In Roger Federer's words: 'I started the match well and endured tough moments'

The 20-year-old Roger Federer opened the 2002 season ranked 13th, winning the title in Sydney and losing in the fourth round at the Australian Open after an epic clash against Tommy Haas. The Swiss failed to defend the title in Milan, losing to Davide Sanguinetti in three sets before beating Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin in the Davis Cup in Moscow. Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells didn't go in the way Roger wanted, finding his best tennis again in Miami where he reached the first Masters 1000 final. In the second round, Roger faced world no. 139 Jeff Morrison 6-1, 7-6 in swift 69 minutes, fending off all five break chances and taking the crucial points in the second set to seal the deal in no time at all and make a winning start. Morrison played in only his second Masters 1000 event and there wasn't much he could do in the opener, raising his level in set number two to challenge the better-ranked opponent who won the tie break 8-6 to open another notable Miami campaign following the quarter-final from a year ago.

"I felt pretty good out there, starting the match well and happy with the way it went. He began to serve much better in the second set and it got some tough moments. I think that's also good that I got out of them; it's going to help me for the next match. I think my next rival is Jan Vacek or Albert Portas. I've played Portas once on grass, which can't say much, and I don't even know how Vacek plays, will have to explore that. I have to go maybe and study them a little bit or ask guys how they play, to get a little bit more feedbacks."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3eaLLUh