HALLE, Germany: Roger Federer won his first title of the year yesterday, the world No. 3 beating Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 in the ATP final at Halle.
This was the 31-year-old Swiss great’s sixth Halle title and the 77th win of his career, but first since Cincinnati on the eve of the US Open in 2012.
His 77th title also saw him draw level with John McEnroe in third position in the all-time career titles list.
After losing the opening set, the former world number one battled back to preserve his perfect record over Youzhny in 15 meetings in over two hours of play.
“Winning solves everything. I am satisfied with my game, confident, fresh and excited about what lies ahead,” said Federer who will be chasing a record eighth Wimbledon title from next week.
“There’s always a few things I can work on but I can think about that between now and the start of Wimbledon.”
For Federer, beaten by Rafael Nadal in his only previous final appearance of 2013 on the clay in Rome and brushed aside by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the French Open quarter-finals, this was the ideal preparation ahead of his Wimbledon defense.
The top seed, who overcame veteran German Tommy Haas in Saturday’s semi-final, was thrilled to finally get off the mark for the year.
“Mikhail has produced a great tournament, that’s why I’m so happy to have won,” he said.
Federer missed five break points in the first set, four of them coming in the opening game, before coming off second best in the tie break after one hour of play.
But he fought back to level the encounter against the Russian, going on to win the match with a love game on his service.
Sunday’s win was his 13th trophy on grass.
Murray is king of Queen’s for third time
In London, Andy Murray was crowned king of Queen’s Club for the third time as the world No. 2 roared back to defeat defending champion Marin Cilic 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in yesterday’s final.
Murray was pushed hard by the Croatian fifth seed, but the US Open champion responded to the challenge with the kind of classy display that bodes well with Wimbledon just eight days away.
He picked up a cheque for £73,315 (86,300 euros) for his latest triumph at the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event, but more importantly his dominant week’s work served as the perfect preparation ahead of his latest bid to end Britain’s long wait for a male winner of the singles’ title at the All England Club.
The 26-year-old’s third successful Queen’s campaign in five years, following previous victories in 2009 and 2011, took his career haul of ATP Tour titles to 27.
Teenager Vekic denied first WTA title by Hantuchova
Meantime, 16-year-old Croatian Donna Vekic was denied her first WTA title as she lost 7-6(5) 6-4 to Tour stalwart Daniela Hantuchova in the Aegon Classic final in Birmingham yesterday.
Vekic, the youngest player in the top 350 in the rankings, fell in her second final of the year as Hantuchova’s greater experience edged her to her first title at the Wimbledon warm-up event at Edgbaston, having been runner-up in 2011.
Slovakian former world number five Hantuchova, 30, claimed her sixth career title.
