World Tennis Magazine

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2005:Federer’s 6-0, 6-0 Whitewash

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There are only three more days until the start of the Barclay’s ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London. As part on of the countdown, WorldTennisMagazine.com is presenting a special look at some of the best moments in the history of the season-ending ATP championships, courtesy of the book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.TennisHistoryBook.com). Each day, WorldTennisMagazine.com will present the anniversaries of some of the best matches from the event.

ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY – November 19

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

2005 – World No. 1 Roger Federer blanks Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals of the year-end Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, China – the first ever white-wash in the 35-year history of the year-end men’s championships.

2006 – Roger Federer concludes one of the most dominating seasons in tennis history, defeating James Blake 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, China. Federer finishes the year with 12 titles in 16 final-round appearances in 17 total tournaments played, three major championships (Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open) and becomes the first player to exceed $7 million in prize money in a season with a $8.34 million during the 2006 campaign. Only two players manage to beat Federer during the year – Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. Says Blake of the undisputed world No. 1, “Obviously, we’re all chasing Roger. It’s no secret. He’s playing head and shoulders above the rest of us.” Says Federer of his epic year, “To finish it off by winning the Masters Cup, the world championship so to speak, it’s the perfect ending to an incredible season. There’s not much more I could have done.” Federer is one match from winning the Grand Slam – losing in the final of the French Championships to Nadal. He finishes the year with a 92-5 record – winning his last 29 matches.

1995 – Boris Becker defeats Michael Chang 7-6 (3), 6-0, 7-6 (5) in the year-end ATP Tour Finals in Frankfurt, Germany. Says Becker, “This was the best crowd I’ve ever had in Germany.”

Tennis Travels – Check Out The Stockholm Open

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The 2009 IF Stockholm open runs from Oct 19 to 26 and has prize money of $1,200,000. A top field of international stars have committed to the event, lead by Sweden’s own Robin Soderling, the 2009 French Open finalist. The tournament has been held in Stockholm each year in late October since 1969 at the indoor Kungliga Tennishallen facility, which is on the outskirts of the city. With a capacity of 5,000, the stadium has been readied for the crowds; both parking facilities and easy transportation to the facility have been arranged.

For those who have never been to Sweden, Stockholm is one the nicest places to visit. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and is site of the official residence of the Swedish monarchy as well as home to the prime minister. The Royalty resides at Drottningholm palace which is just outside Stockholm but also use the Royal Palace of Stockholm for official business. Stockholm is home to about two million residents and has been ranked as a global city that is often referred to as the “Venice of the North.” The city is mostly known for its gothic buildings, monuments and architecture. Over thirty percent of the city is surrounded by waterways and more than a third is made up of recreational parks and green spaces making it the green capital of the world.

Stockholm has a humid temperate climate with warm summers and chilly winters. The majority of Swedes work in the service industry and the absence of heavy industry makes it one the cleanest metropolis in the world. Stockholm has more museums per capita than many other cities of the same size. Besides the renowned National Museum, must sees for visitors include the Museum of Modern Art, the Nordic Museum, Royal Coin Cabinet and the Vasa Museum.  However, Sweden is not all about architecture, theaters and galleries. Stockholm has a diverse cultural background with immigrants from most parts of Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Cuisine of every type is available in this city.

Even though football remains a popular sport, Swedes love tennis, athletics and track. In recent years, tennis has started to regain its place as one of the most popular sports in the country. Since the glory days of Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander, Sweden has a great tradition of developing international stars, with Soderling being the next in the line of Swedish standouts. For those who have been thinking of traveling to a tennis tournament, this is a great one to attend for its rich history as one of the oldest indoor tournaments in professional tennis. Besides, Soderling, leading entrants include Tommy Haas of Germany and Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain. Outside of tennis, Stockholm is a great place to see. The organizers have promised extra value for all visitors including an outdoors rock concert, events for singles, tours around the city and a lot more. The city is ready and it is time to buy your ticket for the tournament. For accommodation, Stockholm also has some great luxury hotels including the Hotel Diplomat, Grand Hotel, the Lydmar, the Skeppsholen and many more. There are plenty of decent restaurants around each of these hotels. Great discounts are available when hotel bookings are made online. For more information, go to the official tournament website http://www.ifstockholmopen.se/en-gb/