Federer alone on top of world
NEW YORK — Well, there’s at least one person who isn’t trying to figure out whether Roger Federer could one day complete a Grand Slam or match Pete Sampras’ career record of 14 major titles: Federer himself.
The Swiss star has established himself as by far the best in the game right now, and that’s good enough for him.
Federer became the first man since 1988 to win three majors in a year, thoroughly outclassing Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 Sunday to add the U.S. Open title to those he took at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
“I got the start I wanted, I was dreaming of,” Federer said. “It’s a very demanding sport. The season’s long. There’s not much time off. This is why I’m grateful every tournament, every Grand Slam I win. You never know which is your last.”
There hadn’t been two shutout sets in the event’s championship match since 1884, and Federer had an answer for everything thrown at him by the fourth-seeded Hewitt.
The only time Federer was stumped? When asked whether going 4 for 4 in the Slams is possible. He paused, brushed a strand of hair off his forehead, sighed, paused again, then came up with this: “I don’t know what to say.”
Then, asked about the Sampras’ major total, Federer said: “It’s not a goal for me to beat his record. For me, this is not motivation. This would just kill me.”
Mats Wilander won three Slams in a season 16 years ago, and Jimmy Connors did it in 1974. The last man to complete the Grand Slam was Rod Laver in 1969.
“He’s a little better than everyone else at everything right now,” Wilander said after watching the match on TV at home in Idaho. “Physically and mentally he has the advantage over the other players. At the moment, I don’t see anyone who can beat him.”
Federer, 23, is at his best against the best, when it counts the most. He’s the only man in the Open era to win his first four major finals, he’s won his last 11 tournament finals, and he’s won 17 straight matches against top 10 players. Federer beat past No. 1s and Grand Slam champions in each major final this year: Marat Safin at the Australian Open, Andy Roddick at Wimbledon, then Hewitt.
Federer led the 2001 Open champ in winners (40-12), aces (11-1), and service breaks (7-1).
Is there a player who could have defeated Federer on Sunday?
“I don’t think anyone in the actual tournament,” Hewitt said. “Maybe Pete Sampras.”
With his all-court game and cool demeanor, Federer is 64-6 with nine titles on three surfaces this year. And he did it all without a coach: Federer fired Peter Lundgren in December and never replaced him. The one Grand Slam blemish on Federer’s resume this year is the French Open, where he lost in the third round to three-time champ Gustavo Kuerten.