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ROGER FEDERER

Federer heads to Melbourne semi-finals

Switzerland's Roger Federer survived a strong challenge from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win a gripping five-setter and set up an Australian Open tennis semi-final against Andy Murray on Wednesday.

Federer heads to Melbourne semi-finals
Federer celebrates win against Tsonga. Photo: Quinn Rooney/Pool/AFP

The Swiss world number two was pushed all the way and needed five match points before eliminating seventh-seeded Tsonga to win 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-3 in 3 hours 34 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.

His victory has set up a rematch of last year's Wimbledon final with third seed Murray in Friday's semi-final.

World number one Novak Djokovic will play Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer in the other semi-final on Thursday.

It was Federer's composure under pressure that won the day in the fifth set against the explosive Frenchman, who frequently gave the Swiss great problems with his all-court game.

Federer handled the tension of the deciding set and got a crucial break in the fourth game to take control, but was forced to five match points before he could put Tsonga away to improve his five-set record to 21-16.

"It was a tough close, for sure, the whole match was tough and any set could have gone either way," Federer said.

"It's tough because you never know what Joe is going to come up with.

"I hit three great serves there in the fifth set and every time he got them back, and that's what he can do and that's why he remains dangerous throughout a match."

Federer has now reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open for the 10th straight year and also extended his record number of Grand Slam semi-final appearances to 33.

The Swiss great is bidding to become only the second man to win five Australian titles behind Australian Roy Emerson, who won six in the 1960s.

Federer began well breaking Tsonga's opening service game but the Frenchman hit back with the Swiss losing his serve for the first time in the tournament.

The set went to a tiebreaker and Federer played the big points the better to go one up after 50 minutes.

The athletic Tsonga took the second set after breaking Federer in the seventh.

Both players exchanged breaks early in the third set and again it went to a tiebreaker.

Once again the world number two revelled in the pressure moments and took the set after a magnificent retrieve which forced Tsonga to hit out and hand Federer a two sets to one lead.

Tsonga fought back with two more service breaks to take the match into a fifth set but Federer was more consistent on the big points to get home.

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ROGER FEDERER

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?

Roger Federer is talking optimistically about returning to his "highest level" after knee surgery, but does tennis have to start adjusting to a future without the Swiss star?

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?
Is it the end of the line for Roger? Photo: Martin BUREAU / AFP

The 20-time Grand Slam winner announced on Wednesday that he would be sidelined until 2021 after his second operation in a matter of months.

Federer remains upbeat, tweeting: “I plan to take the necessary time to be 100 percent ready to play at my highest level.”

In some ways 2020 is a good season to miss after the coronavirus ravaged the tennis schedule. Writing Federer off in the past has proved dangerous.

He returned from a six-month injury lay-off to claim the Australian Open in 2017, winning his eighth Wimbledon crown later that year.

But he will be 40 in 2021 and is now heading into uncharted territory.

Despite his groaning trophy cabinet, there are two factors that will motivate Federer to keep going — the risk of losing his grip on the men's Grand Slam title record and a missing Olympics singles gold medal.

Rafael Nadal has 19 majors, just one shy of Federer's mark and Djokovic has 17.

Spain's Nadal will be fancied to draw level with Federer at the French Open, rescheduled for September, while few would bet against Djokovic winning in New York weeks earlier.

In April, Federer said he was “devastated” when Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. Last year he fell agonisingly short at the All England Club, failing to convert two championship points on his own serve against Djokovic.

The Wimbledon grass probably remains his best chance of adding to his Grand Slam collection — he has not won the US Open since 2008 and his only title at Roland Garros came in 2009.

Even though Federer has slipped from the very pinnacle of the game, he is still a major threat to Nadal and Djokovic.

'Golden' ambitions

Last year, the world number four had a 53-10 win-loss record and he reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January in his only tournament this year.

Federer, who is still six ATP titles short of Jimmy Connors' all-time record of 109, has one glaring omission from his CV — the Olympic title.

The Swiss won doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 with compatriot Stan Wawrinka but lost in the singles final to Andy Murray in London four years later.

The postponed Tokyo Games will almost certainly be Federer's last opportunity to complete a career “golden” Grand Slam — he will turn 40 on the day of the closing ceremony next year.

Tennis will feel the loss of the elegant Federer keenly when he walks off the court for the last time.

Djokovic and Nadal have been the dominant forces in recent years but the Swiss remains the biggest draw and last month topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-earning athletes.

His last appearance on court was in front of nearly 52,000 fans — touted by organisers as a world record for tennis — at a charity match against Nadal in Cape Town in February.

Federer is nearly always the crowd favourite wherever he plays and has proved a perfect ambassador for the sport since he won his first Grand Slam title in 2003.

He certainly expects to be back and competitive next year.

“I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly but I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season,” he tweeted.

The avalanche of support from his adoring fans showed they would miss him too, but they will have to get used to a time when he is gone for good.

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