Federer Breaks $7m Prize Money Mark
© Getty Images World No. 1 becomes first player in history to earn $7m in a season
Record INDESIT ATP Rankings mark, 90 match wins, also within reach
ATP World No. 1 Roger Federer became the first player – man or woman – to earn $7 million prize money in a single season today when he defeated Andy Roddick in round robin play at the $4.45 Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai.
Federer, who pocketed $120,000 for today’s win to take his running Shanghai total to $310,000, has now won $7,133,885 in 2006. Federer could add an additional $1.21 million for a season total of $8,343,885 if he goes on to become the undefeated Tennis Masters Cup champion. Last year Federer earned $6,357,547, just shy of Pete Sampras’ then-record season haul of $6,498,311, set in 1997.
If Federer wins the Tennis Masters Cup title for the third time in four years he will also set a new record for the most INDESIT ATP Rankings points held at any time by a player. Currently with 7,620 points, Federer would move to 8,370, topping his own record total of 8,120, set on October 30 this year.
By beating Roddick, Federer extended his winning streak to 26 matches, equaling the second-longest winning streak of his career. (His record 35-match winning streak was broken in last year’s Tennis Masters Cup final). The Swiss, who is the only man in the Open era to win 10 or more titles in three consecutive seasons, is looking to become the first man since Thomas Muster in 1995 to win 12 titles in a season. Federer has won 11 titles a season for the past three years.
Federer is 89-5 on the season and is one victory from becoming the first player in more than 20 years to win 90 matches in a season. (Ivan Lendl went 106-9 in 1982.) Federer went 81-4 in 2005 and 74-6 in 2004, when he also finished the year No. 1.
Dating back to his title run at Tennis Masters Cup Houston in 2003, Federer has a match record of 249-15 (94.3%) and has won 34 of 49 tournament entered.
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