Federer rates his 2011 finishing sweep his career best

By Bill Scott Nov 28, 2011, 8:33 GMT

London - Record-setting Roger Federer has even managed to impress himself with his stupendous finish to the ATP season, capping a three-title sprint with the honours at the ATP World Tour Finals.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner added another footnote or two to his place in the record books with his fighting defeat of Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 at the weekend.

'I felt like I played great during these last few weeks,' said the winner of consecutive trophies in Basle, Paris and London. 'I felt I played great here in London. It gives me a lot of confidence for next year.

'It was the strongest finish I've ever had in my career, which I'm very proud of. I'm looking forward to next year. So I'm really excited.

'But regardless of how it went here, I would have been in a good state of mind for next year,' said the 30-year-old who won his 70th title in his 100th career final and became the first man to lift six year-end trophies.

Left in the dust were the Swiss player's three main rivals, with Novak Djokovic tapped out and injured after winning ten titles, dispirited Rafael Nadal seeking fresh motivation and Andy Murray nursing a groin strain which drove him out of the London season wrapup after one defeat.

Federer showed his consummate season management skills by winning nonstop during the final phase of the 11-month ATP season and his victory in London saw him move a place in the rankings back to third.

The Swiss is rising a confidence wave going into 2012, which begins for him in little more than a month at the Abu Dhabi exhibition event also featuring Nadal and Djokovic.

'It's been a good year and a good championship for most of the top eight players,' said Federer, who ended with a relatively low total of four titles. 'I think most of them are looking forward to next year starting again at some point.'

Federer boasts a certain symmetry to his year-end wins, claiming a pair in Houston (2003-2004), Shanghai (2006-2007) and now London 2010-2011).

With his 17-match unbeaten streak since the US Open - he wisely took six weeks off in September and October to rest and re-asses his year, coming only to come back untouchable on court - Federer will count among the title favourites at the Australian Open in January.

'I think I'm mentally good right now. That was also one of the reasons why I did take some time off, to actually think it through, to get into the right mental mindset,' said the Swiss.

'There is a lot of time that goes by on tour, during a match, you're just trying to stay positive, but you can't always be positive out there, it's just too difficult.

'That's where maybe the doubts were just a bit too strong during certain important moments.'

But it's nothing but blue skies at the moment as Federer takes a pause.

'I'm happy that the season is over because it has been long, it has been gruelling. But I'm very happy and upbeat about what's to come.'

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