Federer planning another golden year

World number one Roger Federer sees no reason why 2008 should be any less successful than 2007.

The Swiss star brushed aside Spain’s David Ferrer 6-2 6-3 6-2 in the Tennis Masters Cup final yesterday for his fourth win at the season-ending showpiece in five years.

Federer, with 12 career grand slam titles under his belt after taking three of the four majors on offer this year, has no plans to relent with Pete Sampras’ all-time record of 14 slam wins now within reach next year.

Federer said: “Maybe I didn’t win 10 titles, but it’s not necessary to stay number one in the world all the time. If I keep this level of play up, I’m in a great position for next year as well.”

Federer, who won eight tournaments in 2007, considers that this year has been his “breakthrough year”.

“It’s been a great season for me,” said Federer, who has won all eight of his career meetings with Ferrer. “And finishing off the best players in the world in the Masters Cup, it’s always a great experience for me.

“It’s been in some ways a breakthrough year for me especially the way I played at the beginning of the year, not losing a set during the Australian Open.

“And then coming here, beating everybody in straight sets after losing against (Fernando) Gonzalez when people thought, OK, Federer is maybe not playing so well.”

The one gap remaining on Federer’s curriculum vitae is the French Open, the only grand slam tournament to elude his grasp with Rafael Nadal the king on the slow red clay surface.

While he was unable to claim the crown in Paris, Federer has plenty of positives to take from this season – and counts his win over the Spaniard in Hamburg, his first on clay.

Federer said: “Beating Nadal for the first time on clay… I’ve beaten all my closest rivals, Nadal and (Novak) Djokovic, more times than they’ve beaten me. It’s been one of those years which I’m really, really happy about.

The Masters Cup was the 53rd tournament victory of Federer’s career and made him the first player to win more than €6.8m in a season.