Roger Federer Is Back In Grand Slam Title Match, He Beats Stan Wawrinka In 2017 Australian Open Tennis Semifinal – By Ricky Dimon

Written by: Staff on 26th January 2017

Roger Federer Is Back In Grand Slam Title Match, He Beats Stan Wawrinka In 2017 Australian Open Tennis Semifinal - By Ricky Dimon |

By Ricky Dimon

For the first time since 2015, Roger Federer finds himself in Grand Slam final.

The 17-time major champion is now one win away from his 18th such title–and first since Wimbledon in 2012–after outlasting fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday night. Having dropped the third and fourth sets, Federer fought off two break points that would have given Wawrinka a lead in the fifth.

Switzerland shakes hands with Stan Wawrinka (R) of Switzerland whom he defeated in the Men’s Singles semifinal match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2017. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Wawrinka seemed down and out when he trailed by two sets and needed medical timeout for a knee problem. But the 2014 Aussie champion clawed back to even the match at two sets apiece, after which Federer took a medical timeout of his own for an upper-leg issue. The final momentum swings came when the 35-year-old saved break points at both 1-1 and 2-2 in the decider.

Federer promptly seized the decisive break for 4-2 in the fifth and two ensuing service holds allowed him to wrap up the proceedings in three hours and four minutes.

“It was an awkward match; always against Stan, it was never going to be easy,” the 17th seed noted. “Especially how the third and fourth set went by, I needed to react because he had the upper hand from the baseline. I thought it was going to be tough in the fifth. I think he gave me a cheap break in the fifth. After that, I never looked back.

“Midway through the fourth when I realized my game was fading, Stan was having the upper hand on the baseline. Things turn for the worse–you don’t know why. But the good thing is I did have the cushion from the first two sets. I think I did a lot of things right. I prepared the match in a way that allowed me to win it later on.”

“I’m proud of myself, of the fight I give tonight and all the tournament,” Wawrinka assured. “I think there is a lot of positive from this tournament, from Brisbane, from the month already. For sure I’m really sad and disappointed with a loss like that because to be that close to have won a semifinal, it can be only sad.

“But at the end I know I tried everything on the court. I came from two sets down. I changed completely the momentum. At the end I had a great battle against Roger. He’s great fighter. He’s always been amazing in Grand Slams, in (a) five-set match.”

Federer awaits either Rafael Nadal or Grigor Dimitrov in Sunday’s final.

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

Topics: Australian Open 2017, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Rafael Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News