Federer saga continues
Federer lands fourth title in Dubai as he keeps clean slate against Youzhny
Dubai: World number one Roger Federer picked up his seventh straight title - and his fourth here - when he brushed aside unseeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open yesterday.
Going into the final, Federer had a perfect 8-0 record against his Russian opponent, two of these coming right here in Dubai when the Swiss superstar defeated Youzhny in the semifinals last year and the quarterfinals in 2005.
Last night was Federer's seventh straight title that started off with a win at the US Open at the end of August last year and through Tokyo, Madrid, Basel, the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai and last month's Australian Open.
Federer came into last night's final with a 40-match winning streak, and he is now just five wins away from Guillermo Vilas's record of 46 wins way back in 1977. Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, gave away the trophies in the presence of Shaikh Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, President of the Arab Tennis Federation, Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, Director of Information, and Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free.
Blistering start
Youzhny was off to a blistering start - breaking the world's best player and then holding serve to go 2-0 clear. But Federer returned the favour in the fourth to draw level 2-2 and then broke a second time in the eighth game to go 5-3. However, Youzhny - winner of the Rotterdam Open last week - fought right back and registered a break with Federer serving for the set. That proved to be of little respite as Federer broke a third time to win the set 6-4 in 41 minutes.
"I am so happy to play here and win. I've been having a great run at the moment and it's always nice to go away with yet another trophy," Federer told the appreciative audience at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
Despite a sizeable crowd backing Youzhny, the second set showed the Russian's game coming apart. Federer held serves on either side of a break to go 3-0 up. Federer had another chance for a break in the sixth game, but Youzhny saved three game points to hold serve to trail 2-4.
From then on, Federer was in total control - giving Youzhny very little chance as he closed the set and match 6-3 in one hour and 24 minutes to pick up his fourth crown in Dubai.
"I think I saved the best for the last. I started slow, but that was because Mikhail played very well. Dubai has always been a special place for me and I will keep coming for holidays as I love the weather here," Federer stated.
