Federer Makes Agassi Look Old in Winning Tennis Masters Cup
Posted on November 18, 2003

"It's one of the best matches of my life," said Club Fed after weathering a 2-hour, 38-minute rain delay for the victory. "The Masters and Wimbledon are my two favorite tournaments, so I'm very happy."
Federer led 6-3, 2-0 when the rains came, and after the delay he won the next four games to close out the second set 6-0.
"What a great finish. I really overachieved everything I set for myself," said Federer after winning his tour-best 78th match of the season. "It's really been an unbelievable year for me."
Agassi, who lost to the Swiss 7-6 in the third set after holding match points in an earlier round robin encounter, conceded it was Federer's day.
"Roger played great tennis all week; he deserves to win here," Agassi said. "I wish I could have done more today, but I just didn't have enough...He's doing everything great. He's a great mover, a great striker of the ball off both sides. He's a factor from the back of the court and when he comes to the net. His serve is very effective. He knows the game real well, knows court position."
So dominant was Federer's serve, that Agassi, one the game's premier returners, never even reached deuce on his opponent's serve on Sunday.
Federer finished the event with a perfect 5-0 record incredibly winning his last 11 sets en route to a whopping $1.52 million payday. Agassi, who first played at a Masters event 13 years ago back in 1990, when Federer was just a 9-year-old, earned $700G for the his finalist effort.
When the 2004 campaign begins, Federer will be only a handful of points behind No. 1 Roddick in the rankings.
UNDEFEATED YEAR-END SINGLES WINNERS
Roger Federer became the fourth player to win the year-end championship without dropping a match in the history of the round robin format:
2003 Roger Federer
2001 Lleyton Hewitt
1993 Michael Stich
1987 Ivan Lendl
1986 Ivan Lendl
AID FOR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE VICTIMS
Tennis fans have been asked to help victims of the devastating California wildfires by donating their empty cans of tennis balls. Volunteers will fill the cans with items such as toiletries, gift cards and small gifts to help victims of the fires. The fires charred nearly 750,000 acres of California wilderness and left an estimated $10 billion in destruction, claiming more than 3000 homes. Please send your empty cans to volunteer Mary Gray, 16520 Dartolo Rd., Ramona, CA 92065, USA
NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Rainer Schuettler wouldn't say what was bothering him in his post-match conference after losing to Andre Agassi in the Masters Cup semis, but the consensus is it likely had something to do with the red-white-and-blue decked-out promoter of the event standing up cheering for Agassi the entire match...For the first time in four years, the player ending the year at No. 1 was not be the winner of the season-ending tournament...Andy Roddick comparing his semifinal loss at the Masters Cup to Roger Federer to his loss to the Swiss at Wimbledon earlier this year: "Pretty much the same. He kicked my ass then and he kicked my ass tonight."...Mike Bryan on the brothers' steady improvement in doubles over the years: "I think we're just more consistent 'cause we worked on our weaknesses. Bob's worked on his return, I worked on my serve. This is our fifth year on the tour. We've gotten progressively better every year. Went from 60 to Top 20 to Top 10. Now we're No. 1."...Mike Bryan said the respect didn't come from the other top players until they started winning: "(Todd) Woodbridge, I don't think, would give us the time of day until we won that first Grand Slam. Now he's actually, you know, chatting it up with us, joking around with us. Now, I mean, now we're world champions, No. 1 in the world. We deserve the respect."...Look for Roger Federer to overtake Andy Roddick for the No. 1 Ranking following the Australian Open. It will happen as long as Federer finishes in the same round or better than Roddick...Italy's Davide Sanguinetti beat Sweden's Robin Soderling for the Helsinki Challenger title. Paul Goldstein topped Robert Kendrick in Austin, and Irakli Labaze beat Harel Levy in Uzbekistan...Props to ESPN for sticking with the Masters Cup final after the rain delay, even though they went to ESPN2...How bad was Jim McIngvale's speech during the closing ceremony. Next time "Mattress Whack", remember to wipe off the "i'm-pissed-because-an-American-didn't-win-my-event" look off your face and give genuine credit to Roger Federer, because he deserves it and he will be back.