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Federer Tops Tsonga To Win A Record Sixth Year-End Title
By: Lauren Lynch
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Photo Credit: James Waterson
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(November 27, 2011) Passing legends and five-time-titlists Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl, Roger Federer has won the most titles at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in Open Era history when he collected his sixth crown at the prestigious event. The fourth-seed endured a two hour, 19 minute battle against sixth-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 victory in London’s O2 Arena on indoor hard-court.
Federer has also collected trophies at the year-end event against Rafael Nadal in 2010, David Ferrer in 2007, James Blake in 2006, Lleyton Hewittin 2004, and Andre Agassi in 2003 in three different arenas (Houston, Shanghai, and London).
The former No. 1 will likely finish as the World No. 3 in 2011 and ends the season on a 17-match winning streak, including the two matches at the Davis Cup against Australia. This tournament was also his 70th career title and fourth in 2011.
He met his match on Sunday against the Frenchman, who attempted to stay neck and neck on points in the match. The first set went totally in the favor of the 30-year-old Swiss, who started serving, and broke Tsonga’s serve at 5-3. Despite a struggle at deuce on set point, Federer sealed the set with two advantage points.
The second set appeared to be another domination by the fourth seed, due a to quick break at 3-2 with some effective volleys. Tsonga swooped in at 5-5 by stealing Federer’s serve with a 40-0 lead that he has to take two more game points on before his first break of the match with a volley. The World No. 6 held to take a lead and soon the second set went into a tiebreak in which Tsonga ends by forcing Federer to hit into the net with a sound serve.
Between the second and final set, Tsonga went to get some medical attention for hurt knee but soon returned. Both held serve, despite both struggling on their first serves (retreating to second serves almost half of the time), until the eighth game. Federer broke Tsonga at the key point, 5-3, on the third advantage in deuce with a shout of joy. The Swiss moved on to quick final game at 40-0, with an ace and a well-placed forehand smash.
Federer leads his career head-to-head series against Tsonga 7-3 and 5-2 in 2011. Both had 11 aces but Federer won more points on his serve and return game. He won 69 of 98 serves and 36 of 98 points on Tsonga’s serve giving him 105 total points. He broke three of nine attempts and saved two of three attempts on his serve.
He picked up a cheque for $1,630,000 and 1,500 South African Airways ATP Rankings points to be 64-12 wins to losses in 2011 and has 807 match wins since the beginning of his career putting him below Jimmy Connors(1,242), Ivan Lendl (1,071), Guillermo Vilas(923), John McEnroe(875), and Andre Agassi(807).
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