NEW YORK - As he eyes back-to-back US Open crowns, Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer is on track to complete the most dominant season in the history of open-era tennis.
Even when the legendary Rod Laver won the grand slam of all four majors in 1969, he wasn't producing numbers
like Federer is in 2005.
With a 64-3 win-loss record, Federer is poised to surpass John McEnroe's incredible deeds of 1984 if he finishes off this season like he did last year.
In '84, McEnroe won 82 of 85 matches and claimed 13 titles, including two grand slams, at a staggering success rate of 96.5 per cent. Federer's 74-6 record last year, featuring three major titles, at a 92.5 per cent success rate was the second-best performance in a calendar year since the game went professional in 1968.
After a shock second-round loss at the Athens Olympics, Federer reeled off 17 straight wins to finish 2004 -- leaving the world No.1 with an 81-3 mark in the last 12 months, eerily an almost identical record to McEnroe's benchmark.
Throw in Federer's 22 consecutive victories in finals -- an amazing achievement that may never be repeated -- and the 24-year-old Swiss will start the US Open as an unbackable favourite on Monday.
Federer is a keen student of tennis history and very mindful of the statistics he's compiling.
With only a hint of cockiness, though, he said after winning last year's Open that he thought it was also important he played "beautiful" tennis. We all concur he does.
Federer waves his racquet like a wand yet it cuts a swathe through his opponents like a machete.
When once asked what was required to bring down Federer, Andy Roddick said only half jokingly "an elephant gun".
Last week after Federer posted his 10th win from 11 matches against the American in the Cincinnati Masters final, Roddick again conceded it would probably take something out of the ordinary to stop the former world junior champion.
"He's the guy that all of us are chasing," Roddick said.
"He's the main guy and then there's probably four or five of us that are ... maybe we need to do just a tag-team effort or something, join forces, like Power Rangers or something."
Federer has now secured 20 titles in 2004-05.
"I play my best in the finals, in the important matches. That's why I'm No 1, you know. There's no secret," he said in Cincinnati.
His latest triumph came after a six-week break to rest sore feet that had been bothering him since before the Australian Open in January.
"This is a great comeback for me, and obviously the best preparation I could have hoped for before the Open," Federer said.
"I'm really pleased that I could beat such a quality player like this in the finals. These are the big moments. This is how it's going to be at the US Open basically every match.
"So I'm ready for the fans and for the pressure and for everything. It's a really good feeling I have.
"I'm not overconfident, (but) very confident. I just know what I have to do. I know my game's in place now."
The five-times grand slam champion doesn't look like relenting. He certainly says he has no intentions to, particularly given the rapid development of Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, who has also captured nine titles this year, though only one on a hard court.
"Nadal has definitely made his move, to No 2 player in the world. Now it's an interesting end to the season," Federer said.
"It's not for sure I'm going to finish No 1 in the world. I've still got to play well and defend my titles and make sure I play well. So I have a lot to play for next few months."
Indeed he has. More than anyone in the open era in fact.
- AAP
NEW YORK - As he eyes back-to-back US Open crowns, Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer is on track to complete the most dominant season in the history of open-era tennis.
Even when the legendary Rod Laver won the grand slam of all four majors in 1969, he wasn't producing numbers
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