Roger Federer made a strong start to his 2003 clay swing, winning the Munich title in commanding style to take home the seventh ATP crown. With no time for celebration, the 21-year-old went south and entered the draw for the Masters 1000 event in Rome, without doing well there in the past.
All that changed that year, when Roger beat Paul-Henri Mathieu, Mariano Zabaleta, Tommy Robredo, Filippo Volandri and Juan Carlos Ferrero, losing a set en route to his third Masters 1000 final and second on clay after Hamburg 2002. .
Hoping to win back-to-back titles on the slowest surface, Federer faced Felix Mantilla and suffered a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 loss in two hours and 41 minutes, losing for the first time since Miami and shifting his focus. in defending the title in Hamburg.
Mantilla fended off 14 of 17 break point chances, held his own when it mattered most, and closed the deal in straight sets for his 10th and final ATP title, also his first at the Masters 1000 level.
The Spaniard won just seven points more than the Swiss, forging the advantage in the shorter and mid-range exchanges, while Federer had the advantage in the more advanced rallies, not enough to take at least one set.
Roger blew his chances in the first set and broke at the worst time at 5-6. He then opened up a 2-0 lead in set number two, only to lose the next eight games and find himself 7-5, 6-2, 2-0 down, propelling Mantilla closer to the finish line.
Suddenly, Federer took four straight games to open a 4-2 lead, serving for the set at 5-4 and blowing two points to bring Felix back to 5-5. The Spaniard fended off no fewer than seven breakthrough chances in the eleventh game to set up a tiebreaker in which Federer saved two match points, missing a cut backhand at set point and landing a long forehand at 8-9. to push the opponent over the barrier.
top. “It’s always terrible when you miss your chances early on. When you miss the first five break opportunities or so, it goes to your head mentally. I always played well to the break points, and then I would go down; I don’t understand why, while trying to remain aggressive.
It didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to and it’s very disappointing to lose a set like that. Also, I led in sets two and three and lost both of them, which is extremely frustrating. Mantilla plays the game of patience, not rushing into anything and doing the same things all the time; it’s kind of boring if you ask me.
It doesn’t matter if you hit a good or bad shot; the ball returns in the same way. You have to understand that a good shot will not mean that you will be better positioned on the court. You have to be careful how you play, “said Roger Federer.
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