Federer has no regrets at missing out on top spot

TENNIS: Swiss ace says season has exceeded his expectations

Roger Federer insists he has no regrets despite missing out on finishing the year as world number one.

Federer’s decision to skip the Paris Masters last month ended any hopes he may have had of catching Rafael Nadal at the top of the rankings.

Nadal subsequently withdrew from this week’s ATP Finals in London after just one match through injury, clearing a path for Federer to claim a seventh title and the potential 1,500 ranking points on offer.

Yet victory in the final on Sunday would leave the 36-year-old Swiss superstar 140 points shy of his great Spanish rival.

However, Federer said: “Regrets? I don’t have any. But maybe losing to Tommy Haas (in Stuttgart) and Evgeny Donskoy (in Dubai) ended up haunting me.

“I had match points in both matches. It’s not like I didn’t try.

“To have regrets because of these matches – if I miss out because of that for world number one, then maybe I was unlucky.

“But I also did win matches in Miami, saving match points against Tomas Berdych, and other matches throughout the season could have gone either way as well,” he said.

“I have no regrets because I totally exceeded my expectations. I’m just happy that I’m injury-free and healthy right now and enjoying myself still.”

Federer did not appear to be enjoying himself a great deal when he was a set behind and facing a break point against already-eliminated Marin Cilic in the final round-robin game.

Having qualified for the semi-finals regardless of the result, the 19-time Grand Slam winner could have been forgiven for taking a rare defeat on the chin and saving himself for tomorrow’s meeting with either Dominic Thiem or David Goffin.

Yet, ever the perfectionist, Federer dug deep to run out a 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 6-1 winner ahead of his 14th semi-final in 15 appearances at the Finals.

Cilic, who endured a painful defeat to