Roger Federer has been the world's top-ranked player for 1,000 days.
The way he's playing now, he could easily stay that way for another thousand.
"I'm really happy with my game," Federer said on Sunday after trouncing Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3) to win the Swiss Indoors, his fourth title in a row and 11th of the year.
PHOTO: AFP
Federer first took over the top ranking in Feb. 2, 2004, exactly 1,000 days ago, and the Swiss has won 24 straight matches, losing only one set in his last 12.
"It is indeed magnificent," he said of winning the tournament where he once worked as a ball boy.
And there is no other adjective to describe Federer's play as he closes in on a number of records.
Federer, who had failed to win his hometown tournament in six previous attempts, has already become the first player in the Open era to win 10 titles for three straight years. This is his 143rd straight week atop the ATP rankings, a streak bettered only by Ivan Lendl (157) and Jimmy Connors (160).
That record looks likely to fall next year, when he also could overtake some of tennis' greats on the all-time win list. Sunday's victory was the 44th title of his career, tying him for 11th in ATP tour history with Thomas Muster.
The question is not whether, but how soon, he will catch Rod Laver (47) and Boris Becker (49).
"It's a great situation I'm in right now," Federer said. "It's so easy to stay motivated. I feel like every time I enter an event it's because I want to play."
Federer improved to 87-5 this season. Over the last three years, during which he has won eight of the 12 Grand Slams, he has amassed a 242-15 record.
Federer announced yesterday that he will not compete in the Paris Masters, meaning that he will not play until next month's Masters Cup in Shanghai -- a scenario many of the top contenders probably hoped for.
"He's one of the best players in history," Gonzalez said after the straight-set loss to Federer, his second in as many weeks. "It's really good for the game; not really good for us."
Despite the lopsided score, the Chilean entered Sunday's final having won 24 of 30 matches and reached three straight finals, boosting him to a career-high ranking of seventh.
Federer has beaten Gonzalez all nine times they have played, including at last week's Madrid Masters final.
"I'm playing really good tennis right now," Gonzalez said. "Today I was really unlucky to play Roger. He's winning every week."
On Sunday, Federer simply overpowered Gonzalez, hitting 14 aces and breaking the defending champion's serve three times.
When Gonzalez finally got his first break-point opportunity in the third set, he threw his racket in despair as Federer coolly put away a volley. Gonzalez then returned long when given a second chance.
"With other players you get more of those opportunities," Gonzalez said. "You never know what he's going to do on the next point."
Maria Sharapova claimed her fifth title of the year at the Linz Open on Sunday when she beat defending champion and No. 2 seed Nadia Petrova 7-5 6-2 in an all-Russian final.
Sharapova added to her victories at the US Open, Indian Wells, San Diego and Zurich. By reaching the final the 19-year-old overtook Justine Henin-Hardenne as the world No. 2.
Top-seeded Sharapova is also in contention, along with the Belgian and Amelie Mauresmo of France, of finishing the season at No. 1, a position she last held on Oct. 23 last year.
"I thought I played really good tennis today," Sharapova told reporters. "After feeling a little bit tired at the end of yesterday, I thought this is the last one so go out there and give it all you've got. I really felt I played smart and solid."
"It's been an incredible year. Winning another major has been great. It's been a really cool year. I've been consistent and have had some great results," Sharapova added.
The match between two players ranked in the top five was by no means a classic.
Petrova failed to repeat the commanding form she had shown in reaching the final for the loss of just nine games, and Sharapova rarely had to rise above the ordinary.
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