FEDERER DESTROYS DUCKWORTH IN BRISBANE, SETS UP SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN WITH DIMITROV BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 9th January 2015

FEDERER DESTROYS DUCKWORTH IN BRISBANE, SETS UP SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN WITH DIMITROV BY RICKY DIMON

epa04551963 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after beating Australia's James Duckworth in their quarter final match at the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2015. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Roger Federer has been known to heat up as he progresses further and further into a tournament, and that has certainly been the case so far this week at the Brisbane International.

After getting a first-round bye as the top seed, Federer trailed his opening match 6-4, 3-1 against John Millman before scrambling to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and one minute. The 17-time Grand Slam champion needed a mere 41 minutes to crush James Duckworth 6-0, 6-1 in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to Australia’s James Duckworth during their quarter final match at the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2015. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

“I was very happy the way I played,” Federer commented. “I played aggressive, served well, and then especially on the return I kept the pressure on time and time again. Next thing you know, it was like I was running away with the score.

“I’m very happy,” he continued. “I saved energy and stress and nerves and everything, because yesterday was quite nerve-wracking and physically difficult because it was first match of the season. You’re always going to be a bit tense in that match.”

“Rough night,” Duckworth admitted. “We all have days that aren’t as good as others. (It was) a bit of a combination of things: me not playing great; didn’t hit the ball as well as I had the last two matches, and Roger was seeing the ball pretty big…. He didn’t do too much wrong tonight.”

Australia’s James Duckworth plays a shot during his first round match against Gilles Simon of France at the Brisbane International tennis tournament, in Brisbane, Australia, 05 January 2015. The tournament runs January 4-11. EPA/DAN PELED AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Grigor Dimitrov, a straight-set winner over Martin Klizan, will have to hope Federer does at least something wrong in the semis. In their two previous meetings, Dimitrov got no such help from his idol. Federer prevailed 6-3, 7-6(2) two years ago in Basel and 7-6(4), 6-2 at the same Basel event last fall.

The 23-year-old Bulgarian’s path to the Brisbane semis was similar to that of the Swiss. Prior to beating Klizan, Dimitrov saved two match points in his second-round match against Jeremy Chardy to survive 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(8).

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Brisbane International, Federer, GRIGOR DIMITROV, James Duckworth, Ricky Dimon, Tennis

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

January 9, 2015 at 8:59 am

-@rogerfederer DESTROYS @JamesDuck21 IN #BRISBANE, SETS UP SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN WITH @GrigorDimitrov BY @Dimonator http://t.co/8X9Pa0zzNi #ATP
Dimonator says:

January 9, 2015 at 9:21 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@rogerfederer DESTROYS @JamesDuck21 IN #BRISBANE, SETS UP SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN WITH @GrigorDimitrov BY @Dimonator http://t…