The 490th-ranked Wishaya will be joined at the National Tennis Development Centre by teenager Palaphoom Kovapitukted plus doubles veterans Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana in a new format which will see Thailand play only one tie this year.

The format for the premier international team event in men’s tennis has been changed – the world’s best nations will compete in a week-long “Davis Cup Finals” at the end of the year while the rest are taking part in single ties that will determine promotion and relegation.

Thailand play the Philippines, while Indonesia meet New Zealand and Hong Kong China will take on Taiwan in September..

With a strong line-up, the hosts are expected to clear this hurdle against a visiting side which has no world-ranked players. Former Australian Open doubles junior champion Francis Alcantara and 2015 SEA Games singles bronze medallist Jeson Patrombon are the main Filipino players, backed up by John Bryan Otico, Jurence Zosimo Mendoza and Alberto Lim.

Thailand’s national captain Danai Udomchoke is confident that his team will stamp their authority over the visitors after two straight wins over the past couple of years, 2017 at this venue and 2018 in Manila.

“I will use all my 15-year experience with the national team to take the team to victory,” said the former world No 77. “The players are all professionals with experience and good results [behind them]. They should achieve that target,” added the Thai skipper.

Despite being underdogs, Filipino captain Chris Cuarto says his team has no fear about the tie, will take it one rubber at a time and hope to accomplish what is regarded as “mission impossible”.

“Thailand and the Philippines have met many times and we’re familiar with each other. This will be our warm-up before the SEA Games in Manila at the end of the year,” said Cuarto.

“There is no pressure on us. Thailand have the home advantage but we still hope to achieve a good result.”

A wonderful seven days of action on the field begin in style with former champions Gloucestershire Gipsies leading the way and RUC Rascals, the only new team this year, winning two matches on their first ever day at the Chiang Mai Sixes.

Gipsies made the highest score of the day as they reached 83 for 3 in their five overs against Clifton Hill with Henry Cooper leading the way. Not noted as ‘white ball’ player in T20 cricket, he quickly showed he could be the master of the pink ball in five-over cricket as he raced to 35 with five sixes, a four and a single from the seven balls he faced.

Impressive with the bat, at least the Gipsies did not have a fearsome bowling attack but it proved effective as Cooper and Tom Smith each took two wickets as the Stray Cats made 37 for 4. Defending champions NCL Dynamites had already won their opening contest as they had comfortably beaten Darjeeling by five wickets with more than an over to spare but they will be relishing the challenge of the quality Kiwi Gloucester combination.

In the Gentleman’s Section, tribute was paid to absent friends with a special match between Wombats and Malakas who had each lost an important figure in the past year. Terry Skillett, always a Malaka, had been the heart beat of the Sixes while Alan Hobbs had been almost an ever present part of Wombats’ 31 previous visits to the Chiang Mai Sixes.

RUC Rascals, representing a mining company in Indonesia and brought to the Sixes thanks to the efforts of local player Colin Harlow. were impressive debutants as they claimed victories over Blythswood by 15 runs and Stuffed Beavers by 5 wickets. James East led the way with scores of 31 retired and 15 not out as the Rascals enjoyed a fantastic first day.

The day concluded with a pair of ladies matches with Pin Papworth scoring 27* for Thai Angels as they were narrowly beaten by Central Spirit from Australia, and the Beaverettes enjoyed their victory over the Chaiang Mai Chassies and celebrated long into the night at the Beavers’ opening night party.

The Players Section in the 2019 Chiang Mai Sixes is set for an exciting finish as all 12 teams taking part in the competition’s first division have now played two matches. All teams play their third match on Tuesday as places in the Cup and the Shield will be decided. The top six teams will play in the Cup and those in seventh to twelfth places will compete in the Shield.

Five teams made it two wins out of two with Gloucestershire leading the way after their win against the NCL Masters. NCL Masters, Divine Felons and Margate also had two victories when we came to the last match of the day with UN Irish Pub facing Yorkshire Puddings. These were two strong sides with the 2016 champions facing the 2017 losing finalists and a close contest was expected.

Naveed Pathan took two wickets in the first over for the Irishstanis but Yorkshire Puddings recovered to a total of 69 thanks to an unbroken third wicket partnership of 61 between Awais Ejaz and Amjid Hussain. UN Irish looked to be cruising but runs were soon hard to come by after Naveed’s retirement. 18 runs were needed off the final over and a wicket was lost to the first ball as Burhan was stumped.

Cometh the hour, cometh the main as Asim came to crease and he hit his first ball for six and followed with a two and a four. Six runs required from two balls and Asim sent the next ball sailing over mid-wicket for six and wild celebrations greeted the end of the match from the last ball of the day. UN Irish had grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat and moved into second place in the table.

There was also great excitement in the Gentlemen’s Section where Neil Kirkwood hit the Flight of the Gibbon banner at deep mid-wicket to score the competition’s first ten and it helped Beijing Ducks to victory over Tokyo Dingbats. Another unlikely hero was Kevin Wun of Blythswood who played the innings of his life to see his side home against Awali Taverners.

The third day gets underway and 9.00 am on Tuesday with all the places in the Cup and Shield to be decided.

United midfielder Pogba last week described Madrid, managed by France great Zinedine Zidane, as a “dream club for every player” while on international duty.

Fuel was then poured on the fire ahead of Madrid’s game at the weekend when the Real boss admitted that Pogba would be welcome at the Bernabeu if and when he decides to call time on his United career.

Zidane is expected to have a big transfer budget this summer to shake things up. Real crashed out of the Champions League to Ajax at the last-16 stage and trail Barcelona by 12 points in La Liga.

Solskjaer was only appointed permanent manager at Old Trafford last week but the future of United’s most high-profile player is once again in the spotlight.

Madrid have a track record of taking some of United’s star names, with both David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo swapping Old Trafford for the Bernabeu, but Solskjaer said he is not worried by the Pogba situation.

“It doesn’t really concern me because my thought of action was to sit down and speak to Paul,” he said on Monday.

“I have had my chat with Paul and we’re fine. He is going to do his utmost here because he knows I am very fond of him as a player and as a person. He is important for us here, so there are no issues. He is happy here.”

– Wolves test –

Solskjaer’s immediate priority is United’s trip to Wolves on Tuesday for their rearranged Premier League game.

They have a big chance to put pressure on their rivals for a top-four spot by picking up a win at Molineux but know it will not be easy after Wolves knocked them out of the FA Cup last month.

Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to Watford moved United level on points with Tottenham and they would go third, at least temporarily, with another victory.

United languished 11 points off the top-four spots when Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December and the Norwegian is delighted that his team are now in control of their own destiny.

He has set a target of five wins from their remaining seven games and does not feel his players are going to ease up, despite a sub-par performance against Watford.

“I don’t think I need to remind the players about their standards dropping,” he said. “They know themselves. They want to be in the Champions League and they want to perform as well as they possibly can.

“Maybe they didn’t believe in it themselves in November or December but we are in with a chance.

“Everyone knows that if we do our jobs and get 15 points over the last seven games, we will be in the Champions League next year.

“It’s the final stretch, so it’s not a time to change. We need the same mindset as we have had. It’s a question of going into games thinking that we are going to win.

“Against Watford we did not get going until 15 or 20 minutes into the match but I am not worried because we have so many nice games to look forward to between now and the end of the season.”

Aaron Ramsey’s first half strike was followed by Alexandre Lacazette’s killer second in the closing stages at the Emirates Stadium, maintaining Arsenal’s impressive progress under Emery.

Emery’s side climbed two points above fourth placed Tottenham and fifth placed Manchester United to bolster their chance of qualifying for the Champions League via a top-four finish with seven games to go.

It is the first time Arsenal have been as high as third place since April 2017, highlighting their improvement since former Paris Saint Germain boss Emery replaced Arsene Wenger at the end of last season.

Ramsey’s fifth goal of the season was only the Wales midfielder’s second since he signed a lucrative pre-contract agreement to join Juventus at the end of the current campaign.

But, while Ramsey won’t be part of Emery’s long-term plans, the future still looks bright for Arsenal, who recorded a 10th consecutive home league victory for the first time since December 1997 to May 1998.

Arsenal finished with 63 points in Wenger’s final season, but Emery has matched that tally with seven games to spare.

No wonder Arsenal fans celebrated an important win by taunting their spluttering north London rivals with chants of “are you watching Tottenham”.

“It’s a new history. We are creating our own way. Our target is very clear,” Emery said.

“We have created a big atmosphere here. We are in a good moment, a good mentality with the players.

“We are improving and making progress, but we know it is difficult. Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United are going to win a lot of games.”

Newcastle remain seven points above the relegation zone after a 12th defeat in their last 13 meetings with Arsenal.

“If you don’t take the chances and aren’t precise against a good team, you know it is a matter of time until you make a mistake,” Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez said, before taking a shot at owner Mike Ashley’s lack of investment in new players.

“We have been speaking all season about the final third, you have to spend £50 million, £75 million (to have players to make a difference).”

Ramsey thought he’d given Arsenal the lead when he swept home at the far post from Sead Kolasinac’s flick.

But his celebrations were curtailed as the goal was controversially ruled out by referee Anthony Taylor for Sokratis’s shirt tug on Florian Lejeune.

If Arsenal felt aggrieved by that debatable decision, they poured their frustration into breaking down Newcastle’s five-man defence.

– Dominant Arsenal –

Emery had surprisingly left Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench as Mesut Ozil started behind Lacazette.

Aubameyang has 22 goals in all competitions this season, but his absence wasn’t a problem for Arsenal as they unhinged Newcastle’s massed rearguard in the 30th minute.

Matteo Guendouzi passed to Ramsey and his clever flick picked out Lacazette in the Newcastle area.

Lacazette was surrounded by three defenders and as he twisted to find space, the ball cannoned off DeAndre Yedlin into Ramsey’s path and he guided a low shot past Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka via the far post.

Arsenal remained by far the dominant force and Lacazette almost doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when his shot was brilliantly headed off the line by Matt Ritchie.

Looking for the decisive second goal, Emery sent on Aubameyang with half an hour left.

Ramsey departed to a rousing ovation after taking a knock that forced his substitution, then Aubameyang went close when he found space for a low shot that Dubravka turned away.

And it was Aubameyang who was the catalyst for Arsenal’s second in the 83rd minute.

Guendouzi clipped a pass to Lacazette and he redirected it to Aubameyang, who cleverly headed the ball over the statuesque Jamaal Lascelles.

With Lascelles too slow to react, Lacazette nipped ahead of the Newcastle captain and chipped over Dubravka for his 15th goal in all competitions this term.

The Kuala Lumpur Cobras shut-out the Dubai Mighty Camels 3-0 to win the top tier in the tournament. Cobra captain Rich Hutson brought in four fellow Canadians and his squad went undefeated throughout the competition.

Long-time tourney participant Joe Burgess died recently in Phuket, so tourney organizer Scott Whitcomb of Jogsports named one of the divisions after him and the Tokyo Hockey Freaks defeated the North of 69ers 2-1 to capture the division honoring Joe. The Flying Farangs had two teams in the tourney; the above-35 squad lost to Jellonas from Finland 3-2 in their semi-final match. Jellonas featured former NHL player Sami Helenius who suited up for the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche among others during his professional career.

The Flying Farang over-40 squad led by captain John Schachnovsky captured their fourth straight title, beating arch-rival Hong Kong Tigers 4-1 in their division final. Kari Miettinen of the KL Cobras Rec team was the leading scorer in the tourney with 15 goals and 1 assist.

Bangkok’s Andy Brine had the most assists (10) while Tero Kipela of the Abu Dhabi Scorpions lead the goalies in wins (4) and GAA (.60); Brad McNamee of the New Delhi squad had the best save percentage (.982), while four goalies (Brad McNamee, Tero Kipela, Brad Baker of the Tokyo Hockey Freaks, Partick Leduc of the Flying Farang) shared the shutout lead with two each.

Full final results: +40 Tier IV, Phuket Joe Memorial Cup, Tokyo Hockey Freaks 2 North of 69ers 1; +40 Tier III, The Rink Finals, New Delhi Sacred Bulls 3 Shanghai Red Guard 2; +40 Tier II, Concept Water Finals, Jakarta Dragons 7 Singapore Manimals 4; +35 Tier II Power Play Sports Finals, Singapore Dons 4 Kuala Lumpur Cobras “Rec” 1; +35 Open Samitivej Finals, Kuala Lumpur Cobras “Open” 3 Dubai Mighty Camels 0; +35 Rec Tier 1 Finals, Abu Dhabi 3, Jellonas 0; +40 Tier I Jogsports Finals, Bangkok Flying Farangs 4 Hong Kong Tigers 1.

The tournament coincided with the departure of the Thai National Team for the United Arab Emirates where they will compete this week in the IIHF Division 3 qualifying round against Hong Kong, Kuwait, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan and hosts UAE. The Thai team won its first game on Sunday with a 5-4 shootout victory over Bosnia Herzegovina.

On a cold and windy last day of the 64-player showdown at Austin (Texas) Country Club, Kisner dominated 2013 winner Kuchar in the all-American final to capture the $1.745 million (1.55 million euros) top prize.

“It was grueling and the winds were tough,” Kisner said. “It was a hard week but I prevailed and I’m world golf champion.”

Kisner, last year’s WGC Match Play runner-up to Bubba Watson, was 48th seed but became the lowest-seeded winner since Australian Geoff Ogilvy in 2006 after taking a key lesson from his 2018 defeat.

“I learned not to get too amped up for that final,” Kisner said.

In the morning semi-finals, Kisner edged Italy’s Francesco Molinari 1-up and Kuchar dispatched Danish 50th seed Lucas Bjerregaard 1-up.

Kisner, who edged Kuchar 1-up in last year’s round of 16, won his earlier PGA titles in 2015 at Sea Island, Georgia and in 2017 at Colonial.

At 40, Kuchar would have been the oldest champion in tournament history and the first player to win three titles in a PGA season since Steve Stricker in 2009.

Kisner, 35, sank an 11-foot birdie putt to win the first hole but his bogey to drop the par-4 fifth squared the final.

After blasting his approach way left of the green at the par-5 sixth, Kisner punched his third to four feet and sank the putt to win the hole and restore his 1-up advantage.

Kuchar 3-putted from 50 feet for bogey to lose the par-3 seventh but Kisner missed a 5-footer for par at the ninth, trimming his lead to 1-up at the turn.

Kuchar, the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist, found water off the tee to drop the par-3 11th and fall 2-down then made his first birdie of the final but only halved the par-5 12th.

At 15, Kuchar missed a 12-foot par putt to hand Kisner a 3-up lead and at 16, Kisner rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt for the victory.

– Molinari takes third –

In the consolation match, Molinari defeated Bjerregaard 4&2, denying the Dane who ousted Tiger Woods in the quarter-finals a special temporary US PGA membership with the victory.

Molinari, the reigning British Open champion, was Europe’s hero in last year’s Ryder Cup, winning all five matches in a victory over the US team, and was 5-0 here before Sunday.

Both semi-finals were all square after 10 holes, no one enjoying more than a 1-up edge on the front nine.

Kisner birdied the par-5 12th and par-4 14th to go 2-up, but Molinari answered with a tap-in birdie to win the par-5 16th and then sank a 4-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th to level the match.

At 18, Kisner found a fairway divot but landed his approach 14 feet from the cup and got down in two while Molinari escaped a bunker to 26 feet, rolled his birdie putt seven feet past the cup and missed the par putt to hand Kisner the victory.

Kuchar won 12 but Bjerregaard sank a 23-foot birdie putt at the par-4 15th to square the match again.

Bjerregaard made bogey to drop the 16th hole and both sank dramatic birdies at the par-3 17th. At 18, Kuchar needed only two putts from 14 feet to halve the hole and win the match.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took a brilliant victory in Termas de Rio Hondo with a dominant performance at the front, taking the Championship lead in the process to leave Argentina four points clear on the way to Texas. The race to complete the podium behind him was a spectacular tussle, however, and one eventually won by Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) as the ‘Doctor’ made the perfect move on Andrea Doviziosos (Mission Winnow Ducati) on the last lap to secure second and his first podium since Germany last season – an apt way to mark the anniversary of his World Championship debut in 1996.

Marquez took the holeshot from pole as Dovizioso pounced for second, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) losing out from the middle of the front row and Rossi leapfrogging his teammate. Marquez immediately pulled the pin to make a gap, with Rossi then soon attacking Dovizioso but the Ducati rider holding firm.

Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was next to go on the offensive as he dived past the ‘Doctor’ but the move didn’t stick, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) getting past Viñales to tag onto the Australian. Chopping and changing, Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) was next to attack the number 12 Yamaha in the melee – before Miller took Rossi, and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) had a stab at getting past the number 46 too.

It was a breathless tussle over the first two laps but one rider was then forced out of it: Crutchlow was given a Ride Through for jumping the start. That took him out of the battle as Dovi, Miller and Rossi found Morbidelli back on their tail and Rossi pounced on Dovizioso just as Morbidelli pounced on Miller in tandem. Spectacular though it was, it was shortlived as both Yamahas then headed wide and the ensuing shuffle reset the battle. Dovizioso and Rossi followed by Morbidelli, Petrucci, Miller and Viñales was the freight train fighting it out for the podium.

As the laps ticked on the Dovizioso-Rossi battle lit up and started to pull away from those behind. Dovizioso blasted down the straights, Rossi made the most of the Yamaha’s forte in the corners…the two trading positions at times but able to stay ahead of the battle that now included Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) as he arrived on the scene from 16th on the grid.

As that raged on, the last lap was a relaxed one for Marquez at the front. The reigning Champion completed his stunning performance and took his first win of the year, but the battle for second stayed tense to the line. Rossi lurked behind his prey for the first half of the lap, but at Turn 7 the ‘Doctor’ struck to perfection. A block pass saw the Italian not only get past his compatriot but also create just enough of a gap to keep him ahead until the end; the result Rossi back on the podium for the first time since Sachsenring last season. Dovizioso, meanwhile, although forced to settle for third, achieved his goal of getting on the podium at a track that usually proved tough for Ducati – and he’s only four points off Marquez in the Championship.

The fight for fourth saw Rins and Miller locked in battle and in the end it was the Australian who took the spoils, coming home in the same position as last year and as top Independent Team rider. Rins nevertheless took an incredible fifth after gaining 11 places, with Petrucci ultimately dropping into the clutches of Viñales and Morbidelli – and one last gasp of drama just around the corner for that trio.

Viñales attacked Petrucci, Petrucci held him off and the two Yamahas behind then came into contact, suddenly both on the floor and sliding out as the Ducati escaped for P6. That meant Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) got an even bigger reward for a quality race as the Japanese rider capitalised for seventh, with fast Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) taking P8 and coming home as top rookie. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) took ninth and homed in on his pre-race goal of the top eight.

The battle to complete the top ten was another stunner. It was Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who won it and who takes the spoils, but the Spaniard had to do some serious looking over his shoulder for another KTM: that of rookie Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3). The Portuguese rider has been notable in 2019 so far, but less than two tenths off Espargaro and two tenths off the top ten made quite an impression as he scored points for the first time.

The recovering Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) took P12, ahead of Crutchlow, Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) and Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the points. And that’s all she wrote in Argentina. Now it’s time for chapter three at the Circuit of the Americas, traditionally Marquez territory. Can he rule the venue once again and increase his lead? Find out on the 14th April for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas.

Toby Alderweireld’s own goal a minute from time moved Liverpool two points ahead of title rivals Manchester City.

Klopp’s men still need City to slip up in their remaining seven games as the champions have a game in hand.

However, Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’s error to parry the ball in off the unfortunate Alderweireld was reminiscent of Jordan Pickford’s mistake to also gift Divock Origi a late winner against Everton earlier in the season, suggesting Liverpool’s luck may be in this year.

“I told the boys after the game there are 500,000 ways probably to win a football game. Today it was rather ugly, but without a bit of luck you cannot be in the position we are,” said Klopp.

“If we are top of the table after the last matchday it would be a championship of will.”

Liverpool’s hopes of ending a 29-year wait to win the title looked set to be dealt a massive blow as Lucas Moura’s strike 20 minutes from time cancelled out Roberto Firmino’s early opener.

And the visitors will be left to regret Moussa Sissoko missing a huge chance to inflict Liverpool’s first home league defeat in nearly two years five minutes from time.

Spurs are now in serious danger of crashing out of the top four as they remain level on points with Manchester United and could be usurped by north London rivals Arsenal into third should the Gunners beat Newcastle on Monday.

“Overall I think we were better than Liverpool,” said Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino. “It is difficult to explain, but at the same time I am proud of the performance.”

Pochettino’s men remain without a Premier League win since February 10. However, the Argentine wants to set that record right at the opening night of the club’s new 62,000 capacity stadium against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

“The new stadium must be a big boost for everyone,” said Pochettino. “I was telling the players in the changing room we have seven games and we are in top four and we need to compete. It’s a mini-league and, playing the way we played today, I think we can achieve the top four.”

– Kop delirium –

Spurs started brightly, but conceded with Liverpool’s first significant attack when Firmino headed home the opener on 16 minutes from a delightful Andy Robertson cross.

That was Robertson’s 12th assist of the season from left-back and the Scotland captain was involved again in a flowing move moments later as he forged down the left and neat touches from Salah and Georginio Wijnaldum teed up Sadio Mane to curl just wide.

Liverpool were thankful to Robertson at the other end after the break as he made a vital block to prevent Christian Eriksen firing home on the rebound after Alisson Becker was forced into his first save of the afternoon by Harry Kane.

Salah has now scored just once in his last 11 games and his wasted chance to give Liverpool some breathing space when Alderweireld blocked the Egyptian’s shot with Mane better placed and begging for a pass looked costly when Tottenham levelled.

Kane’s quick thinking and excellent long-range pass picked out Kieran Trippier, who fed Eriksen and his scuffed shot fell perfectly for Moura to turn home.

As Liverpool surged forward in search of a winner, Spurs could have picked them off as Sissoko blazed over with just Alisson to beat before Alli clipped a shot inches wide.

Instead, there was delirium in front of the Kop end when Lloris parried Salah’s header into Alderweireld and the ball ricocheted over the line to breathe fresh life into Liverpool’s title challenge.

Federer, who has skipped the whole clay court season for the past two years, declared the triumph over the big-serving American in just 63 minutes was an ideal performance from which to launch a French Open bid.

“I will have to take baby steps going back onto the clay, I have played so little in the last few years so I don’t know what to expect but what this win does is takes even more pressure off me,” Federer said.

“Already just how I’ve been playing and moving here makes me believe just going on vacation now, a bit of a break, and then preparation, you physically I should be fine, but again, we’ll see how the body is going to react.

“I am excited. It’s a good challenge,” added Federer of trying to dethrone Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros when the second Grand Slam of the season begins on May 26.

Federer has been in brilliant form in South Florida, recovering superbly from losing the final in Indian Wells earlier this month to emphatically beat Isner, who was badly struggling with a foot problem at the end of the title match at Hard Rock Stadium.

Federer will not appear at the next Masters event in Monte Carlo but is slated to play in Madrid at the beginning of May.

“Madrid will be ‘let’s see what happens’ and then obviously I want to be ready for Paris and I hope all that hard work is going to pay off for the grass and hard court season,” he said.

Against Isner, Federer seized control immediately as a break in the very first game sapped Isner’s confidence and allowed Federer to aggressively gain control of a match which he never looked like losing, especially after the American’s foot problem worsened.

Isner was struggling badly and was heard telling the trainer during a medical timeout that he feared he had broken his foot.

“Somewhere during the first set I started feeling pain on top of my foot and it didn’t go away and it just got worse,” Isner said.

Isner’s spirit was crushed after he dropped the first set in only 23 minutes.

“It’s a terrible feeling, because you’re on an island out there. You have no teammates to hide behind and going up against the greatest player ever, you know, playing in this incredible atmosphere, and my foot’s killing me.

“I have never had a broken foot, but that’s what I would imagine it would feel like.

“Not that I would have won the match but I could have made for a more interesting match and one that was a little more fun.”

– ‘Appreciate these moments’ –

This was Federer’s 154th tour final and his 50th ATP Masters showpiece appearance. He’s in the twilight of his stellar career but has no plans to hang up his racket just yet.

“In terms of goals, it’s about trying to win titles and trying to manage life so I stay injury-free,” the former world number one said.

“Some days you just don’t feel so well but this is a good phase, a good stretch for me right now. I really feel super healthy. That’s why I have been able to play every day for the last four weeks. That’s something that maybe hasn’t always been the case for the last few years.

“So you appreciate these moments.”

Isner’s booming serve failed to fire and there was to be no repeat of their last meeting at the Paris Masters 2015 when Federer was defeated in a third round encounter.

To give the Swiss eight break chances in the first set spoke volumes about the sudden ineffectiveness of the Isner service game – he took only 50% of points on his first serve during the opener.

With Isner hurting, Federer, who finished with a perfect 100% of points won on his first serve, wasted no time in the second set wrapping up his 28th Masters title.