TOMMY HAAS STUNS ROGER FEDERER TO REACH STUTTGART ATP TENNIS QUARTERS

Written by: Staff on 14th June 2017

TOMMY HAAS STUNS ROGER FEDERER TO REACH STUTTGART ATP TENNIS QUARTERS

epa06028151 Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Tommy Haas of Germany during their second round match at the ATP Mercedes Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 14 June 2017. EPA/RONALD WITTEK |

By Ricky Dimon

Tommy Haas isn’t done yet. Far from it, in fact.

Tommy Haas of Germany in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during their second round match at the ATP Mercedes Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 14 June 2017. EPA/RONALD WITTEK

Although Haas’ retirement may be a matter of weeks away, he showed on Wednesday at the Mercedes Cup that he still has plenty left in the tank if he wants to keep going. The 39-year-old stunned No. 1 seed and 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 during second-round action.

Haas recovered from a set and a break down, getting back on serve at 2-2 in the second set and eventually saving a match point at 7-8 in the tiebreaker when Federer sent a backhand long.

One break in the third was enough for Haas to pull off the upset.

“I’m a little bit speechless that I beat him today,” the German commented. “It’s been a while since I have won back-to-back matches and to do it today against Roger is obviously one of my career highlights. It’s a very special feeling. At the same time, he’s a very close friend of mine so it doesn’t feel like such a celebration in that sense. This is my last phase, so the emotions are different from what they would have been a few years ago.

“This is sport. Unfortunately, one person has to lose and lately a lot of the time it has been me. I was happy to be out there in front of a German crowd playing against a friend, an idol, a legend, the greatest ever. It’s fantastic.”

It was hardly a fantastic day at the office for Federer, who was playing for the first time since winning back-to-back Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Miami in the spring.

“I thought it was a typical grass-court match today,” Federer assessed. “Rallies weren’t very long and it was decided on a serve there or a return here. If you don’t take your chances like I didn’t, leading (by) a set and a break, you really only have yourself to blame at the end. You’ve got to acknowledge the fact that he was a bit better. It’s quite frustrating, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“It wasn’t all bad; not at all. There were definitely some good moments, but I was not as sharp as I was hoping to be in the big moments, or the moment when I had the lead and where I feel I should have been cruising from that moment on. I definitely made some crucial mistakes and judgment errors.

“Tommy definitely played well when he had to. He hung around and was able to push me in the second set. In the third set I couldn’t get up to the level I wanted. I should have somehow broken him once, but I wasn’t able to do that.”

Roger Federer of Switzerland leaves the court after losing his second round match against Tommy Haas of Germany at the ATP Mercedes Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 14 June 2017. EPA/RONALD WITTEK

“This is a little hiccup for him, but deep down if he’s going to lose then he’s quite happy that he loses to me since he knows I’m on my way out,” Haas said of Federer. “So I think he can swallow this loss a little bit easier than against somebody else. He’s going to be pretty happy for me. He’ll bounce back right away. This will just motivate him to do well in Halle and to be ready for Wimbledon.”

Wimbledon has been Federer’s target since the start of the clay-court swing, which he skipped entirely. While Rafael Nadal was busy winning title No. 10 at the French Open, Federer was getting a head start on the green stuff by practicing for Stuttgart, Halle, and the Championships at SW19.