TENNIS NEWS FROM BRISBANE: FRIDAY – ROGER FEDERER BEATS GRIGOR DIMITROV AS 10SBALLS’ GLOBAL CHICK IS LEARNING THE LOCAL LINGO…

Written by: Global Chick on 8th January 2016

Brisbane International Tennis Tournament

TENNIS NEWS FROM BRISBANE: FRIDAY - ROGER FEDERER BEATS GRIGOR DIMITROV AS 10SBALLS' GLOBAL CHICK IS LEARNING THE LOCAL LINGO…

epa05092422 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in their quarter final match of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

It is safe to say that the tournament breathed a sigh of relief last night as Roger Federer took to the court, and set things back on an even keel in Queensland. We were into quarter-final territory for the ‘blokes’ and semi-finals for the ‘Sheila’s’ – we’re getting the hang of the lingo!

Milos ‘the sleeve’ Raonic made predictably short work of Lucas Pouille to make the semi-finals (6-4 6-4), while home hopes lay with Bernard Tomic, taking on the No. 2 seed Kei Nishikori. Safe to say Tomic’s serving arm came to town as he left the World No. 8 standing, banging down 9 aces to take the first set.

Perhaps it was wishful thinking on my part that the rejoicing Aussies in the press room would break out a ‘barbie’ (that’s a BBQ to the likes of us and not some plastic doll) so that I could have the whole authentic Australian experience, but alas no.

Australia’s Bernard Tomic returns the ball during his match against Kei Nishikori of Japan on day 6 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

But it was a great win for Tomic, and Nishikori was predictably stoic in defeat – his serving let him down and the unpredictable loopiness of what came back at him from Tomic was just too much for the day.

Tomic was quite the chatty man, as he ambled into press. He’s played some sharp returners so far this week and it will be a whole different kettle of fish against Raonic (or should that be ‘koala up a tree’?) as he reckoned:

Milos plays that one-two game very, very well. After the serve he has a huge forehand, so you have to move him and be aggressive off the first ball and get him running quickly. The serve is very, very good. There nothing you can do if he’s hitting his spots. You’ve just got to compete every point and maybe I get some chances.

More than that though, with the withdrawal through injury of Richard Gasquet, Tomic in in with a chance of clinching a Top 16 seeding on Monday. Now players are tricky critters. Sometimes they keep an eye on the seedings and the rankings and other times they act as though they are gloriously oblivious. Not so our Bernie!

He told us: “I checked that, but also there are a few more things that can go. I think Paire is a little bit behind me. If he were to make a final in Chennai — I think he’s playing his quarter tonight, and has to beat I think Wawrinka or Garcia-Lopez. So he can possibly can make a final and overtake me. And think Thiem can obviously overtake me if he can make a final here.

“I know Gasquet pulled out. If everything goes to my favor I think I go to my career high next week of 17 and I get that seeding spot for the Australian, 16. So fingers crossed. If I win one more match I’m very happy.”

Angelique Kerber of Germany returns during her match against Madison Brengle of the USA on day 4 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 06 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

It was time to sort out the first of the women’s final places and the only two seeds left took to the court. Angelique Kerber has been on fire this week. Some good positive aggression but also talking about the need to balance that with her more natural instinct to run down the ball.

Carla Suarez Navarro had also been pretty clinical through the week, but it just was not happening today for the Spaniard. At times she looked a little off-axis and in one of the change of ends she looked absolutely wiped out.

The usually chirpy (and indeed well-liked on tour) Spaniard gave quite the curt handshake – perhaps feeling that she had been stifled in her game. On the other hand it was a very happy Kerber who chatted with us, and hilariously admitted that she and characterful Andrea Petkovic were actually taking their doubles here very seriously (considering Petkovic self-styled them as ‘the worst doubles team in the world… they are in the semi-final!)

“We are trying to playing good and also to have a lot of matches. I mean, we will try to play a lot of doubles this year. Yeah, let’s see how we can play today. We are playing here and then I think Doha/Dubai, something like this. Melbourne, no.”

Awaiting her in the final will be Victoria Azarenka, who pretty much demolished qualifier Samantha Crawford. The last time Azarenka faced an unknown just a couple of days ago, she was more jumpy than a kangaroo with blisters. Plenty of Compeed blister plasters then because she came belting out fo the traps and really left the youngster for dead.

We have a really worthwhile final. Whether you like or dislike the Belarusian, right now she is still the inly player capable of smacking the top players at the moment upside the head to make them take notice. Yes she probably can be difficult, yes she can be a touch volatile but honestly who isn’t, at the top of their game.

Heart says Kerber for the title because she is so nice and it would be good to see this all new improved aggressive Angie do the deal. But… she actually has to deliver , and when the chips are down, can she?

And we close with Federer. No disrespect – in fact it probably did him a huge favor, but Kamke was hardly a real opposition for him, but Dimitrov? That was another matter. Federer looked very much in control in the first set, almost cat like, toying with its favourite Dimitrov-shaped catnip. But in the second set, the catnip turned rogue (yes, I am not really sure where I am going with this either!).

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria returns the ball to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their quarter final match of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

Federer admitted that he maybe still wasn’t quite right, which makes this win against one of the ‘Generattion Lost Boys’ quite significant.

He said: “I played really well considering, and caught sort of a second wind in the third set. End [of] the second was tough. Also the beginning. I had to focus hard, so I thought I was able to relax again midway or at the beginning of the third at some stage, and the break came at the right time, so that was good. But, yeah, physically it was difficult.”

Let’s take a moment to consider some of the things the 17-time rand slam champion does. He will hit with up and coming players rather than rely on his own entourage, and he explained why.

“They’re usually excited, more excited than my guys. Even though we know each other, so it’s fun. We can chat on the changes of ends. Sometimes it’s nice just to play with somebody who is really excited and pumped up and it’s a big deal for them.

“For me it’s exciting too, because I wish also I could have played with top guys when I was younger. I got the opportunity a couple times. Not very often. I like to take younger guys to the practice courts if they’re around, especially at the back end of the slams when they roll in for the second week.

“If they have anything to ask, I always give them advice, because I think it’s important that we, the top guys, pass our secrets down as well and not just keep it to ourselves.”

The Women’s final and men’s semi-finals are set for a Super Saturday in the Sun. Now throw me a tinny. What’s a tinny ?

Topics: 10sballs.com, Angelique Kerber, Atp World Tour, Bernard Tomic, Brisbane International, Brisbane Tennis, Carla Suarez Navarro, global chick, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Kei Nishikori, milos raonic, Roger Federer, Samantha Crawford, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta

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