Roger Federer has reached his 28th grand slam final after outlasting Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, in a roller coaster encounter at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Friday’s clash between the two Swiss tennis icons was their 22nd meeting on the tour, but this encounter was different to their previous ones. It was an opportunity for Federer to continue his dream return to the tour from a six-month knee injury hiatus in what is his first competitive tournament since Wimbledon. Meanwhile, Wawrinka was seeking to end his 13-match losing streak to Federer on the hard courts.
As both players illustrated why they have won previous grand slam titles with some impressive shot-making, the opening set was a test of nerves. Federer’s brick wall defence against Wawrinka’s sublime backhand shot saw break point opportunities come and go. Ultimately, it was 17-time grand slam champion Federer that came out on top. Triumphantly fending off a trio of break points in previous games, a Wawrinka backhand error granted Federer his first set point. Overcoming the earlier threat, the 35-year-old sealed the lead with the help of a forehand error from his rival.
Wawrinka might be the third seed and a former Australian Open champion, but it was clear who the crowd wanted to win. A standing ovation erupted inside the Rod Laver Arena moments after Federer clinch the first set, underlining his popularity and importance in the world of tennis.
Extending his dominance in the match, Federer briefly benefited from the his opponent’s fragile form. Continuously being placed under pressure, Wawrinka continued to falter after another backhand shot into the net elevated Federer to a set and a break lead. The momentum continued on a one way road as Wawrinka took his frustration out on his racket, folding it in half.
— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) 26 January 2017
The display was a true testament to Federer’s talent. Few players would have the ability to make a three-time grand slam champion, who has earned $28M in his career, look somewhat ordinary on the court after a six-month injury lay-off. Securing the two-sets lead, Federer closed out a love service game with a forehand winner down the line.
On the path towards the final, Federer’s assault in the match was halted due to the misfortunes of his rival. In what was a cruel case of irony, the curse of a knee injury struck again. This time it was Wawrinka that was hampered by the problem. His coach, Magnus Norman, admitted before the match that the US Open champion was suffering with a ‘minor’ issue.
With the match dynamic changing, it provided food for thought for both men. Knee injury issues continued to trouble his opponent as Federer experienced a severe test of his mentality. A more relaxed Wawrinka began to hit the ball loosely as he engaged in some aggressive groundstroke play. The combination triggered a surprise Wawrinka resurgence as he raced through the third set, sealing it in just 26 minutes.
Wawrinka’s turn around was one that shocked and inspired the Melbourne crowd. Refusing to succumb to the pain of his knee, he began to turn fortunes. This time it was Federer’s turn to feel the pressure as he trailed 0-40 on his serve during a crucial stage of the fourth set. The break for 5-4 was then secured with the help of a forehand cross-court winner as Wawrinka raced forced the match to five sets.
Exiting the court for a medical timeout after dropping the fourth set, Federer risked the danger of losing a perfect record at the Australian Open. In 69 matches played at Melbourne, he has never lost after winning the first two sets. Dodging the Wawrinka bullet, Federer drew blood in the decider after a double fault from his opponent elevated him to 4-2. That double fault proved fatal to Wawrinka’s Melbourne dreams. Pushed to his mental and physical limits by his Davis Cup team mate, Federer completed his marathon after a shot from the other side on the court drifted out.
Shortly after grabbing the win, Federer disclosed that he has been troubled by a leg injury throughout the entire tournament. This was the reason why he underwent a injury time-out during the match.
“I’ve had a leg thing (issue) going on throughout the week. I felt it from the second game on in the match. I don’t know why.” Federer explained.
“I just said you know what I never take an injury time out, Stan already took his, so people won’t be mad and Stan won’t be mad.”
“That Physio has some magic hands,” he joked.
What ever do you mean @rogerfederer?! #AusOpen 🙊 pic.twitter.com/4IA8vYbkPG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 26 January 2017
Federer is now one win away from clinching his 18th major title, first since the 2012 Wimbledon Championships. He will play either Rafael Nadal or Grigor Dimitrov in the final.
“It’s real now, I can actually talk about playing in the final for the first time. I’ve been dodging that bullet over the last days, not talking about the next round and the next round.” He said about playing in the final.
“This is the last one. I will leave it all out in Australia, if I can’t walk for another five months (after) that’s ok. I will give it all I have.”
Congratulations @rogerfederer #AusOpen 2017 finalist pic.twitter.com/eEansnTXUH
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 26 January 2017
