Tennis: Federer ranks Nadal rout ‘extremely high’

World number 4 qualifies for ATP World Tour semis after 6-3, 6-0 win.

LONDON: Roger Federer rated his masterful 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Rafael Nadal at the ATP World Tour Finals as one of the best performances of his life as the Swiss great qualified for the semi-finals of the event.

Federer has enjoyed many remarkable days during his illustrious career, but even the 16-time Grand Slam champion was surprised by how completely he overwhelmed his old rival on Tuesday.

“I’ve had some good ones in my lifetime but this one ranks extremely high because it’s against my biggest rival,” said Federer. “It’s the World Tour Finals, where it really matters. That I’ve been able to come through so convincingly is a bit of a surprise because Rafa has a certain standard which he doesn’t go below.”

The 30-year-old took just an hour to crush Nadal, who may have been slightly affected by illness and injury, but Federer had never beaten the Spaniard by such an emphatic margin before and the dominant manner of the win made it one of his all-time great performances.

Nadal vows to bounce back

Nadal, however, insisted he can recover from his brutal defeat to book a place in the semi-finals.

“Now is not the moment to be down and say goodbye, it’s the moment to keep fighting,” he said. “I’m still in the tournament and I’ll be in the semis if I win the next match.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2011.