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Federer routs Gaudio, gains masters final
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-11-20 15:52
"I definitely felt a little bit of pressure," he said. "That I've made it so
far now I think is maybe great for the tournament — I hope so. For myself, I
think even more."
Second-ranked Rafael Nadal, the last player to beat Federer — at the French
Open semifinals in June — and No. 5-ranked Andre Agassi pulled out Monday
because of injuries.
"All of a sudden, I felt a little bit left alone," Federer said. "I was like,
'Well, I better win a match here."
He's done better than that, extending his winning sequence to 35 and equaling
Bjorn Borg (1978) and Thomas Muster (1995) for the fifth-best winning sequence
in the Open era.
And at 81-3 in 2005, he's one win shy of equaling John McEnroe's 21-year-old
Open era record for best winning percentage in a season. Federer has been ranked
No. 1 since February 2004.
If he makes it 15 straight defeats of Argentine players with a win over
Nalbandian, he'll become the first man since Ivan Lendl (1985-87) to win three
consecutive season-ending championships.
Nalbandian, aiming to be first Argentine since Guillermo Vilas in 1974 to win
the season-ending event, refuses to be awed by Federer.
"He's beating everybody else. It's not just the Argentina players — it's
everybody," said Nalbandian, who entered the tournament ranked 12th and wouldn't
have qualified but for all the injuries. "I don't care."
Federer won in 50 minutes, surrendering only nine points in the second set.
Gaudio was back on court 22 hours after saving three match points against
Fernando Gonzalez to qualify for the semis.
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