Federer, Djokovic move on

Switzerland’s Roger Federer speaks with former US tennis player Jim Courier after his victory against Tennys Sandgren of the US in their men’s singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 28, 2020. William WEST / AFP

Roger Federer achieved a 6/3; 2/6; 2/6; 7/6(8); 6/3 victory over American Tennys Sandgren in an epic during which his gallant opponent lost seven match points.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, however, outplayed Canada’s Milos Raonic 6/4; 6/3; 7/6(1) to reach the semifinals.

Federer broke Sandgren’s serve in the eighth game of the first set. In the ninth game, Federer reached up 40-15 on his serve and won the 34-minute set when his opponent returned a serve into the net.

Tennys held serve to lead 1-0 in the second set and was up 30-0 on Federer’s serve. A successful challenge of call gave him three break points and he clinched the game when Federer over hit an overhead over the line. The American delivered an ace to lead 3-0 lead but Federer took the fourth game with a serve and forehand winner. Tennys stretched the lead to 4-1 and Federer his serve for the sixth game. At 2-5, Federer served to stay in the set.

A premature call required replaying the point but Tennys still got it. Federer missed a drive volley for 15-30, netted a backhand for 15-40 and lost the game and set when his shot landed in the net. The set lasted set lasted 40 minutes.

Roger committed a double fault at start of third set, followed by a wild forehand for 0-30. A slew of errors gave Tennys the service break and 1-0 lead.

In the second game, Federer won a 28- shot rally to have three break points. After two were saved by Sandgren, Federer uttered something in German language and the lady Chair Umpire cautioned him. After the brief interlude, Tennys hit a forehand winner to deuce and won the third game with two service winners.

Roger called for a medical trainer and was accompanied off the court. Within minutes, he returned and served to take the fourth game. Tennys extended the lead to 4-1 but Roger took the sixth game at love. Federer was up 40-15 but conceded the break after five deuces and Tennys took the set 6-2 after 40 minutes.

Sandgren served first in the fourth set and held. Federer leveled, setting a pattern of having to catch up. When Sandgren won the ninth game with his 21st ace to lead 5-4, Federer needed to hold his serve to stay in the match. The Swiss delivered a winning serve to lead 40-15 but was taken to deuce. A netted forehand by Federer gave Tennys his first match point which he lost after a long rally in which Roger merely kept the ball in play.

The American lost opportunities to win the game while Federer took the game on his first opportunity.

Sandgren delivered his 22nd ace to advance 30-15 but a costly double fault placed him in threat of service break at 30-40. He cancelled the break point and took the game on a third advantage with a second service winner. Federer dropped only one point in holding serve to level 6 games apiece. In the tiebreak, the two players held service points until Federer lost the seventh point. Sandgren delivered an ace to lead 6 points to 3.

Culled from Guardian.ng