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    Roger and out! Federer sent packing by Benneteau

    By Theo Ruizenaar | Reuters – Fri, Feb 15, 2013

    ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - Defending champion Roger Federer suffered a shock 6-3 7-5 defeat by Frenchman Julien Benneteau, who has yet to lift a tour title during his 13-year career, in the World Indoor Tournament quarter-finals on Friday.

    The top seed struggled throughout with his first serve and was broken three times in the opening set.

    Benneteau, 31, broke again early in the second set before the world number two, backed by a capacity crowd of 10,500, broke back.

    Federer had chances to break again in the 11th game but world number 39 Benneteau managed to hold him off before clinching victory on his first match point as a backhand pass from the Swiss went out.

    "If you lose your serve five times, like I did today, you can't win indoors," Federer told reporters. "Julien played great, created more chances than I did and fully deserved to win.

    "I fought back at the end of the second set and had chances to take it into a third but that would have been more luck than I deserved."

    Benneteau next meets fellow countryman Gilles Simon who put out Martin Klizan when the Slovakian retired through injury while trailing 6-7 6-3 3-0.

    "This is a really good win and I am pleased with the way I played today," said Benneteau.

    World number seven Juan Martin Del Potro stayed on course for his second successive appearance in the final by sweeping aside Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-3 6-4.

    The Argentine, beaten in last year's final by Federer, will play Grigor Dimitrov in the last four after the Bulgarian came from behind to defeat Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-7 7-6 6-3 in a thriller.

    "There are no easy matches here," said Del Potro. "Nieminen played some excellent forehands on important points and I had to stick to my game plan and be patient."

    The 21-year-old Dimitrov looked down and out when he trailed 6-5 in the second set but he then reeled off 18 consecutive points to level the match, including taking the tiebreak 7-0, before going on to reach his final indoor semi-final.

    "I can't remember ever scoring 18 straight points before and I didn't even notice it during the match," said the Bulgarian.

    (Editing by Tony Jimenez)

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    37 comments

    • george
      george  •  1 day 4 hrs ago
      Roger they still think you are going to win many more GS. Do they think Nadal, Murray and Djokovic are going to retire?
      • Y M
        Y M 1 day 2 hrs ago
        Djoko and Murray have to get injured in order for Fed to win a slam..I purpously not including Rafa, since Rafa is just started to come back...
    • Mexrod
      Mexrod  •  1 day 4 hrs ago
      Nothing more to gain and everyone having nothing to lose playing against him. That will be his dilemma from now on.
    • Y M
      Y M  •  1 day 2 hrs ago
      Benneteau has been a giant killer in the past...Unfortunately, he is not consistant enough to keep it going...
    • Me
      Me  •  1 day 0 hrs ago
      "Able Fox Roger from Roger Fox Dogs, 10-4 and OUT!" (Old Cheech and Chong bit)
    • weeds
      weeds  •  8 hrs ago
      When you got it you got it and Fed didn't have his game...hey all you Fed haters, he will play again.
    • Paul K
      Paul K  •  17 hrs ago
      without doubt , fed was not in the match , it was the worst match i have ever seen him play . SOMETHING was on his mind besides playing tennis, he looked as if he wanted out of there and quick.
    • Sluggo
      Sluggo  •  1 day 2 hrs ago
      While his best days are behind him now, Fed is still a damn good player capable of winning any time. But those days are getting harder for him. Helluva player to watch in his prime, a true master. Wish he could go back in time as a 25 year old and play Johhny Mac in his prime and wipe the court with Mac's fro!
    • LD
      LD  •  16 hrs ago
      As a committed Federer fan i am disappointed but not surprised at the defeat of Federer by
      Benetteu in the quarters. This is the fourth ATP major the great champion has not been able to
      retain after Basel Open, Paris Masters and ATP World Tour Finals. Federer's serve failed him
      once again as it had in his semis match against Murray at Australian Open. In that match Federer
      was not able to hit aces while Murray hit so many. Oddly enough first serve has become the
      weakness of Federer and he would have to get it right. Now the greater test would come at
      Indian Wells a tournament he won last year. Djokovic too would be there. Federer has cut on
      his participation in ATP events to conserve energy but there is a slight decline in his game.
      But i know he would be back with a bang in the best-of-five-set Grand Slams.
    • george
      george  •  1 day 4 hrs ago
      I get accused of underestimating Fed. I may have overestimated him. I did say he was going to win this tournament. I was wrong.

      Maybe today was an anomaly. If not, Fed will not wind up in the top 10, by the end of this year.
    • stewart
      stewart  •  18 hrs ago
      a few players roger has not got a good record against berdych benneteau and simon they always cause roger problems.
     Post a comment

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