TENNIS – Seven-time champion Roger Federer beat Florian Mayer 6-0 7-6 to qualify for his 11th semifinal at this event. He has moved on to the finals 9 times to win it on 7 ocassions. Thirty-six year-old Ivo Karlovic battled past Tomas Berdych in three sets with 7-5 6-7 (8-10) 6-3 in two hours and 11 minutes in the first quarter of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle to get through to the semifinals. Kei Nishikori had to fight hard to beat Jerzy Janowicz in three sets to reach his second consecutive semifinal in Halle. The Japanese player will face Andreas Seppi who was leading 6-1 1-0 when Gael withdrew from the match after 32 minutes Diego Sampaolo
Roger Federer won his sixth head-to-head match against Florian Mayer with 6-0 7-6. The Swiss legend broke serve three times in the first set to win with a bagel after just 19 minutes. Federer earned a break point in the first game of the second set but Mayer saved it. He could not convert a break point at 4-4. The second set came down to the tie-break where Federer cruised to 7-1 after one hour and four minutes on a closed roof. He has reached the semifinal in Halle for the 11th time. He lost only one of his previous 10 semifinals in this tournament in 2002 against Nicolas Kiefer
“It was a super start. He was able to recover well and it got close. Luckily I was able to play a perfect tie-break
In the semifinal Federer will face Karlovic who hit 45 aces setting a record for a best-of-three set match. Karlovic shared this record of 44 aces with Mark Philippousis. Last February he fired 44 aces in Zagreb equalling Philippousis’ record of 44 aces set in Kuala Lumpur in 1995.
Karlovic got the first break at 5-5 when Berdych made a double fault. Karlovic recovered to draw lvel in the tie-break of the second set after Berdych missed three set points. However, Karlovic could not convert the match point. Berdych won the tie-break with 10-8 as Karlovic hit his return into the net. Karlovic took a 3-1 lead before wrapping up the match with his 45th ace after 2 hours and 12 minutes.
Karlovic scored his second win over a top-10 player in 2015 after beating Novak Djokovic last January in Doha. With his 45 aces he increased his total to 94 aces during the week after his 28 aces against Santiago Giraldo and his 21 aces against Aleksander Zverev.
“I am extremely happy about my record. Hitting records helps a lot. I was surprised when I was told on court after the match how many aces I hit. I didn’t know it was that many. Hopefully I can continue like that in the semifinal”, said Karlovic
Federer leads 12-1 in his previous head-to-head matches against Karlovic.
Kei Nishikori edged past Jerzy Janowicz 6-4 5-7 6-3 in a highly-entertaining match after two and a half hours and a half under a closed roof because of rain to reach his second consecutive semifinal in Halle. Nishikori broke serve at 5-4 in the first set and held his serve in the next game to win the first set.
Nishikori converted on his fifth break point which was also the match point to clinch the first set with 6-4. Janowicz bounced back breaking serve for 2-1. As Janowicz was serving at 5-4, Nishikori drew level to 5-5 but the Pole broke again to clinch the second set with 7-5.
Janowicz entertained the crowd with his aggressive serves and volleys but Nishikori broke serve twice. Janowicz recovered one of the two breaks but Nishikori converted his first match point to take a hard-fought win.
“It was a tough match today because I let Jerzy get back into the match in the second set. In the end I am so glad to be in the semifinals
Nishikori will face Italian Andreas Seppi who was leading 6-1 1-0 over Gael Monfils when the Frenchman withdrew after 32 minutes due to a right kne injury. Seppi will play his third semifinal of the year after Doha and Zagreb
