20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is only a win away from regaining the top spot in the official ATP rankings after the Swiss maestro registered a hard fought 7-6(8), 7-5, victory over former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Thursday.
Unlike his previous match, Federer was given a thorough workout by his pre-quarterfinal opponent Kohlschreiber. Kohlschreiber came into the contest with a well thought-out strategy and nearly executed his plan to perfection as he had Federer under a spot of bother many a times. Especially in the first set there was nothing, which could separate the pair as they were engaged in several long rallies.
After Kohlschreiber saved a set point in the 12th game, Federer had his backs to the wall in the tiebreaker as he faced two set points. However, the reigning Australian Open champion managed to save those two break points with two successive big serves.
The top seed won an incredible 92% points behind his first delivery, struck 8 wonderful aces and hit 25 gorgeous winners to eventually claim the evenly contested opening set in 54 minutes.
The second set was again a war of attrition as neither player gave an inch to the other. In fact, at certain points during the set, it was the man from Germany, who seemed to hold the upper hand. But, when you have won so many times as Federer have, you generally tend to find a way to win and the 36-year-old found a way to win yet again.
Breaking the Kohlschreiber serve in the 11th game to secure the only break of the encounter, Federer then served out the match in emphatic fashion at the second time of asking in the next game. Federer never faced a break point in the match and won an unbelievable 22 of 24 points at the net to wrap up a vital win in an hour and 41 minutes.
“Tonight was complicated, I had to fight and struggle,” he said. “I had a good gameplan going in, but I was never able to completely pull it off.”
Federer will take on Robin Haase in the quarter-finals.
