Roger Federer ended his 10-month trophy drought on Sunday by outclassing Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-3 in the Swiss Indoors final.
Federer was emotional as he thanked his hometown fans after winning for the fifth time in six years at the event where he once worked as a ballboy.
“It’s always the greatest for me to win the title here. See you next year,” he said on court in Swiss-German.
Federer showed the full range of his shot-making to school the 32nd-ranked Japanese, who stunned top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
“He was too good for me today,” said Nishikori, who described Federer as “my idol. I tried to do my best but he wouldn’t let me.”
Nishikori started brightly on his own serve but Federer broke after reeling off three straight winners. Federer dropped just one point on his own serve in the first set and fired flat ground strokes to all corners of the court.
He repeatedly pressured Nishikori’s serve and took the set on his opponent’s double-fault. Nishikori fended off break point chances to hold serve early in the second, then showed his speed and defensive strengths by outlasting Federer in a long rally. The reprieve was brief and Federer broke again to lead 4-2.
He was serving for the match when Nishikori earned his first breakpoint chance, which Federer saved with a powerful serve.
Federer took his first match point with an overhead smash at the net as Nishikori scurried to field shots deep beyond the baseline.
“It has been a long time since I felt so good physically,” Federer said. “I’m at a different point in my career to the younger guys, I have to focus on what’s better for my body, my mind, my family and I think it was the right decision.”
