Federer Defeats Coria, Continues Win Streak

Federer celebrates at Masters Cup, copyright © AP

With the red group semifinal entrants already decided at the 2005 Master’s Cup, there didn’t seem to be a lot riding on the match between Gillermo Coria of Argentina and the Swiss stylist Roger Federer--unless you count a 34 match win streak and $120,000. Federer would have both, in what would be perhaps his most interesting round robin match.

Coria got off to a lackadaisical start and Federer broke him immediately. He continued to crank winner after winner to cruise to a 6-0 win of the set. Coria received treatment from an ATP trainer on his feet at 5-0, but still seemed to be going through the motions into the second set.

Considering the first set result and Coria’s lack of enthusiasm, I, along with most people, expected Federer to put away the second set easily. But Federer seemed to lose interest, and before long Coria had a 4-0 lead, and the set (6-1).

I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by the second set result. Every match Federer has played this week, he has cruised through the first set, gotten beaten badly in the second, and refocused and come back to win in the third set.

This is precisely what happened today. Both players came out firing at the start of the third set, but it wasn’t long before Federer regained control of his forehand (which had troubled him greatly in the second set) and gained the advantage by breaking in the sixth game of the set for a 4-2 lead. Two games later Coria double faulted to end the match.

With the win, Federer improves to an ATP best 80-3 on the season, despite throwing in 33 unforced errors. He also remains in position to tie John McEnroe’s win percentage record for a season of 82-3 (.965) set in 1984.