Federer feels Paris love again as he nears the 100 landmark
PARIS MASTERS One short of a century of career titles, the Swiss crushes Fabio Fognini to enter quarterfinals PARIS:
Roger Federer reckoned that he felt the love of the French public sweep over him when he made a long-awaited return to competitive action in Paris on Thursday to launch his bid for a 100th career title.
Federer, who has not competed in Paris at either the French Open or indoor Masters since 2015, received a standing ovation after making a winning comeback in Bercy following his late decision to compete after his 99th triumph in Basel on Sunday.
Before and after defeating Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-3 to move into the quarter-finals, the 37-year-old looked touched by the reception in the arena and responded by “saluting” them in a post-match on-court address.
“I hope you have understood that the French public missed you very much,” one reporter told him after his hit-and-miss but eventually comfortable win, to which Federer responded: “It was wonderful to have such a welcome from the French public.
“The standing ovation at the end was wonderful as well. I wanted to thank them, to salute them. It was something that is important to me. I did win, so I had the mike, I could talk to the public.
“I’ve had very intense moments at the French Open (where he won in 2009) and here (where he won the 2011 Masters). Everybody knows that I’m very pleased to do my comeback here, but it is also hard to prove it on the court.”
Federer, who has taken both the clay grind at Roland-Garros and the awkwardly-timed Bercy indoor event off his truncated playing schedule recently, had originally been scheduled to return on Wednesday.
Yet his opponent, Milos Raonic, pulled out because of injury, leaving Federer to think that it had actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
“It gave me an extra day of rest which I needed, because one shouldn’t have too many matches in a row,” he said, adding that he had enjoyed “a massage and a nice dinner” instead of playing.
He said he was trying to play in Paris without pressure and that his major concern was regaining the ATP World Tour title in London later this month.
“If it turns out well (this week), good. If it doesn’t, well, too bad. I tried. It’s good to play in a relaxed manner for once, to find something in my game that could help me out for London,” he said.
“My objective is London. If I can do well here in Paris and beat him (Novak Djokovic), all the better. But I’m not there yet. We’ll just wait and see.”
On Thursday, the Swiss was not at his regal best against the flamboyant Fognini, who calls Federer “the king of tennis”, but then he did not need to be. “Not bad,” was how the Swiss rated his display.
He broke twice in the first five games, prompting the explosive Fognini to hurl down his racquet in disgust, but the Italian did claw a break back before the 2011 Paris champion made slightly heavy weather of serving out the set.
After some erratic tennis in the second set, Federer completed the routine job with a fourth break of serve to wrap up a 73-minute win but knows it will all be much harder in the last eight against Kei Nishikori, who beat Kevin Anderson.
In a repeat of Sunday’s Vienna Open final, the in-form Japanese Nishikori gained impressive revenge for his defeat by beating the South African 6-4 6-4.
WINNING STREAK Djokovic, who knew on Wednesday he would be world No 1 next week after Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal from the tournament through injury, was leading 6-1 2-1 when Bosnian Dzhumur succumbed to a back problem that had flared up in the first set.
Djokovic extended his winning streak to 20 straight matches as he maintained the remarkable spell of form that helped him rise from number 22 in June to the top of the game again.
“Reflecting on what I’ve been through in the last year, it’s quite a phenomenal achievement. And, of course, I’m very, very happy and proud about it,” the Serb said.
Dzumhur suffered a tweak to his lower back when 4-1 down in the opening set. He battled on in an 11-minute sixth game but was eventually broken for a second time and, though he continued after treatment and taking painkillers, there was no way back.
Seeking a record-equalling 33rd Masters and record-extending fifth Paris title, Djokovic will face a much tougher test in the last eight against Marin Cilic, who looked in strikingly good form when beating Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(5), 6-4.