No easing up for perfect Federer
THE END of the season is just days away and Roger Federer knew he was already through to the semi-finals at The O2 but still he would not give an inch yesterday.
Federer wrapped up a perfect roundrobin performance with his third win of the week at the ATP Finals, beating Marin Cilic 6-7, 6-4, 6-1.
He did not need the victory to keep his hopes of a seventh title alive and he hardly needs the £145,000 yesterday’s success brought him.
But Federer will not ease up. “I was slightly over-aggressive in the first set on some crucial points rather than maybe being patient,” he said.
“I was able to turn that around late in the second set. Then I just had a much better feeling in the third.”
Whatever happens this week, Federer cannot oust Rafael Nadal from the top of the rankings.
“No1 is the ultimate achievement but, at this age, it can’t be because I’ll make mistakes if I start chasing it,” said the Swiss, 36. Nadal has been awarded damages after Roselyne Bachelot, the former French sports minister who accused him of doping, was found guilty of defamation.
Bachelot was ordered to pay around £8,927 that Nadal will donate to a French charity. A CANCELLED tyre test meant McLaren reserve Lando Norris effectively flew all the way from Britain to Brazil this week just to take a bath.
The 18-year-old, racing in this weekend’s Macau F3 race, was soaking in the tub after arriving in Sao Paulo when the test was cancelled for security reasons. He then had to fly to Macau, via Paris and Shanghai.