Tennis records that is.

Ever since Federer etched his name into Wimbledon's roll of honour in 2003 by becoming the first Swiss man to win a grand slam singles crown, he has been hoarding records in the way other people collect stamps.

While Federer's mantelpiece back home in Oberwil, Switzerland, must be creaking under the weight of his stockpile of 46 trophies, historians have scrambled to keep pace with his never-ending list of achievements.

With the year not even two months old, Federer has already accomplished numerous milestones in 2007.

In January's Australian Open he became the first man since tennis turned professional in 1968 to reach 11 successive grand slam semi-finals.

By marching into his seventh successive major final, he equalled the feat of Australian Jack Crawford set in 1934.

After capturing his 10th grand slam title in Melbourne in just 3-? years, he became the first man in the professional era to win three consecutive majors twice in his career.

The Swiss maestro set another record on Monday when he began an unprecedented 161st consecutive week on top of the men's rankings to eclipse Jimmy Connors's 30-year-old mark.

Since Federer enjoys a more-than-3,000 points advantage over his nearest rival, Spain's Rafael Nadal, chances are that the streak which started on Feb. 2 2004 could go on for years to come.

"I've been looking forward to this day to come and I'm very excited," Federer said in Dubai, where he returns to action following a four-week break.

"This record is definitely something that is going to stay for quite some time, so it's a nice record to have and it will be very hard to beat I feel."

RIGHT TRACK

As the Swiss has no intention of applying the brakes to his career until at least the 2012 London Olympics, there will not be many tennis landmarks that will not have his name written next to them.

"If I go at the pace I'm going right now, of course I'll break all records. Nobody's ever done that," said Federer.

"I'm definitely on the right track. I'm not injured. I'm playing well.

"But I've got to do it over and over again for another five years, that's the tough part."

French Open champion Nadal and Andy Roddick have often been touted as the players who will challenge Federer for the main prizes but unfortunately for them, the signs are that they will have to make do with picking up the crumbs Federer drops in their direction on the rare occasions.

Nadal's rivalry with Federer appears to have stalled since the Spaniard has failed to reach a final of any kind since his surprising run to the Wimbledon title showdown last July.

Roddick even had the cheek to suggest last month that the rest of the world was closing the gap on Federer. That theory was blown apart by the Swiss when he lost just six games to the American in a brutal one-sided destruction in the Australian Open semi-finals last month.

Although Nadal and Roddick must be cursing the luck that made their careers coincide with arguably the greatest player to have ever picked up a tennis racket, others have accepted their fate and are simply honoured to share the same stage as the Swiss.

DEMOLITION JOB

"I've run out of adjectives to describe him on court," American James Blake said after he was on the receiving end of a Federer demolition job in the 2006 Masters Cup final.

"Just more evidence that he's the best of all time." Such is Federer's addiction to dominate the sport, the 25-year-old has firmly set his sights on many more records over the next few months.

Expectations are mounting that at the French Open in May, he could join American Don Budge and Australian Rod Laver as the only men to hold all four grand slam crowns at once.

But his main priority will be a month later when he wants to equal Bjorn Borg's professional era streak of five successive Wimbledon crowns.

At the speed the Federer express has been going, Pete Sampras's record haul of 14 majors could be scratched from the history books by 2008.

"If I were another player, I would be amazed a little bit to see always the same guy winning," he said.

Federer maybe amazed but his peers are simply sick of seeing the all-conquering Swiss on the other side of the net.