Roger Federer, continuing where he left off in the semi-final against Rafael Nadal, together with his demolition of Andy Roddick on Friday, won his fourth Tennis Masters Cup in six years inside the Qi Zhong stadium, crushing Spain's David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Only three players - Pete Sampras (5), Ilie Nastase (4) and Ivan Llendl (5) - had previously won this tournament four times or more and, like most records in tennis, the Swiss world No 1 appears more than likely to break it. Understandably, given recent defeats in Madrid and Paris against David Nalbandian, and then his opening round robin loss here against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, Federer's form had been questioned. "I heard that people were talking, but I'm always very honest about my losses, and importantly I turned it round. I'm happy to have proved myself yet again." And with a vengeance. Federer's victory earned him £600,000, and took his total prize money for the year to more than £4.3m, a record for him. The French Open title remains the one major he has yet to win, having lost to Nadal in the Roland Garros final for the past two years. However, in three of the last four years Federer has won the other three slams, taking his total to 12, two behind Sampras, whom he will meet in three exhibitions this week in Seoul tomorrow, Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, and Macau on Saturday. Federer had acknowledged that the biggest difference in Ferrer's game this year, during which he has risen to a career high No 5, was his increased mental strength: "You used to get down on himself very quickly." The Spaniard had every reason to feel miserable on this occasion as the world No 1 hit the court running, rattling off the opening set in a mere 26 minutes. Federer had won all his previous seven matches against Ferrer, and the eighth was never remotely in doubt. At the end of the second set the disconsolate Spaniard, who reached the US Open semi-finals this year, snapped his racket over his thigh. As for breaking Federer, that proved impossible. Ferrer, previously unbeaten this week, had a Spanish trumpeter in the crowd to help inspire him, but it was Federer who orchestrated every move. In the doubles final Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and Daniel Nestor of Canada beat Sweden's Simon Aspelin and Austria's Julian Knowle 6-2, 6-3.
Imprerious Federer sweeps to fourth Masters crown
Roger Federer, continuing where he left off in the semi-final against Rafael Nadal, together with his demolition of Andy Roddick on Friday, won his fourth Tennis Masters Cup in six years inside the Qi Zhong stadium, crushing Spain's David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Only three players - Pete Sampras (5), Ilie Nastase (4) and Ivan Llendl (5) - had previously won this tournament four times or more and, like most records in tennis, the Swiss world No 1 appears more than likely to break it. Understandably, given recent defeats in Madrid and Paris against David Nalbandian, and then his opening round robin loss here against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, Federer's form had been questioned. "I heard that people were talking, but I'm always very honest about my losses, and importantly I turned it round. I'm happy to have proved myself yet again." And with a vengeance. Federer's victory earned him £600,000, and took his total prize money for the year to more than £4.3m, a record for him. The French Open title remains the one major he has yet to win, having lost to Nadal in the Roland Garros final for the past two years. However, in three of the last four years Federer has won the other three slams, taking his total to 12, two behind Sampras, whom he will meet in three exhibitions this week in Seoul tomorrow, Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, and Macau on Saturday. Federer had acknowledged that the biggest difference in Ferrer's game this year, during which he has risen to a career high No 5, was his increased mental strength: "You used to get down on himself very quickly." The Spaniard had every reason to feel miserable on this occasion as the world No 1 hit the court running, rattling off the opening set in a mere 26 minutes. Federer had won all his previous seven matches against Ferrer, and the eighth was never remotely in doubt. At the end of the second set the disconsolate Spaniard, who reached the US Open semi-finals this year, snapped his racket over his thigh. As for breaking Federer, that proved impossible. Ferrer, previously unbeaten this week, had a Spanish trumpeter in the crowd to help inspire him, but it was Federer who orchestrated every move. In the doubles final Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and Daniel Nestor of Canada beat Sweden's Simon Aspelin and Austria's Julian Knowle 6-2, 6-3.
