Roger Federer is preparing himself for a barrage of Kevin Anderson big serves after the Swiss superstar on Wednesday sealed his place in the Miami Open quarter-finals in just 61 minutes.
Federer is celebrating 20 years at this tournament and edged closer to his fourth title in south Florida as up-and-coming Russian Daniil Medvedev was swatted aside 6-4, 6-2.
Next up for the 20-time Grand Slam-winning legend is the South African world No. 7, who famously beat the 37-year-old at Wimbledon last year over five dramatic sets.
Photo: EPA-EFE
That triumph was Anderson’s only win over Federer in six attempts — and the only time he has won a set.
However, having classily dealt with Medvedev, former world No. 1 Federer knows it will not be as straightforward with 203.2cm Anderson at the other end of the Hard Rock Stadium’s center court.
“I think if you beat me at Wimbledon, you’ve got my attention,” Federer said. “He’s got a great serve and I’m happy he’s playing again after his injury.”
“So from that standpoint, I know what I’m about to expect tomorrow. The matches I have played against him I know can be extremely close always, just because of his sheer possibilities that he has on the serve,” he said.
“I believe that probably the best surface for him is this kind of a type of hard court here in the states, where he’s spent a lot of his time practicing, as well,” Federer said.
“I’ve just got to make sure I protect my serve very well and slice maybe sometimes, get into the rallies, and then find a way. So it will be interesting to see how it’s going to go,” he added.
The key moment against Medvedev came toward the end of the first set, Federer breaking serve for 5-4 — a game which saw him win a 34-stroke rally — before saving three break points on his own serve to seal the first set.
The missed opportunity seriously hurt Medvedev, who capitulated once he was broken in the first game of the second.
“Holding at the end of the first set was very important, but in the second I played well and really went for my shots,” said Federer, who won 81 percent of points on his first serve and finished the match on 85 percent.
Meanwhile, defending champion John Isner powered his way to the semi-finals as Roberto Bautista Agut, who sent world No. 1 Novak Djokovic crashing out in the previous round, was seen off 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5).
Isner is to face Canadian teen sensation Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last four.
Auger-Aliassime, 18, became the youngest-ever Miami semi-finalist after seeing off world No. 13 Borna Coric 7-6 (7/3) 6-2.
“It feels surreal to get this far, especially as I came through qualifying,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“I just tried to impose myself from the start,” he added.
In the women’s draw, Simona Halep moved closer to reclaiming her world No. 1 crown after a well-executed 6-4, 7-5 triumph over China’s Wang Qiang.
Following Petra Kvitova’s exit on Tuesday, Halep needs only to reach tomorrow’s final to knock Naomi Osaka off the top of women’s tennis after being deposed following the Japanese’s second major win at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Halep’s recovery from 1-5 down in the second set showed the kind of mental toughness displayed by only the very best and the Romanian is looking in good shape to land her first Miami title, even if she is not overly consumed about the prospect of reclaiming the No. 1 tag.
“It doesn’t mean everything to get back to No. 1. It’s more important to finish the year in that position,” the second seed said.
“But if I do it, I will be very proud,” she added.
Halep was yesterday to meet world No. 7 Karolina Pliskova in the last four after she won the battle of the Czechs with Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-4.
“The first set was very close... She played well, but I just tried to be more aggressive,” Pliskova said after reaching her third semi-final of this year.
“A match against Simona is always intense,” she added.
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