ROGER FEDERER won the Dubai Open for the fourth time in five years on Saturday, beating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-4, 6-3 in the final.

Federer won his 41st straight match, tying Bjorn Borg for the fourth-longest streak in the Open era and leaving him five short of Guillermo Vilas’ 1977 record. Ivan Lendl (44 in 1981-82) and John McEnroe (42 in 1984) also are in front of Federer.

“I am on a nice roll right now and I am playing in Indian Wells next,” Federer said. “I have won there the last three years, so hopefully I can win again and beat Vilas’ record there.

“Records are meant to be broken — but if I don’t, it’s all right,” he added. “I will start all over again.”

Youzhny broke Federer in the first game with a crosscourt forehand and held serve to lead 2-0. But Federer broke in the fourth, eighth and 10th games to close out the first set.

“I must admit that Mikhail put a lot of pressure at the start of the match, and I really needed to step up my game,” Federer said.

Federer has won seven titles — including the 2007 Australian Open — since last year’s U.S. Open.

(SD-Agencies)

Roger Federer holds the trophy after winning the fi nal match against Mikhail Youzhny at the Dubai Open on Saturday.

SD-Agencies