ATP News : 2005


Federer stops Murray to keep win streak alive

World number 1 Roger Federer won his 11th title of the season with a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of British teenaged hope Andy Murray on Sunday, lifting a second straight trophy at the Thailand Open.


dpa - Federer, who lost his last final in July 2003, at home in Gstaad, has now won 24 finals in succession, standing 77-3 this season with 11 titles in 2005. The Swiss also claimed his 31st consecutive match victory, standing four short of the next man in the pecking order, Thomas Muster, who went 35 straight a decade ago.

Federer, the top seed, broke his 18-year-old opponent for an early 2-0 lead in the first set, then held on as the 109 who will crack the Top 100 on Monday made a match of it. The Swiss began the second with a break but dropped serve in the sixth game as Murray levelled at 3-all. A game later, the youngster took his first lead of the afternoon, 4-3. But the experienced 24-year-old Federer took the break back for 6-5, then recovered form 0-30 to serve out victory a game later.

It took one hour, 23 minutes and left the Swiss satisfied as he leaves Thailand with another honour and a cheque for 76,500 dollars. "I know I have a great record," he said of his various streaks. "But it's not over yet. I'd like it to continue. I'm enjoying it so much, I'd like to do more."

Federer admitted: “The final was tough. But I remember I also lost my first final of my career (against Marc Rosset in Marseille, 2000)," he said in reference to Murray, who had never been so far as even a quarter-final on the ATP prior to this week. "Andy has promise, he's a good player."



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