Stuttgart: Seven-time champion here Roger Federer suffered a shock 6-2, 6-7(8-10) 4-6 defeat to 39-year-old Tommy Haas at the Stuttgart grass court tournament here Wednesday in the Swiss great’s first match after almost three months out of action. It was just the second defeat for the Swiss who had skipped the entire clay court season. “It’s always special to play a close friend like Roger on grass, always lots of emotion,” said Haas after the match. “I saved a match point in the second set so was able to play more freely after that. I even shocked myself.” Federer played the first set superbly, but from the second set unforced errors started creeping into his game. And Haas took his chances then.
Agencies