Roger Federer becomes oldest ATP world number one

TIL Desk Sports/ Roger Federer added yet another record to his vast collection when he guaranteed becoming the oldest ATP world number one by beating Dutchman Robin Haase 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals in Rotterdam on Friday.

Fresh from winning his 20th Grand Slam title in Melbourne this month, Federer took a wildcard into the ABN AMRO World Tennis event with his eyes fixed on a return to number one for the first time since November 2012.

Needing to reach the last four to overtake great rival Rafael Nadal, Federer showed some early nerves in his quarter-final clash in the port city’s Ahoy Arena, dropping serve in the ninth game on his way to conceding the first set. But the 36-year-old Swiss, as he usually does, moved through the gears to punish a physically struggling Haase.

A demoralised Haase double-faulted on match point and after an initially restrained celebration Federer sat on his chair and looked close to tears as his feat sank in — as did some of the Swiss fans leading the rapturous applause.

“Reaching number one is one of, if not the ultimate achievement in our sport,” Federer said on court, after being handed a huge No.1 shaped plaque by Dutch former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, the tournament director.