Federer Reaches Shanghai Final; is Within Reach of McEnroe's Golden Season
Federer is 81-3 this season. By Bill Scott
Roger Federer (audio) made tennis history Saturday as he hammered Gaston Gaudio 6-0, 6-0 in their Tennis Masters Cup 05 semifinal, the first "double bagel" ever recorded at a year-end championship.
Nalbandian Joins Federer in Final
Not since season wrapups began in 1970 has a player taken a match victory without the loss of even one game.
But the silky-smooth Swiss world No. 1 spent just 50 minutes as he administered a devastating master class to the outclassed Argentine, last year's Roland Garros champion.
Gaudio went completely off his game as he slumped to nine doublefaults and 22 unforced errors. Federer had 22 winners and broke on six of ten occasions.
Federer now stands just a match win away from tying John McEnroe's Open Era record for best match winning percentage in a season. McEnroe had a .965 mark (82-3) in 1984.
The 24-year-old Swiss stands 81-3 with a Sunday final looming at the Qi Zhong tennis stadium for his final match of another devastatingly successful season.
The two-time champion who has never lost a group match at the event will be aiming for his 12th title of the season.
Since losing to Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros semifinals more than five months ago, Federer has compiled a career-best 35-match winning streak.
He now pulls level in the victory stakes with Austrian Thomas Muster, who won 35 on the trot in 1995 - fifth-longest winning streak in the post-1968 Open Era
Gaudio turned in a disasterous 29-minute first set, marred by seven doublefaults - two to yield Federer set points - and only one winner.
The unsteady Argentine handed over three doubles in the second game and could take minor heart in the fact that he took the world No. 1 to three set points.
But Federer was hardly bothered by the distraction, collecting the opener from Gaudio's 15th unforced error of the set.
The second was equally cruel to the Argentine, with Federer having his way on court without the slightest hindrance.
"It was great," said Federer. "I didn't lose any energy. I definitely played better than the last couple of matches.
"I was looking for a very consistent, solid match, no lapses like I've had in the last couple of matches. It couldn't have been any more perfect today.
"It gives me great confidence for tomorrow, that's for sure.
I knew that anything was possible," said the Swiss, who injured his ankle in early October and had not played for more than a month. "Coming here, I just hoped I could play the three round?robin matches, win maybe one or two.
"Now I won all three. I'm through to the finals, too. It's definitely a surprise for me."
"No excuses," said Gaudio. "That was maybe the worst match I've played. I want to apologise to the crowd because I couldn't do anything."
"I was playing against a guy who is the best in history in a surface where he is so much better than me," said Gaudio, winner of five clay titles this season. "There's not much to say.
"Sometimes, once in a life it (0-0) happens, and it happens to me today. I'm sad about it, I'm so disappointed. But what can I do? There are things a little bit worse than this sometimes in life."
Exclusive Audio | Press Transcripts
Thursday: Federer Again Needs 3 Sets to Win
Wednesday: Davydenko Remains Perfect in Shanghai
Tuesday: Federer Pushed to Limit by Ljubicic
Monday: Davydenko Defeats Injured Agassi
Sunday: Federer Wins Masters Cup Opener
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