Roger Federer flies back to Switzerland after spending great time in China

Instead of Perth, like in the last couple of years, Roger Federer will spend the new year with family in Switzerland, traveling back home after a two-day exhibition event in Hangzhou. Without Hopman Cup on the horizon, Federer has signed to play the Hangzhou Tmall Cup International Tennis Invitational Tournament until 2023, allowing his Chinese fans to watch him even after the potential retirement. Gathering Alexander Zverev and the Bryan Brothers, Federer spent a couple of fun days in Hangzhou, exploring the culture of the local people and enjoying both off and on the court with his fans and friends. A day after they lost the doubles clash to Bryan Brothers, Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev stepped on the court on Sunday night for the main match of the event, with the Swiss delivering a 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 triumph to finish the year on the winning way.

It was the fifth exhibition clash between Roger and Alexander in the last 40 days, traveling together to South America and Mexico between November 19-24 and competing in Santiago, Mexico City, Quito and Buenos Aires. Here in China, Federer dominated in sets one and three, controlling the scoreboard in what was an enjoyable encounter with many excellent points and jokes on both sides. The Swiss broke in the fourth game after a double fault from the German, holding with a forehand winner in the next game to extend the lead to a 4-1. A return winner secured another break for Federer in game six, this time at love, securing the opener with a forehand winner in the next game for a 6-1 after just 19 minutes. Zverev raised his level in set number two, defending his service games nicely and creating a set point on the return at 5-4.

Roger saved it with a backhand volley winner to set up a tie break where Alexander wasted two set points at 6-4, with the German converting the fourth chance at 8-7 with a volley winner to send the clash into a decider. There, Federer saved a break chance in the first game and grabbed a break a few minutes later following a terrible volley from Alexander at the net, getting broken in game three to keep the youngster on the positive side of the scoreboard. Zverev sent a backhand long to lose serve again in the fourth game and it was all over when Federer delivered another break in game eight, sealing the deal and defeating the young rival for the fourth time in their five exhibition clashes in 2019. Zverev will compete for Germany at the ATP Cup while Federer has more time off the court to spend with his family before making a Melbourne trip in January.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2MFPA7U