Federer brushes aside del Potro for Dutch crown
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 20, 2012
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Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his victory over Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the Final on day 7 of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament on February 19, 2012 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. |
Roger Federer outclassed Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the ABN Amro World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, yesterday to win his first title of the year.
The top-seeded Swiss, who also beat del Potro in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open in Melbourne last month, dominated every rally and wrapped up the first five games before the Argentine third seed had anything to his credit.
Federer impressed on his first break point when his volley was returned by del Potro, who beat the Swiss in the 2009 US Open final, with a lob before the former world No. 1 clinched the game with a smash.
In the second set, a break in the sixth game proved sufficient for Federer to put his name on the winners' board for the second time after 2005.
In San Jose, California, Canada's Milos Raonic moved within one step of retaining his SAP Open title after he dispatched American Ryan Harrison 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
Third seed Raonic fired 20 aces to set up a clash with Denis Istomin in the final of the indoor hardcourt event after the Uzbek beat fifth seed Julien Benneteau of France 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3.
"I think I did a really good job taking care of the serve," Raonic, 19, told reporters. "What I was doing really well was making most of my first serves. But when I missed a few, I was still playing pretty well on the second serves."
In the opening set tie-breaker Raonic wasted little time seizing command.
In the third game of the second set Raonic fought of Harrison's only break point opportunity and then broke the American to seize a 3-1 lead before closing out the victory.
