Five sets ‘no problem’ as Federer advances

Roger Federer screams in delight after winning a five-setter against Kei Nishikori on Sunday. Photo: Thomas Peter, Reuters

Roger Federer screams in delight after winning a five-setter against Kei Nishikori on Sunday. Photo: Thomas Peter, Reuters

Published Jan 22, 2017

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MELBOURNE – Roger Federer showed his 35-year-old legs may

yet still carry him to a long-awaited 18th Grand Slam title as he overhauled

fifth seed Kei Nishikori in a five-set slog to reach the Australian Open

quarter-finals on Sunday.

Having issued a reminder of his class in the 90-minute rout

of Tomas Berdych, Federer flaunted his endurance by prevailing 6-7(4) 6-4 6-1

4-6 6-3 after a three hour and 26-minute battle under the lights at Rod Laver

Arena.

After six months out of the game to recover from a knee

injury, Federer’s fairytale return will continue against giant-killing German

Mischa Zverev, who sensationally ousted top seed Andy Murray on the same centre

court only hours before.

Since winning Wimbledon in

2012, Federer has gone close to adding to his major tally, but with each

passing year, the doubts have only piled higher.

Yet with Murray and six-times Australian Open champion Novak

Djokovic sent packing from Melbourne

Park, the Swiss master

finds himself with his best chance in years and revelled in his physical

condition when taken deep by Nishikori.

“I felt great in the fifth (set), I must say,” the 17th seed

told reporters. “Great energy. Even deep into the fourth I thought, ‘Yeah,

fifth, here we go, no problem for me’.

“I’m feeling good about my chances.

“But tonight was special, no doubt about it. Going five

against Kei here on Rod Laver Arena with the comeback, it’s definitely very

special.”

The match threatened for a time to be anything but special

as Asia’s first men’s Grand Slam finalist

stormed to a 4-0 lead before weathering a huge Federer recovery to take the

first set on a tiebreak.

The Swiss hit back quickly, belting a huge return to break

Nishikori in the seventh game of the second.

Federer served out the set to love when Nishikori hit a

return into the tramlines and the old master threw a steely gaze at his player’s

box, pumping his fist.

Rattled by the pressure, Nishikori became twitchy, his

fidgeting between points betraying the nerves as Federer roared through the

third set in 26 minutes.

The Swiss looked to be coasting to victory, but he suffered

a rare wobble at 2-2 in the fourth, shanking a straightforward smash and then

netting a volley to give up two break points.

The door ajar, Nishikori barged through it with a stinging

passing shot as Federer rushed the net with more hope than design.

Nishikori served out to love, the match back to level terms

as Federer’s suddenly misbehaving backhand saw him put a return just wide of

the line.

Kei Nishikori fought back well to win the fourth set against Roger Federer. Photo: Kin Cheung, AP

Nishikori took a medical time-out between sets, with a

trainer working hard on his legs, but it was Federer who appeared in greater

need of a massage as he was thrown around the court by the Japanese.

But the Swiss held on grimly, and grabbed his chance in the

second game when Nishikori netted to offer two break points.

The Japanese saved the first and fired a huge serve on the

next that should have settled the argument. But Federer somehow made the return

with a desperate backhand lunge.

Nishikori came in for the kill with an open court spread

before him, but dumped the ball into the net, triggering thunderous cheers from

a crowd heavily favouring the Swiss.

From there, Federer rode the momentum to the finish, serving

out the match strongly and savouring another huge ovation after having defied

father time once again.

Reuters

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