Federer Facing End-Of-Season Problems

Written by: Staff on 23rd October 2012

Federer Facing End-Of-Season Problems

epa03442744 Switzerland's Roger Federer serves a ball to Germany's Benjamin Becker during their first round match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, 22 October 2012. EPA/GEORGIOS KEFALAS |

Roger Federer’s end-of-season run of success a year ago which propelled his push back to the No. 1 ranking last summer, had it’s start a year ago in his hometown of Basel, where he is playing this week to claim his sixth title from the last seven editions.

The Swiss ran the table in 2011, winning three straight trophies in Basel , the Paris Masters and concluding with the World Tour Finals in London . He picked up where he left off in February with Rotterdam and Dubai honours.

But the compressing of the calendar this season means there is no more one-week break between Paris and London , leaving Federer to decide only at the last minute if he will show up form next Monday at Paris Bercy.

“It all depends on how tough and how much you play, how the scheduling is, who are the opponents, and then maybe get a chance to get on a run,” said the 17-time Grand Slam champion with 76 career titles who leads the ATP in six in 2012.

But he said that he cannot count on trying to repeat history. “It should not be my goal now to try and win all three again. The first goals is to see how I play here and take it from there.

“I want to play well at the World Tour Finals, there’s no question about that. It’s the highlight of the end of the season and one of the biggest events we have in the sport.

“I have to think day by day. It’s simple, it’s pretty routine, but it’s my only way to handle these next couple of crazy weeks.”