By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 21, 2019
Contesting his 1,500th career match, Roger Federer dismissed Peter Gojowczyk 6-2, 6-1 to score his 21st consecutive victory at his hometown tournament.
Photo credit: Mike Frey/Rolex Shanghai Masters
Roger Federer's first brush with pro tennis came as a pick-up artist in Basel.
Today, the former Basel ball boy was calling the shots reaching a milestone in his hometown return.
Watch: Federer's 2020 Olympic Aim
In a celebratory performance, an energized Federer needed just 52 minutes to dismiss qualifier Peter Gojowczyk 6-2, 6-1 roaring to his 21st straight Swiss Indoors victory.
It was Federer's 1,500th career match coming 21 years after he made his Basel debut in qualifying.
The top seed ripped 12 aces, permitted just six points on first serve and faced just one break point in a clean homecoming victory, improving his 2019 record to 48-8.
The father of two sets of twins, who recalls riding his bicycle to the tournament where his mom worked in his teenage years, raised his Basel record to a tournament-record 72-9.
Launching his quest for a record-extending 10th Basel title, Federer emerged through the smokey haze of a fog machine to an enthusiastic ovation from Swiss fans, including parents Robert and Lynette who were seated court-side.
“When I was younger, participating ten times in a single tournament seemed quite the story to begin with," Federer told the media in Basel before his opener. "Today, having the chance of potentially winning it ten times, however...
“I’ve already practiced Friday and Saturday in Basel. I hope to really start strong and have a great indoor season.”
Showing precision on serve, Federer fired a a couple of aces holding for 2-1.
Swinging freely on return, Federer snapped off a sharp short-angled forehand crosscourt that skimmed the net then slashed a clean backhand winner down the line breaking at love in the fourth game.
There was a brilliant, slightly framed lob winner and stinging ace down the middle as Federer extended his lead to 5-2 after 18 minutes of play.
One of three Germans in the field, Gojowczyk is a good athlete who can play flat and fast, but he struggled to manage margins against a sharp Federer and supportive Swiss crowd.
On his second set point, Federer flashed a forehand into a net-rushing Gojowczyk's hip. The German extended the point with a self-preservation reaction volley, but Federer rattled his Head racquet with the second pass to collect a one-set lead with his second break.
Directing his attack at the champion's backhand wing, Gojowczyk staved off three straight break points but was frozen by a Federer forehand to face a fourth.
When Gojowczyk missed the mark with his two-hander, Federer had a third break and a 2-0 second-set lead.
The backhand was Gojowczyk's best weapon throughout this match and he applied it to rattle out successive backhand misses from the Swiss scoring his first break in the third game.
Then Federer elevated his game to a place beyond the world No. 112's reach.
The 38-year-old Federer still retains a fast first step and acute anticipation. The Swiss showed both reading a drop shot and streaking up to the ball to lift a forehand pass for the third straight break of the set.
Rebuffing a serve-and-volley attempt, Federer ripped a ruthless forehand pass down the line breaking for 5-1.
The top-seeded Swiss served out a 52-minute conquest to set up a round of 16 encounter with either Serbian Dusan Lajovic or Moldova's Radu Albot.