Federer Gets Revenge on Gasquet for Sixth Title of Year

Posted on May 16, 2005

Roger Federer’s world domination resumed Sunday in Hamburg as the ATP No. 1 collected a tour-leading sixth title on the year with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6(4) win over teen qualifier Richard Gasquet. Federer, who had lost to Gasquet last month in Monte Carlo, and then had to withdraw from Rome last week with two swollen feet, showed no signs of injury or of rust in steamrolling a tough field without the loss of a single set en route to his third Hamburg crown.

“He won the last one, so you can’t expect an easy match,” said Federer following the 2-hour, 13-minute contest which earned him his 28th career title. “But in the end straight sets is always convincing in my eyes. So I played a good match, I had to. He moves well and therefore I’m very happy about the way I played today.”

The Swiss, who was never broken in the match, made the most of a slow start by Gasquet, breaking for a 3-0 lead in the first set. A break at 5-5 in the second set was enough for Federer to secure a two set lead and then Federer proved too tough in the third set tie-break.

The victory for Federer extends his ridiculous win streak in finals to 19, which was on his mind today.

“I didn’t actually think about it too much until yesterday, when he said in the presentation, now you have 18 finals in a row,” Federer said. “Then it reminded me. Now it’s 19. Of course I go into finals feeling well, feeling comfortable. Somehow you always know the streaks will end. You always hope it’s not gonna be today.”

Federer is now a career 20-3 in Hamburg and holds a 12-match winning streak at the event. He improves to 41-2 in 2005, equaling Rafael Nadal’s (41-6) most match-wins to date this year. The Swiss has also won six of the past 10 Masters Series tournaments he has contested and seven (from nine finals) in total during his career.

Gasquet, who was bidding to become the first French winner in Hamburg since Henri Leconte in 1986, is now 0-2 in career ATP finals following a loss in the 2004 Metz final.

“To be in a final is incredible for me, I have time for Roland Garros,” said Gasquet who will move up to career-high near 30 in the ATP Entry Rankings. “I’m so happy to be in the final in Hamburg in the Masters Series. It’s incredible, I won seven matches and I lost to Federer. It’s very good. I have a lot of experience for my next tournament now.”

In the doubles final, Jonas Bjorkman and Max “The Original Beast” Mirnyi won their second career Masters Series team title defeating Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) in 3 hours, 3 minutes. Recent Rome winners Llodra and Santoro served for the match at 6-4, 5-4 but were unable to complete victory.