Having already ensured that he will become No. 1 in the world on Monday, Roger Federer took care of business by winning the title in Rotterdam on Sunday.
The Swiss Maestro downed an ill Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2 in 56 minutes to win his 97th career title at the ABN AMRO World Tournament. It was his third title at that event and second of the season following the Australian Open, which he won last month for his 20th Grand Slam title.
“I have a lot of passion for the game,” Federer said. “Playing in front of full stadiums is fun, I tell you that. I remember how I started, when I was young. Sometimes I played 11pm on second courts.”
Federer had already assured himself of becoming the oldest player — male or female — to top the tennis rankings by advancing to the semifinals. When the rankings came out Monday, he leapfrogged his rival Rafael Nadal, 31, to No. 1.
Updated @ATPWorldTour rankings with 36-year-old Roger Federer at No. 1 and 31-year-old Rafa Nadal at 2. pic.twitter.com/qiOOlf0Tj3
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) February 19, 2018
By winning the title, Federer will remain at No. 1 at least until the end of Indian Wells, where he is the defending champion.
“The fact that Roger could become No.1, was quite special,” tournament director Richard Krajicek said. “I would rank this as one of the best for over the last years. The whole experience was unbelievable.”
Krajicek added that Dimitrov was ill for the final.
“Last night he got sick,” he said. “He obviously wasn’t at a hundred per cent. He apologized to me several times. I thanked him for finishing the final. That is classy.”
Said Federer: “I can’t play much worse than this. I took advantage of Grigor not feeling well. I had to assume that he does feel better all of a sudden. I felt great out there today.”
Federer is now expected to defend his titles at Indian Wells and Miami in March before deciding his plans for the clay court season. A year ago, he skipped the clay courts entirely to focus on grass and it paid off as he won his eighth Wimbledon title.
“Nothing has changed since this week,” he said. “I might not play a full clay court schedule. I decide after Miami to see what’s going on.”
Virtually everyone else who was ranked in the Top 50 when Federer was 1st No. 1 in 2004 is retired — except for Nadal.
Incredible. https://t.co/9gDL655iwW
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) February 18, 2018
Federer needed seven games to hit a winner today. But he did it Federer style. pic.twitter.com/AlM8MJOmEk
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) February 18, 2018
