Former Champions Hope to Return to Past Glory


August 2, 2006 - The Rogers Cup presented by American Express has seen a different champion crowned in each of its past 11 years, a record among the nine Masters Series events on the ATP Tour.

These men range from those who surprised many during an unlikely championship run such as Chris Woodruff, to those who used the event as a springboard upon which they launched a tremendous career such as Marat Safin, to those who continued to cement their legendary status in Canada such as Roger Federer.

Of these 11 former champions, five are returning for the 2006 Rogers Cup, hoping to recreate their past Canadian success. Federer, Safin, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, and Andre Agassi are returning to the event where they had previously triumphed, hoping to once again hoist the championship trophy at the end of the week.

A returning champion is offered a distinct advantage over the rest of the field in their familiarity with the courts and atmosphere at a particular event and their knowledge of what it takes to win.

Federer, the 2004 Rogers Cup champion, is currently riding a wave of momentum stemming from his Wimbledon victory, the eighth Grand Slam title of his career. However, his standing as the top dog on the ATP Tour is far from secure, with Nadal right on his heels at No. 2 in the world.

At just 20 years of age, the man-child known as ‘Rafa’ already has a Rogers Cup title under his belt with many more opportunities certain to come his way. The defending champion returns amidst a fierce rivalry with Federer. The tournament’s past two title-holders have split the two most recent Grand Slam finals and are now set to begin play on the more neutral hard court surface.

Safin, the first Rogers Cup winner of the new millennium, is one of four players who can boast of having defeated Federer in the past two years. The Russian superstar with seemingly limitless talent broke through for his first Masters Series title at the 2000 event in Toronto, just weeks before he ascended to international fame by winning the US Open. His deadly groundstrokes make him a threat at any time and being back at the site of one of his greatest triumphs will surely be a source of inspiration for the 26-year old.

Roddick, meanwhile, is seeking a return to the form which saw him net the 2003 Rogers Cup title. Like Safin, Roddick followed his Cup victory with a US Open championship later in the same year. However, the American star’s recent struggles have caused a slide in the rankings, making a strong showing at this year’s event crucial to his re-emergence.

Agassi, who is the only three-time Rogers Cup champion in the main draw, plans to make his final Canadian appearance a memorable one. The 36-year old icon has maintained a special bond with Canadian tennis fans during his 14 appearances in Montreal and Toronto. Those same fans will surely be cheering every shot and taking in every moment as the Andre Farewell Tour touches down at the Rexall Centre.

Amidst this remarkably talented field, there is no guarantee that even a single one of these men will raise the championship trophy once more, but they will undoubtedly be players to watch as the week progresses.

MORE NEWS+ HOME