FEDERER HOLDS OFF POSPISIL IN CINCINNATI, GETS 300TH MASTERS WIN BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 13th August 2014

FEDERER HOLDS OFF POSPISIL IN CINCINNATI, GETS 300TH MASTERS WIN BY RICKY DIMON

epa04352522 Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a backhand return to Vasek Pospisil of Canada in their second round match of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament at the Linder Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, 13 August 2014. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

Roger Federer kicked off his Western & Southern Open campaign on Wednesday afternoon with a 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-2 win over Vasek Pospisil in the second round. Federer struck six aces without double-faulting a single time to advance after two hours and one minute of play.

The 33-year-old Swiss was making a quick turnaround after contesting the Rogers Cup final on Sunday. Of concern to Federer was that several others who had performed well in Toronto had already lost early in Cincinnati. Champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost his opening match, as did semifinalists Grigor Dimitrov and Feliciano Lopez.

“I [was] nervous about not being ready for the conditions, like Jo and Dimitrov and Lopez,” Federer explained. “The transition is always a tough one. We don’t have enough days. We just hope to get through the first match in tough conditions.”

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a backhand return to Vasek Pospisil of Canada in their second round match of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament at the Linder Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, 13 August 2014. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

The No. 2 seed got through it, but not without a fight. Neither man could break serve a single time until the final game of the second set, when Pospisil capitalized on his second opportunity of the match. The Canadian held his first service game of the third for a 1-0 lead, but Federer seized control immediately thereafter. Federer broke for 2-1 and 4-1 before eventually serving things out at 5-2.

“In the third set I sensed he was getting a bit tired,” the 17-time Grand Slam champion reflected. “I was able to take advantage of that. I closed it out. So I’m happy things finished more positive in the end.”

The victory gives Federer 300 Masters 1000 wins for his career.

“It’s a nice round number,” he commented. “I have had some more important ones than the one today, but nevertheless it’s nice to reach such milestones. I also was one of those guys who struggled early on in the Masters 1000. I know how hard it is to win all these matches because it’s always against top 50 players–if not top 20; if not top 10.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Cincinnati, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Tennis, Vasek Pospisil, Western & Southern Open

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10sBalls_com says:

August 13, 2014 at 6:00 pm

@rogerfederer HOLDS OFF @VasekPospisil IN #CINCINNATI, GETS 300TH MASTERS WIN BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) http://t.co/vPTDV5Hgf2 #ATP
RD_Tennistalk says:

August 13, 2014 at 7:38 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: @rogerfederer HOLDS OFF @VasekPospisil IN #CINCINNATI, GETS 300TH MASTERS WIN BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) http://t.c…