Roger Federer refuses to fade away. Like the bunny in an advertisement of a battery company, he keeps on going.
After a disappointing 2013, the Swiss maestro’s annus horribilis, who would have thought he would be celebrating the addition of the only major trophy missing from his CV, the Davis Cup, after his 33rd birthday?
On Sunday, he added another milestone to his glittering resume – 1,000 wins on the ATP Tour. Only two other men have managed this feat in the Open era, Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071).
Federer’s first Tour win came at Toulouse in 1998, when he beat Guillaume Raoux 6-2, 6-2. Since then he has won a record 17 grand slam singles crowns and US$88.7 million (Dh326m) in prize money; he has appeared in a record 60 consecutive grand slams and has held the world No1 ranking for 302 weeks.
To put those figures in context, the most dominant player of this generation on the women’s side, Serena Williams, is two months younger than Federer but played her first Tour match in 1995. She is 684-120 in career singles matches, while the Swiss is 1,000-227.
Federer’s consistency, according to Australian legend Ken Rosewall, comes from his “desire to play, because he loves to compete”. The Swiss agrees.
“I tried to chase perfection, I guess, to a degree at some point,” he said in a recent interview with the Times of India. “I guess I’m still trying that. You never stop learning, and I think that’s a very interesting and important aspect of the game.
“That’s why I’m still out here today, playing on the Tour and doing exhibition matches because I genuinely and truly love tennis.”
This chase for “perfection” and love of the sport saw Federer reinvent himself in 2014 with a bigger racquet and former great Stefan Edberg as coach.
Last season, he won five titles from 11 finals, took home more than $10m in prize money and won more matches (73) than any other player on Tour.
He posted 17 wins over top-10 players last year and has started the new season in the same vein, with two of his Brisbane opponents being touted as possible grand-slam champions of the future – No 11 Grigor Dimitrov and No 8 Milos Raonic.
Federer is in the best form of any of the Big Four .
“I do believe I have a shot in Melbourne,’’ Federer said.
“It’s just talk. I have to do the running, the clutch plays when it matters.”
At the Australian Open, Federer has 11 consecutive semi-final-or-better finishes since 2004. An 18th grand slam this time seems highly likely.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
FIGHT%20CARD
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
More on animal trafficking
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The five pillars of Islam
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
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Company%20profile
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if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships
2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds
2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58
2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified
2012 London Olympics 9.63
2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77
2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79
2016 Rio Olympics 9.81
2017 London World Championships 9.95
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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