Federer: Sometimes I get help, sometimes I don’t
SIX-TIME champion Roger Federer put a troubled start to his 16th ATP Finals behind him as he outclassed Dominic Thiem 6-2 6-3 on Tuesday to stay on course for the knockout stage.
The 37-year-old Swiss played poorly in defeat against Kei Nishikori on Sunday and then skipped practice on Monday.
Comments made by French player Julien Benneteau to a radio station suggesting Federer is given preferential treatment by tournament organisers, particular in grand slams, also threatened to disturb his week at the O2 Arena.
He responded with a smooth demolition of Austrian Thiem and then avoided being drawn into a row over Benneteau’s reported comments, saying they had been taken out of context.
“I don’t feel like I need to comment on this. I’d rather put it to rest rather than adding to it so you guys got something to write about,” he told a news conference.
He was then asked whether his agent Tony Godsick had ever demanded that Federer only be scheduled on Arthur Ashe court at the US Open – a claim reportedly made by Benneteau in an interview with RMC radio.
“I get asked, would you like to play Monday or Tuesday sometimes. Sometimes I get asked, ‘do you want to play day or night?’ Sometimes they go ask the agent. Sometimes they ask me, you know, ‘Asia wants you to play at night’,” Federer said.
“Yes, sometimes we have our say. But I asked to play Monday at the US Open. I played Tuesday night. It’s all good. Sometimes I get help, sometimes I don’t.
“But a lot of the facts are not right, just to be clear there, from what heard.”
Federer was more concerned with the way he rediscovered his form to convincingly beat Thiem, admitting his head had not been right in a straight sets defeat by Nishikori.
“I’ll do the same tomorrow because it worked,” Federer said of deciding not to practise on Monday.
“(The Nishikori defeat) was not about my forehand or my backhand or my serve or anything. I guess it was my head. For that sometimes you need a break.
“I could win and still not make it (semi-finals), so from that standpoint it’s not in my power. Important for me is to play a good last match here in the round-robin, try to beat Kevin (Anderson). He has been playing great. He has had a wonderful season.” | Reuters
IITALIAN Claudio Ranieri has been appointed the new manager of Fulham, replacing Slavisa Jokanovic, the struggling Premier League club said yesterday.
Serb Jokanovic led Fulham into the top flight from the second-tier Championship via the playoffs last season, but the London club have made a poor start and are bottom of the league with one win in 12 games.
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan said he had taken the decision reluctantly, but felt a change was needed.
“Having someone of Claudio’s calibre ready to accept our challenge was comforting but, most of all, essential,” Khan said.
“The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League. This Fulham squad has exceptional talent that is contrary to its position in the table,” Ranieri said. | WORLD No 1 Novak Djokovic produced a rock-solid performance to dismantle the challenge of German firebrand Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals yesterday.
The Serb, 10 years older than his opponent, was made to work hard in an absorbing first set but Zverev’s challenge crumbled at the O2 Arena as Djokovic won 6-4 6-1 to move within sight of the semi-finals.
Five-times champion Djokovic, who will end the year as world No 1 for the fifth time in his career, leads the Gustavo Kuerten group with two wins and is yet to drop a set.
“I don’t think it was breathtaking tennis from both of us but a win is a win,” Djokovic, who hit only three winners in the first set compared to Zverev’s 15, said on court. “I started to play better in the second set and he was making a lot of unforced errors, which helped me win.” |