Federer wins Cincinnati crown, fires US Open warning

The world number two won his 2nd ATP Cincinnati Masters crown in a row and fourth overall after 2005, 2007 and 2009.


August 24, 2010 1 min read

CINCINNATI: Roger Federer returned to winning ways by claiming the Cincinnati Masters and announced himself once again as the man to beat at the US Open.

The world number two won his second ATP Cincinnati Masters crown in a row and fourth overall after 2005, 2007 and 2009, outlasting American Mardy Fish 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 for his 63rd career title.

“I’ve been playing well the last couple of weeks and today was just another proof that I’m playing really well,” said Federer.

There had been talk of Federer being in decline after he went out at the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, part of a near seven month streak where he had failed to win a tournament. But the manner of his victory over Fish in Ohio showed his opponent - and plenty of other observers - that the Swiss is the leading player in the best form heading into the Open.

Federer has an astonishing record at Flushing Meadows, having reached the last six finals and winning all but last year’s loss to Juan Martin del Potro, and Fish believes Federer is a different beast when he turns up at the grand slams.

“He’s just been there so many times,” said Fish. “Clearly he loves the US Open and his record is incredible in grand slams. I feel like he’s a different player even in grand slams as opposed to even Masters 1000 tournaments.”

Federer said the biggest obstacles he is likely to face in pursuit of a 17th major crown will come from familiar quarters - Briton Andy Murray beat him in the Toronto final and world number one Rafael Nadal is desperate to complete a career grand slam by hoisting the elusive US Open trophy.

“I guess the top four have the best shot again. We can all play really well on the hard courts.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2010.

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