Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Preston North End 2-0 Stoke
Allan Irvine continued North End's impressive revival with a victory over table topping stoke.
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Monday, 11 February 2008
Roger Federer profile
Roger Federer equalled the great Bjorn Borg’s record of 5 successive Wimbledon Finals after beating Rafael Nadal. He has now won twelve grand slam tiles and has been ranked the number one tennis player in the world since February 2004, a record for the Swiss national who’s total career prize money comes close to £20 million.
Federer said: “it was a huge occasion for me, huge pressure.” Borg presented him with the trophy, a special moment for Federer: “it made me a bit more proud of myself... it’s very nice to share a moment with a person like Bjorn.”
Having achieved so much in his career he could be forgiven for losing some of his focus but Federer claims there’s still plenty to keep him motivated: “I haven't won Paris, the Davis Cup, the Olympic Games, many other tournaments I'd like to win” He also has one eye on Pete Sampras’ record of seven Wimbledon titles: “Pete Sampras is maybe the greatest player we've ever had. I'd love to equal his record.”
“I've played so well the last few years you would always put me as the favourite here at Wimbledon. It was the same thing when Bjorn won his fourth or fifth. You would think he would also go on and win five more. It's not that easy, you know. Pete Sampras did it. That's why he is an awesome, incredible athlete, incredible talent. “
Standing in his way is Rafael Nadal who has risen to the standard that Federer has set and pushed him all the way in this years final. On Nadal and their rivalry Federer said: “he's playing phenomenal tennis... he came so close … he deserves a title here… he's not getting any worse. It was a tough match and I have the highest respect for him.”
“It's a good rivalry. We've been at the top for over a hundred weeks together. It is building up to maybe one of the great rivalries”
The final was one Federer will never forget: “it's my first Grand Slam final I win in five sets.
That obviously alone is going to get emotions out of you because you're drained towards the end, you know, mentally and physically. You fought your heart out, you know, the whole way. I knew that was a big occasion, maybe the biggest occasion of my life so far on a big stage. I was very happy to come through as the stronger.”
The pressure seemed to be getting to him at one stage when he had an altercation with the referee that was more reminiscent of John McEnroe then cool Swede Bjorn Borg. Federer said ”I was just frustrated because I got broken first up and then to be broken this way was for me was very irritating. Umpire told me, too, he saw the ball out. He couldn't believe it was in. For me it was kind of a shock. I was like, all of a sudden, anything you challenge now is just going to go against me. You feel like things are just not working out for you. So it took me a few games to kind of forget about it and I was ready for the fifth, thank God.”
Beaten finalist Rafael Nadal knows he still has work to do before he can be considered on a par with world number one Federer. Nadal said: “He served better than me, and that's important in every surface,”
“To be compared with Roger right now is not possible because he has 11 Grand Slams, and I have three. But I am young. I am improving every season and try to continue improving every day, practice with illusion.”
Nadal also feels Federer is capable of becoming the greatest tennis player of all time. He said: ”Well, the best player in history has 14 (Grand Slams, Pete Sampras). So he's very close. He's still playing unbelievable. If he wins 14 or 16 or 13 in my opinion, the tennis level will be the best in history.”
Roger Federer’s first Grand Slam win came in 2003 when he won Wimbledon after beating Mark Phillipouses in the final. He only lost one set in the tournament. It was a sign of things to come at Wimbledon in the years ahead.
2004 was when Federer became a dominant force in tennis. He won three out of the four Grand Slams, never lost to anyone inside the top ten and won every final he participated in.
In 2005 Federer became the first player in the Open era to win back to back Wimbledon and US Open titles. He reached the semi finals of the other two Grand Slams.
He achieved another treble of Grand Slams in 2006 when he once again won Wimbledon the US Open and the Australian Open. The only tournament he didn’t reach the final in that year was the Cincinnati Masters where he was knocked out in the second round by Andy Murray.
2007 was year of records for Federer. First he became
the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament without dropping a set when he won the Australian Open. He then ended Rafael Nadal’s record of 81 consecutive matches unbeaten on clay when he won the Hamburg Masters. At Wimbledon he equalled Borg’s record of five consecutive titles and became the first person ever to win three Grand Slams in a year three times.
So far in 2008 Federer has lost in the semi final of the Australian Open to eventual winner Novak Đoković in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(5). With Federer still feeling there’s plenty for him play for 2008 will surely be another record breaking year but with young stars like Nadal and Doković ever improving he will have to remain focus to stay at the top of his game.
Federer said: “it was a huge occasion for me, huge pressure.” Borg presented him with the trophy, a special moment for Federer: “it made me a bit more proud of myself... it’s very nice to share a moment with a person like Bjorn.”
Having achieved so much in his career he could be forgiven for losing some of his focus but Federer claims there’s still plenty to keep him motivated: “I haven't won Paris, the Davis Cup, the Olympic Games, many other tournaments I'd like to win” He also has one eye on Pete Sampras’ record of seven Wimbledon titles: “Pete Sampras is maybe the greatest player we've ever had. I'd love to equal his record.”
“I've played so well the last few years you would always put me as the favourite here at Wimbledon. It was the same thing when Bjorn won his fourth or fifth. You would think he would also go on and win five more. It's not that easy, you know. Pete Sampras did it. That's why he is an awesome, incredible athlete, incredible talent. “
Standing in his way is Rafael Nadal who has risen to the standard that Federer has set and pushed him all the way in this years final. On Nadal and their rivalry Federer said: “he's playing phenomenal tennis... he came so close … he deserves a title here… he's not getting any worse. It was a tough match and I have the highest respect for him.”
“It's a good rivalry. We've been at the top for over a hundred weeks together. It is building up to maybe one of the great rivalries”
The final was one Federer will never forget: “it's my first Grand Slam final I win in five sets.
That obviously alone is going to get emotions out of you because you're drained towards the end, you know, mentally and physically. You fought your heart out, you know, the whole way. I knew that was a big occasion, maybe the biggest occasion of my life so far on a big stage. I was very happy to come through as the stronger.”
The pressure seemed to be getting to him at one stage when he had an altercation with the referee that was more reminiscent of John McEnroe then cool Swede Bjorn Borg. Federer said ”I was just frustrated because I got broken first up and then to be broken this way was for me was very irritating. Umpire told me, too, he saw the ball out. He couldn't believe it was in. For me it was kind of a shock. I was like, all of a sudden, anything you challenge now is just going to go against me. You feel like things are just not working out for you. So it took me a few games to kind of forget about it and I was ready for the fifth, thank God.”
Beaten finalist Rafael Nadal knows he still has work to do before he can be considered on a par with world number one Federer. Nadal said: “He served better than me, and that's important in every surface,”
“To be compared with Roger right now is not possible because he has 11 Grand Slams, and I have three. But I am young. I am improving every season and try to continue improving every day, practice with illusion.”
Nadal also feels Federer is capable of becoming the greatest tennis player of all time. He said: ”Well, the best player in history has 14 (Grand Slams, Pete Sampras). So he's very close. He's still playing unbelievable. If he wins 14 or 16 or 13 in my opinion, the tennis level will be the best in history.”
Roger Federer’s first Grand Slam win came in 2003 when he won Wimbledon after beating Mark Phillipouses in the final. He only lost one set in the tournament. It was a sign of things to come at Wimbledon in the years ahead.
2004 was when Federer became a dominant force in tennis. He won three out of the four Grand Slams, never lost to anyone inside the top ten and won every final he participated in.
In 2005 Federer became the first player in the Open era to win back to back Wimbledon and US Open titles. He reached the semi finals of the other two Grand Slams.
He achieved another treble of Grand Slams in 2006 when he once again won Wimbledon the US Open and the Australian Open. The only tournament he didn’t reach the final in that year was the Cincinnati Masters where he was knocked out in the second round by Andy Murray.
2007 was year of records for Federer. First he became
the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament without dropping a set when he won the Australian Open. He then ended Rafael Nadal’s record of 81 consecutive matches unbeaten on clay when he won the Hamburg Masters. At Wimbledon he equalled Borg’s record of five consecutive titles and became the first person ever to win three Grand Slams in a year three times.
So far in 2008 Federer has lost in the semi final of the Australian Open to eventual winner Novak Đoković in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(5). With Federer still feeling there’s plenty for him play for 2008 will surely be another record breaking year but with young stars like Nadal and Doković ever improving he will have to remain focus to stay at the top of his game.
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