DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Roger Federer won the Dubai
Open for the fourth time in five years on Saturday, beating Mikhail
Youzhny of Russia 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Federer won his 41st straight match, tying Bjorn Borg for the
fourth-longest streak in the Open era and leaving him five short of
Guillermo Vilas' 1977 record. Ivan Lendl (44 in 1981-82) and John
McEnroe (42 in 1984) also are in front of Federer.
"I am on a nice roll right now and I am playing in Indian Wells
next," Federer said. "I have won there the last three years, so
hopefully I can win again and beat Vilas' record there.
"Records are meant to be broken -- but if I don't, it's all
right," he added. "I will start all over again."
Youzhny broke Federer in the first game with a crosscourt
forehand and held serve to lead 2-0. But Federer broke in the
fourth, eighth and 10th games to close out the first set.
"I must admit that Mikhail put a lot of pressure at the start
of the match, and I really needed to step up my game," Federer
said.
In the second set, Federer broke in the second and sixth games.
He had six championship points at 5-2, but Youzhny saved them all
in a marathon game before Federer served it out.
Federer has now won seven titles -- including the 2007 Australian
Open -- since last year's U.S. Open. He extended his record over
Youzhny to 9-0. Youzhny, who won in Rotterdam last week, defeated
Nadal in the quarterfinals.
Federer's last defeat was to Andy Murray in the second round of
the Cincinnati Masters last August.
"It was a bit of a rough start for me this year, as it always
happens with me in Dubai," Federer said. "But I am happy that I
saved my best for the last."