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| August 21, 2007 | Tuesday | Sha’aban 7, 1428 |
Federer blitzes Blake to claim 50th title
CINCINNATI (Ohio), Aug 20: World No 1 Roger Federer raced to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over American James Blake on Sunday to win the Cincinnati Masters and claim his 50th career singles title.
The Swiss broke the American twice in the opening set and once in the second to wrap up his 14th Masters Series title in 65 minutes.
Ninth seed Blake gifted the top seed the break in the second game and, though he forced three break points in the fifth game, that was as close as he came in the opening set.
Federer snatched the vital break in the seventh game and after saving two break points in the next game, he served out for victory two games later, clinching victory with his ninth ace.
Half of Federer’s 50 titles have been Grand Slam wins (11) or Masters Series titles, while he has also won three Masters Cups.
His total of 14 Masters Series titles is just three short of the record held by American Andre Agassi.
TORONTO: World No 1 Justine Henin warmed up for the US Open by taming third seed Jelena Jankovic 7-6, 7-5 to capture her second Toronto Cup on Sunday.
Playing her first tournament since losing in the semi-finals at Wimbledon, the 25-year-old Belgian was quickly back to her best and lifted her sixth title in 2007. She raced through the $1.3 million event without dropping a set.
A near capacity centre court crowd was treated to a display of high-quality tennis as Henin continued her domination over Jankovic and improved her head-to-head record against the Serb to 7-0.
Henin, however, was made to work hard for her 35th career win, needing six match points and two hours 18 minutes to defeat a determined Jankovic.
The victory provides the perfect buildup to the US Open for the French Open champion, who will take the week off before launching her bid for a second Grand Slam victory of the year.
Bothered by a sore right shoulder that flared up during her semi-final win over China’s Yan Zi on Saturday, Henin had warned officials that there was only a 50/50 chance she would play.
After receiving intensive treatment on the sore joint early on Sunday, the six-time Grand Slam winner managed to walk out for the match.
The Belgian occasionally grimaced but otherwise showed no noticeable signs of distress during the match.—Reuters
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