006 from AFP:
INDIAN WELLS - Roger Federer shook off two early breaks of serve and swept past James Blake 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 to capture his third straight Indian Wells ATP Masters Series title.

Blake sent a shiver of excitement around the 16,100-seat stadium when he broke Federer twice to take a 4-1 lead in the opening set. But Federer won six of the next seven games, launching the turn-around in emphatic style by breaking Blake to love in the sixth game to narrow the gap to 4-2.

Federer got the set back on even terms at 5-5 with a hard-won break, in which Blake saved four break points before offering up two straight double faults. Federer claimed the set by breaking Blake to love, sliding a backhand up the line on his first set point.

Federer didn't face a break point in the second set, earning the break he needed in the eighth game. Blake fended him off three times before Federer finished off a rally with a forehand volley winner for 5-3, then held his serve to love to take an imposing two sets to none lead.

Blake could offer no resistance in the third, although Federer did need three match points to put it away, netting a backhand and coughing up a double fault before sealing it with a service winner.

"Along with a couple of mistakes by me at the end of that first set, he really picked his level up and played unbelievably," Blake said. "He put pressure on me on all my service games, was cruising on his, forcing me to hit shots I didn't want to hit. That's what he's best at."

"He did everything he needed to do to win," Blake said. "Instead of making him come up with a great passing shot, I went for too much, ended up missing, gave him freebies. You can't do that against the No. 1 player in the world." Even Blake was smiling when the match ended, shaking Federer's hand and giving him a pat on the back.

Federer became the first man to win three consecutive titles at Indian Wells, a tournament that began in 1976. He blasted 32 winners from just 22 from Blake.

Roger Federer looks toward a line judge after a close call went against him during his match against James Blake in the men's final of the Pacific Life Open. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Roger pumps his fist after coming back to win after being down three games in the first set against Blake. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/AP)

Roger holds the championship trophy as he looks out at the Santa Rosa Mountains. (Photo by Elise Amendola/AP)

Mar 18, 2006
INDIAN WELLS - Roger Federer cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Paradorn Srichaphan on Saturday to reach the Pacific Life Open final.

Srichaphan, Asia's top player, was overwhelmed by Federer, who peppered the lines with accurate groundstrokes and mixed in a few drop shots, lobs and overheads en route to his 21st win in 22 matches this year.

Federer broke twice in the first set. He was never seriously troubled by the unseeded Thai, despite dropping his serve in the opening game of the second set. Paradorn then held to lead 2-0, but Federer reeled off the next five games as he cruised into his 10th straight final in firm control.

Roger Federer and Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand shake hands after their semifinals match of Pacific Life Tennis Open. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/AP)

Mar 17, 2006 from Tennis Week:
The action off the court at Indian Wells has been almost as entertaining as some of the match play as celebrity tennis friends have been spectators — and practice partners — at the Pacific Life Open. Rock star Gavin Rossdale, former lead singer of the band Bush who currently heads his new band, Institute, and his wife, pregnant pop star Gwen Stefani, were on hand to watch their friend, Roger Federer, defeat Ivan Ljubicic on Thursday.

Rossdale and Stefani, who arrived from Los Angeles to watch the tournament, are good friends with Federer and his girlfriend, former WTA Tour pro Mirka Vavrinec. Rossdale, who was an accomplished soccer player growing up in England, has grown into a tennis junkie, playing nearly every day. The tireless Rossdale nearly wore out his racquet strings in hitting with Mirka for nearly three hours earlier this week. Federer's IMG agent, Tony Godsick, his wife, former Grand Slam finalist and current ESPN tennis analyst Mary Joe Fernandez, and Lindsay Davenport, were also on hand to watch Federer beat Ljubicic.

While he has been all business on the court, a relaxed Federer has flashed his sense of humor off court, bestowing the nickname "Pat Rafter" on coach Tony Roche, who formerly coached both Ivan Lendl and Patrick Rafter.

Mar 16, 2006 from AFP:
INDIAN WELLS - Roger Federer didn't give Ivan Ljubicic a look in as he sped past the Croatian sixth seed and into the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters Series. Ljubicic had stretched Federer to three sets in three of their five encounters last year, but Federer quickly sucked any suspense out of this one, needing just 66 minutes to post a 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Federer's best was too good for Ljubicic, who boasted a 20-2 record with two tournament titles of his own this year heading into the match. "I didn't feel like he gave me too many chances out there," Ljubicic said. "I probably tried too hard, tried more than I'm doing every day, and that's never good. He was the one pushing me over the limits. When it's like that, it's very difficult to make a statement, to make a decent match."

Ljubicic had only one break opportunity in the entire match, and Federer saved it with an ace as he held to open the second set. He did manage to save one match point against his serve in the penultimate game of the match, but couldn't do anything in the next as Federer finished it off with an ace.

"In the first set, I tried to play a fast game, I thought maybe that's the only chance I can trouble him a little bit," Ljubicic said. "But it was not the case." In the second, he tried slowing things down, also to no avail. "I stayed back a little on returns and tried to make a little more rallies instead of just ripping the ball," he said. "Of course, that didn't work either."

"I consider myself a top five player in the world, which doesn't mean that I'm close to Roger," Ljubicic said. "I think he's really much better than I am, and probably anyone else."

"The only player who can give him some trouble at the moment, it's Rafael Nadal," Ljubicic said. "I think just because he (Nadal) is a lefty, nothing else. When he (Federer) is on top of his game, there's no one out there who can give him any trouble. It depends mostly on him."

Mar 15, 2006 from Pacific Life Open:
Roger Federer sharpened his game to defeat Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 and keep alive his quest to win a third consecutive Pacific Life Open title in Indian Wells. The World No. 1 won 94 percent of points on his first serve and did not face a break point in his 56-minute win. Federer will face sixth seed Ivan Ljubicic in the quarter-finals.

Mar 14, 2006 from Pacific Life Open:
Roger Federer continued his quest to reach a 10th consecutive final when he survived a tough three-set battle against diminutive Olivier Rochus to reach the fourth round of the Pacific Life Open Tuesday. Federer made 59 unforced errors but lifted in the final game of the match to break Rochus with a blistering backhand winner down the line to win 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. The Swiss World No. 1 next meets Richard Gasquet. He has won 19 of 20 matches against Frenchmen since 2003.

Mar 12, 2006 from AFP:
INDIAN WELLS - Roger Federer took his first step toward a third straight Indian Wells Masters Series title here with a straight-set win over Nicolas Massu. Despite his overwhelming dominance of the men's tour, Federer said he was just glad to get through his tournament opener, advancing to the third round with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Massu.

After a first-round bye, Federer was facing a player who warmed up for the marqee clash by saving five match points in his first-round win over Agustin Calleri. But Federer had little trouble in the opening set, earning the crucial break in the sixth game to lead 4-2 and finishing it off with an ace on set point.

Roger Federer kicks the ball after he hit it into the net on a match point against Nicolas Massu at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Reuters)

Mar 11, 2006 from Los Angeles Times:
In a celebrity-starved world, Roger Federer gets tennis in the game. He makes the racket for his sport, just as Tiger Woods is the driver for his. Even if rain hadn't disrupted most of the matches Friday at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Federer still would have been the big show. And he won't even play until Sunday.

Federer meandered into a press gathering, dressed in a drab gray sweatshirt and dirty jeans, hair slightly disheveled. And suddenly, you had the Beatles. It was standing room only. From all corners, cameras buzzed, whirred and clicked. Federer smiles. Buzz, whir, click. Federer gestures. Buzz, whir, click. t was 15 minutes of "Access Hollywood" and, as an afterthought, some questions about tennis.

There are a couple of dozen mainstream newspapers and broadcast outlets from the desert to Los Angeles, and there were twice that many bodies in the room. Federer is far from a local story. His attraction is both Tennis magazine and People magazine. He is from Switzerland, but tennis has given him to the world. And he has given back, willingly and comfortably.

His results alone might put him on his pedestal. Yet he has remained accessible, comfortable with his role as the guy wearing the crown. He is not a great quote, but he is not dull. He has a presence, not a swagger.

Tour officials say they have never had anybody more willing to promote the game, more willing to cooperate with tournament officials or sponsors or reporters from pint-sized papers or 10-watt stations. While he is doing that, he maintains a measure of realism and humility.

Roger Federer talks with a player warming up on the adjacent practice court as he breaks out a new racket. (All Photos by Julie Varnau/Desert Sun)

Roger plays on the practice courts late Saturday afternoon. He put his warmup gear back on midway through the practice.

Roger signed autographs for about 10 minutes but large crowds swarming by the exit forced the No. 1 player to find an alternate route back to the players area as he tried to leave the practice courts.

Mar 9, 2006 from Roger Federer Official Site:
Dear fans,

Only just 9 1/2 weeks ago we had reached 50'000 registered users on the website. This morning we broke the 60'000 barrier!

Thank you for your great interest, it is lovely to see so many people from all over the world communicating peacefully. Keep it up!

Mar 7, 2006 from Tennis Week:
It was once known as former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Winter White House, but today the Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells hosted tennis' reigning king. World No. 1 Roger Federer thrilled guests at the Eldorado Country Club, walking the grounds as he participated in a photo shoot for for a future Nike ad campaign.

Mar 6, 2006 from Roger Federer Official Site:

During the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open Roger had the pleasure of meeting Will Smith at the bar in the Grosvenor House Hotel. Roger enjoyed a pleasant chat with the Oscar-nominated American actor and an multiple Grammy winning hip hop artist. (Photo by Art Seitz/ZUMA)

from Tennis X:
While world No. 1 Roger Federer is not so happy with the introduction of the instant replay challenge system as he says he has seen enough changes to the game of late, the ATP hopes once the system is in place it will change the minds of detractors.

"I met with Roger in Dubai," Etienne de Villiers said. "Roger believes where we've come out on the limited protocol is okay. I think he would prefer not to have it, but he understands that we need to make advances. He understands that rule changes need to be made. He kind of feels we've done enough now and would not like to see us do very much more. But he's very supportive of everything we're doing to date. He thinks beyond his own needs and thinks about what's best for the game. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he's not fighting us on this one."

Mar 4, 2006 from AFP:
DUBAI - Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer's open era record of successive wins on hard courts at 56 when he upset the titleholder 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Dubai Open.

Federer admitted the Spaniard was the better player on the day. "We knew I would be the aggressive player and he would be the consistent player," the world number one said. "I made some mistakes but I am still pleased with my game and Rafa was better on the day. It was a great effort by him and I think we are going to have a fantastic rivalry."

Federer came to the net twice and served two aces in the opening game, and broke Nadal as the challenger allowed him plenty of time to take the initiative. Federer finished that game with a dismissive forehand inside out winner. Nadal reached 40-30 with a more aggressive backhand follow-up behind his serve, and extracted a driving error from Federer on the next point to reach 1-3.

Nadal held again for 2-4 but at 2-5 his heavy, loopy topspins were not penetrating enough to keep out the flow of flatter, earlier Federer drives and the champion broke for a second time, finishing with a spectacular backhand smash winner.

from ATP:
Federer: "I thought I played pretty well tonight actually. Unfortunately, I couldn't play better when it mattered the most, at 4-4 in the second and third sets, where I got broken both times. It was tricky because I thought I played extremely well in the first one and a half sets."

"Unfortunately, he really got into the match at the end of the second set. I came back well in the beginning of the third and thought I was in control of the match again, but sometimes I maybe just went for too much on the forehand. He makes it hard, counterpunching so well."

"It was a very open match, it could have gone either way. Unfortunately for me, the more consistent guy won tonight. I was hoping to be able to come through with an aggressive game plan. It was very, very close, but he was better on the day."

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg tosses the coin as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer look on prior to the start of their final match at the Dubai Open tennis tournament in United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jack Dabaghian/Reuters)

Mar 3, 2006 from AP:
DUBAI - Roger Federer beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3 Friday to reach the Dubai Open final. He will meet second-seeded Rafael Nadal.

Federer had problems with his serve throughout the first set. He saved three break points at 0-40 in his opening two service games, was down 0-30 in the fifth, and had to save another breakpoint in the seventh game.

"He had several chances in the first set, and he could have put pressure on me by taking them, and it's hard really when you start off like he did (and get nothing) to really stay positive out there," said Federer, who broke Youzhny in the 2nd and 8th games.

"It was windy out there and I was missing a lot of first serves. But as long as I play the point well, I really don't mind. I just asked myself to concentrate and picked up my game in the second set."

Youzhny defied Federer in the second game of the second set for 14 minutes before being broken on a double fault. The Swiss star produced some magical shots — including a down-the-line flick with his back to the net — to win the match in 66 minutes.

from ATP:
Federer: "It was by far my best match of the tournament. It's always nice when you can turn it up for the big matches. The score didn't indicate how tough it was. It was quite a struggle for me. It was very windy. All in all, I'm quite pleased."

On fighting off the early break points: "That set the pace for the match. He should have broken me, but I came back every time. I think that took away his confidence. Fom then on, I never really looked back. In the second set, I played great. It was good fun."

Mar 2, 2006 from Reuters:
DUBAI - Roger Federer enjoyed a smooth 6-3 6-2 win over Czech Robin Vik to reach the semi-finals of the Dubai Open on Thursday. Federer was rarely stretched by Vik who rallied well at times but had nothing in his game to cause concern.

Federer faced two break points immediately after breaking to lead 2-0 but fired four consecutive aces to hold serve. Carelessness from Federer allowed Vik to level at 3-3. The world number one forced a forehand error to break again for 5-4 and he served out the set to love.

Federer faced three more break points in his first service game of the second set, before he held and then broke for 3-2. A crosscourt forehand winner gave him a second break for 5-2. Federer will next play Mikhail Youzhny in the semi-finals.

"I'm not sure if I played much better than before, but it's just the feeling I have now, it's more relaxed," Federer told reporters. "I know how to play and the service motion, all of that, is coming together. It always takes a couple of matches to get that feeling back, and I think tonight that was the case."

Mar 1, 2006 from Reuters:
DUBAI - Roger Federer struggled to defeat Kuwait's Mohammed Al Ghareeb 7-6 6-4 at the Dubai Open on Wednesday. Serving well, Al Ghareeb showed no sign of nerves in the biggest match of his career and after breaking to lead 3-2, he consolidated his advantage by firing four aces past the world number one.

The Kuwaiti fought off four break points to lead 5-3 and came within two points of claiming the set before Federer edged the tiebreak 7-5. The Swiss also found it difficult to take control of the second set before Al Ghareeb, 25, double-faulted to give Federer a 4-3 lead on his eighth break point of the set.

"I was hoping it was going to be easier, obviously, but he played well. He definitely served well, and I was playing quite passive," Federer said. "One I got tied up in that passive play I couldn't really play my forehand and it was getting hard. I was lucky I got back in that first set. He was the better player but my experience got me through."

from Dubai Tennis Championships:
Roger Federer has taken some time out from the Dubai Tennis Championships to enjoy the very best Dubai has to offer at night. The world number one this week enjoyed a relaxing night cruise on a luxury speed boat on the Dubai Creek. Taking in the beautiful Dubai skyline, Federer said: "Dubai at night is such a special sight, it really is good fun."

from Peter Bodo's Tennis World:
Bob Bryan cited two other key players who helped get the new doubles deal done - one a usual suspect, the other anything but. Etienne de Villiers, the new ATP CEO, was a key player in bringing peace to the valley. As we at Tennis learned during his visit to our offices last week, de Villiers is a pragmatist and open-minded executive who doesn't bring significant prejudices and predispositions to the job. His approach was simple: Doubles players unhappy? What can we do to make them happy without harming some other segment of the game? "Etienne was the guy on their side who really turned it," Bob said. "He came to the table asking, ‘what can we do to help the game?'."

The unusual suspect was Roger Federer. The Mighty Fed apparently sat in on a bunch of meetings, and the Bryans (among others) were very impressed by his contribution to the debate. "A lot of Number One players, they steer clear of the politics," Bob said. "Roger showed us he was really interested in helping the sport, because doubles isn't just some luxury. It's part of the sport."

So here's the million dollar question: If the statistics show that no-ad and traditional scoring produce virtually identical results (as well as rankings, etc.) would Federer go along with best-of-three, no-ad, super-tiebreaker singles, knowing that the altered scoring system has so many advantages? Absolutely, positively, definitely. . . not.