Federer and Azarenka stemrolled through tournament to seize titles

Roger Federer breezed past Juan Martin Del Potro to take the title in Rotterdam in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. 

Federer took his first title of this season in a straightforward encounter easing to a 5-0 lead in the first set.  Del Potro managed to hold one service game but in the end he succumbed to Federer’s master class as the Swiss man took the set in 34 minutes. 

Del Potro did have chances in the match but failed to take any of his seven break points.  Federer on the other hand did not let any of his chances go as he broke the Argentine in the fifth game of the second set and continued in formidable fashion to take the match at the third time of asking in one hour and 26 minutes.  Federer has now managed to win at least one ATP World Tour Title in a season 12 years in a row. 

In the Qatar Total Open Victoria Azarenka faced Sam Stosur for the sixth time in her career and for the sixth time in a row as she beat the Australian without losing a set.  

Azarenka looked invincible even with her ankle injury that she sustained in her semi final match.  The injury focused Azarenka’s mind as she only made eight unforced errors compared to Stosur’s 25.  Azarenka dominated with her forehand taking Stosur’s weapons away from her as she won the match 6-1, 6-2 and looking like a very worthy world number one. 

Easy Pickings for top 4 seeds in Paris

The top seeds have hit Paris today, all dispatching their opponents in 2 straightforward sets. 

Andy Murray bt Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-4

Roger Federer bt Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-3

Novak Djokovic bt Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-3

David Ferrer bt Nicholas Mahut 6-4, 6-4

They all had convincing wins to progress into the 3^rd round and never faced any real pressure.  Murray suited the court as the French have made the surface incredibly slow compared to last year; this has played into the hands of Murray as it will make it very difficult for his opponents to get the ball past him.  Novak Djokovic made easy progress into the 3^rd round but he did not have to play his best against Dodig which is just as well as it he did not have to push his shoulder as hard as he will against the top players.  Andy Murray’s next match will be against the American, Andy Roddick.

ATP Round Up

Neither Basel nor Valencia’s finals were completely as expected with the No. 1 seeds in both tournaments being knocked out.  In Basel Rodger Federer glided to victory over Kei Nishikori who had defeated Djokovic in the Semi-Finals, 6-1, 6-3.  In Valencia a tough match saw Marcel Granollers taking the title away from Juan Monaco 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3).  

With Nadal already out of the Paris Masters and Djokovic not playing his best, could Murray be the No.1 seed and take another Masters series title?  This is the last tournament before ATP World Tour Finals in London so there will be other players looking to secure their place at the last tournament of the season.