Federer claims record title

Roger Federer won a record sixth ATP World Tour Finals title with a 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 victory over France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last night.

Federer came to London’s O2 Arena determined to end a frustrating year on a high and he fulfilled that ambition by moving ahead of Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl on the list of Tour Finals champions in the 100th final of his majestic career.

The 30-year-old, who retains the title he won 12 months ago, has now won 70 trophies in his career and has also equalled Lendl’s record of 39 match wins in the end-of-season event.

While rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have all faded in the final weeks of a gruelling season, Federer is still going strong and this triumph – which followed back to back titles in Basel and Paris – will be a major boost to his confidence heading into 2012.

Although Federer, who takes home the winner’s cheque worth $770,000, ends the season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002, talk of his demise seems greatly exaggerated.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner has reeled off a 17-match winning streak since the US Open and he will rise back above Murray to third in the world rankings as a result.

“I couldn’t be more happy my season ends this way. I’m exhausted, Jo sapped every last energy out of me today,” Federer said.

“I thought we had an amazing match at Wimbledon, and an amazing one here. I hope we get a chance next year.”

Tsonga had hoped to become the first Frenchman to win this event.

But the 26-year-old was unable to emulate his Wimbledon quarter-final win in June when he became the first player to beat the Swiss star from two sets down in a Grand Slam.