Federer takes Halle
ByReuters
Published 12/06/2005 at 21:23 GMT
World number one Roger Federer beat Australian Open champion Marat Safin 6-4 6-7 6-4 to win his third consecutive Halle Open title. Top seed Federer, produced another masterly performance on grass, his finesse and consistency proving too much for the powe
Eurosport
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"It was a good performance all week long so it's exactly the way I want to feel heading into Wimbledon," Federer told a news conference after securing his 29th career title.
The four-time Grand Slam winner has not lost in 20 finals since 2003 and extended his three-year winning streak on grass to 29. He is still short of Bjorn Borg's record of 41 over five years from 1976 to 1980.
"I'm very happy because today was difficult," Federer said.
"Marat returns well and serves well on any surface so the points are quick and that's why he's so dangerous."
Second seed Safin had beaten Federer in their last meeting, saving a match point in a five-set thriller in this year's Australian Open semi-finals. They had never met on grass.
The burly Muscovite, who has been complaining of a troublesome left knee since the Indian Wells Pacific Life Open in March, was upset by controversial line calls during the match but showed grit to take the second set tiebreak 8-6.
Federer broke in the third game of the third set, however, and that was enough to give him victory in a high-tempo match which thrilled the spectators packed into the 12,500-seater Gerry Weber stadium.
"We were both playing really well and just one or two mistakes and that's it: the match is gone," Safin said.
"But I played really well and I'm satisfied that I came so close to winning the match," he added.
Safin said he was going to try to play Wimbledon depsite the knee problem and was heading to Italy from Halle to consult a doctor in Milan on Monday.
"It's not going to get any worse. It's going to stay like this for a very long time," Safin said. "The problem is how to get rid of the inflammation. There are some movements that are really bothering me."
The two players met again in the doubles final later on Sunday with Federer, partnering fellow countryman Yves Allegro, defeating Safin and Sweden's Joachim Johansson 7-5 6-7 6-3.
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