Federer Caps Year with Masters Cup Title; U.S. Davis Cup Squad Second-Guessing Begins

Posted on November 22, 2004

Federer Makes History with Three Slams, Masters Cup Title

Roger Federer brutalized Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-2 Sunday in the rain-delayed Masters Cup final, becoming the only player to win three Grand Slam titles and the year-ending championship in the same year.

"I'm coming here not so well prepared," said Federer, with the Masters Cup his first event after a muscle tear in his thigh. "It is difficult to believe what has happened."

Federer now leads Hewitt 8-7 in their career meetings, including their last six.

It was the 11th title for Federer in 2004, with Hewitt and Andy Roddick tied for second with four. Roddick finishes the year at No. 2 behind Club Fed with Hewitt, who would have overtaken Roddick with the Masters Cup title, at No. 3.

The win was also a record 23rd consecutive victory for the Swiss over Top 10 opponents, his 17th match win in a row, and his 13th consecutive win in a tournament final.

Hewitt could only give a nod to the Swiss' dominance on the year.

"I'd like to congratulate Roger not only for winning the tournament but for the way he has played all year," Hewitt said. "He has really cleaned me up this year. I'll go back to the drawing board and hopefully I can get him next year."

Now Federer enters 2005 with a substantial lead at No. 1, the added pressure of the "Potential Greatest of All" title, and talk of the near-impossible, the first man to win all four slams in one calendar year in the Open Era since Rod Laver in 1969.

"My main focus is to stay No. 1 in the world and defend my Wimbledon crown," Federer said. "I just have to try to keep on playing this way."

The rainy forecast made tournament officials shorten the final from best-of-five to two-of-three sets.

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Andy Roddick on the upcoming Davis Cup meeting with Spain on the red dirt: "It's going to be crazy. We expect that. The good thing is we know what we're getting into when we go over there. It's not going to be a surprise. We know it's going to be tough. But we go in with the mindset that we just have to try our best to deal with it. We're excited. We feel with the group of guys we've been building for three or four years, to have a chance at the title now, it's very exciting."...The USTA has extended Patrick McEnroe's U.S. Davis Cup captain's contract through 2006...South Florida Sun-Sentinel tennis columnist Charlie "Brick" Bricker misses the broad side of the barn with his weekend editorial, patting himself on the back for earlier saying Andre Agassi should not play the Davis Cup final for the U.S.: "I had written shortly after the United States defeated Belarus in the Davis Cup semifinals that even though Agassi and Andy Roddick with the Bryan brothers in doubles gave the United States at least a 50-50 chance of winning the final against Spain on clay (Dec. 3-5), Andre should not be invited because it was Mardy Fish, Roddick and the Bryans who drove the United States to this championship tie. They should have a chance to complete it." Nice pick -- after the U.S. gets housed in the final, you can hold your head up high. We on the other hand would put Agassi, Vince Spadea or Andy Roddick and the Bryan brothers on court, and have a shot. Why would Agassi say he would play when the USTA president said he was not welcome -- even before Agassi was asked? And Mardy Fish on clay? Why do the Americans insist on this losing "the guys who got us here" attitude instead of putting the best players for the surface on the court? Silly Americans. How aggravating, another Cup-raising year for the Spaniards...Props to ESPN for doing the rain-delayed Masters Cup final right and sticking to the match until the end. Live tennis, what a shocker.