TENNIS – Saturday 19 April 2014 – Stanislas Wawrinka will meet Roger Federer on Sunday in an all-Swiss final at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. It will be the second all- Swiss final of history, after the one opposing Federer and Marc Rosset in 2000 in Marseille. Form Monte-Carlo, Isabelle Andrieux.
Third-seed Wawrinka defeated David Ferrer 6-1, 7-6 in a most convincing way in the first semi-finals of the day at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. The Australian open winner is one win away from capturing his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title. The Swiss claimed his 100th Masters 1000 win as he set a blockbuster final against three-time finalist Roger Federer.
Federer leads 13-1 ATP head to head lead over Wawrinka and has won past 11 meetings with the Australian Open Champion. But Wawrinka’s only win over his countryman came here at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in 2009.
In the second semi-finals of the day, the 32-year-old Federer ended Djokovic’s reign in Monte-Carlo with his victory in 75 minutes. Djokovic had dethroned eight-time champion Rafael Nadal in the 2013 final and saw his 13-match winning run come to an end. The Serb, who completed the Indian Wells-Miami double last month, had been chasing an unprecedented fifth successive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy.
On Sunday, Stanislas Wawrinka will claim his first Masters 1000 title when Roger Federer will try to capture his first title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
They said :
Stanislas Wawrinka: “I’m not surprised with my game or the way I’m playing. Today was a little bit slower. It was a little bit windy at the beginning. It was important to move well, be aggressive. That was my plan. I started really well. I know when I’m moving well and I can dictate the game, I’m always good against him. I did a really good job, especially at the beginning.”
“It would be great, for sure, to play a Swiss player, especially Roger. But so far I prefer not to think about the final. I just won the semifinal.”
Roger Federer: “For me it comes as a bit of as surprise to be in the finals of a tournament again this year. Especially the first one on clay.”
“It‘s incredible that we are in the finals together with Stan. It matches up at the same tournament. That we are able to have this moment together on a center court. It’s so rare. We’ve played many times, quarters, semis. But this one is clearly very special, especially with the way he’s been playing the last few months. It’s nice living a moment like this. It’s really wonderful.”
Novak Djokovic: “Just a match to forget for me. It’s unfortunate that when you’re playing at this level against Roger in a big tournament, you are not able to play your game because something else is taking all your energy. This injury has been present for 10 days and I tried no to think about iti and did everything I could really. I was on medications every day, doing different therapies, injections, so forth. But in the end of the day, semi-finals is a good result. But I am disappointed not to be able to play as I could.”
David Ferrer: “Stan very good, no? He started the match playing unbelievable. He was better, moved better and was on each ball.”
“I never return very good. In the second set, Stan did a little bit mistakes. I play with more power with my forehand. But, anyway, Stan was better. He moved better than me, he was on each ball”.
