Roger Federer oozes class on way to 1st Shanghai Masters title

SHANGHAI: After cyclonic winds raised the safety alarm earlier in the day, forcing the roof to be rolled over the Qi Zhong stadium, Roger Federer's red-hot tennis, sharp and sizzling when the pressure was on, threatened to bring the heat rule into play.
The 33-year-old Swiss, father of four, winner of 17 Grand Slam crowns, was at his majestic best as he swept to a 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-2) win over Frenchman Gilles Simon to clinch his first Shanghai Rolex Masters title much to the delight of his burgeoning Chinese fan club who had packed the arena to its rafters.
There was the odd shout of 'allez Simon', but for most part it was just 'Raawwwwggggerrrrr', as he's known the world over. One innovative banner - 'I love Roger more than free WiFi' - which coming from a young Chinese fan, for who the web world can sometimes be a distant dream, summed up the love affair between the master and masses. Federer, who will take over the No. 2 ranking on Monday, said, "It makes me very happy winning here because this tournament means a lot to me. I've come close a couple of times, I've always wanted to win it as a Masters 1000. Obviously winning the Masters Cup back in the day was huge. I was very proud of that. I had some great moments here, some tougher ones as well. When I played injured and when I was sick that one year. I feel unbelievable prestige to win this event." It wasn't until the third game of the match, however, that Federer showed up.
Broken at 15 in the opening game, the Swiss held serve to love in the third to get himself on the scoreboard. Thereafter he made his intentions clear, attacking the net at every opportunity, so much that he won eight of 12 forays into front in the first set.
The Frenchman, who was doing well to peg the 17-time Grand Slam champion back, was, however, broken in the 10th game, after two uncharacteristic errors from the back of the court, when the 29-year-old was serving for the set.
Federer misfired two forehands when he had two set points in the 12th game before clinching the set on his third opportunity (in the tie-break) with a down-the-line backhand that made music as it raced through the air. The Swiss also saved a set point in the tie-break on the 12th point with a down-the-middle serve.
The Frenchman asked all the questions, but Federer had the answers, every time. Playing in only his second Masters final, Simon couldn't be faulted for trying, he did it even as his body was cramping. He started the week with a bad back then it was his abdomen and on Sunday it was his hamstring for which he had treatment at the end of the first set. Even the fall in the 11th game did little to hold him back. Federer then pulled himself out of 15-40 hole, saving two set points in the 12th game to close with a backhand winner.
In the tie-break the 33-year-old at his authoritative best broke through at 2-2 winning five straight points to clinch victory taking home $798,540 and 1000 ranking points. "We had a close match. I had a set point in the first set, two in the second. It's just a few points deciding (which way the match went). He was always really good on these points," said the 29-year-old, who will move back into top-20 in the new rakings, "Every time he has an opportunity, he's really good at taking it. He puts a lot of pressure. He's always showing you that he is ready to be really aggressive on every shot. So he keeps you under pressure."