11/13/04 • Federer wins first ever 'Golden Bagel Award™'
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• Niclas Kroon (l), World No. 1 Roger Federer (c) and Tom Suhler
celebrate the Golden Bagel Award with the sign of the vicht™.
The 2004 Golden Bagel Award™ was presented to Roger Federer today in a brief ceremony at the Tennis Masters Cup. Federer is the first recipient of the inaugural award, presented to the men's pro player who hands out more "bagels" (sets won 6-0), than any other player. "I think I need some cream cheese with that" Federer said on inspecting the commemorative plaque. Presenters asked the World No. 1 player if he knew how many bagels he had served during the course of the year. "Six?" Federer guessed. No, he was told. It was 12. "What?"
The rest of the top eight players gathered in Houston for the year-ending tournaments administered the following bagels during the course of the year: Guillermo Coria 7, Andy Roddick 4, Lleyton Hewitt 4, Tim Henman 4, Gaston Gaudio 4, Marat Safin 3 and Carlos Moya 3.
To qualify for the Golden Bagel Award™, a player must either be ranked in the Top 8 of ATP singles players or participate in the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. The winner is the pro who captures the most 6-0 sets between January 1 and the start of the Masters. Davis Cup matches and incomplete sets are not counted. The ATP website is used as the definitive data source. In the event of a tie, the number of "fries" (6-1 sets) will determine the winner. "It's all in good fun," said award presenter Tom Suhler, "and if there's still a tie after the fries are counted, we'll cut the thing in half and have a laugh."
Keep this site bookmarked to track the bagel count of the top pros.