TENNIS – Roger Federer got through to the Indian Wells semifinals after beating Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-1. He has not dropped a set in the whole tournament. The Swiss legend, who won his first tournament since June 2013 in Dubai last month, has improved his seasonal record to 18-2. Federer will take on Dolgopolov who won his first-ever match against Raonic in straight sets with 6-3, 6-4. Diego Sampaolo
The quarter final match was supposed to be a all-Swiss derby between Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka. However World Number 18 Anderson upset Wawrinka in three sets in the third round on Wednesday becoming the first player to beat this year’s Australian Open champion in 2014.
Anderson, who reached two back-to-back finals recently in Delray Beach and Acapulco, saved saved four break points at 2-2 in the opening set before Federer converted the first of his break point chances in the first set at 6-5 while Anderson was serving at 0-40.
Federer broke twice in the second and fourth games of the second set to clinch the second set with 6-1.
Federer hit 17 winners to six unforced errors and faced just one break point chance.
Federer is back to his glorious past form and is bidding to win his second tournament of the year after Dubai. He will be looking to win his fifth Indian Wells title and the 79th career trophy.
“It was a very good match. I felt very well from the start. I am just happy playing enough matches where you feel like you have momentum, you have some confidence and you are enjoying it at the same time. Last year that wasn’t always the case. Things are easier now and I am able to take advantage of the fact that I am just healthy. There is a sense of confidence in my game. Also that grit and that feeling of wanting to win badly, which was hard to find at times last year. It’s nice to prove to myself, my fans and my team that they can count on me”, said Federer.
Federer set up a semifinal against Ukraine’s Aleksandr Dolgopolov who played one of his best ever matches beating Canadian Milos Raonic 6-3, 6-4 in the first quarter final of the day. Dolgopolov is in very good form this week and knocked out last year’s Indian Wells champion Rafa Nadal in the third round and Fabio Fognini in the fourth round.
Raonic knocked out last year’s Wimbledon champion Andy Murray but he could not pose a threat against Dolgopolov who got off to a great start by breaking serve in the second game of the opening set. Raonic could not create a single break point in the first set. Dolgopolov closed out the first set with 6-3 in just 29 minutes with seven winners and 4 unforced errors. On the contrary Raonic hit six winners to 11 unforced errors.
Raonic was more aggressive in the early stages of the second set and got the break in the second game. The Canadian player opened up a 3-0 lead but Dolgopolov fought back by breaking back on his seventh break point of the fifth game with a backhand winner. In this game Raonic went down 0-40 but he saved three consecutive break points before earning two points for 4-1.
However Raonic made double faults enabling Dolgopolov to convert the fifth break point chance for 2-3 with a backhand pass.
This break turned around the second set completely. Dolgopolov first drew level to 3-3 before getting the decisive break in the seventh game. Raonic went up 40-0 but he made a double fault and made four consecutive errors with his forehand and dropped the serve after wasting another point for 4-3.
Dolgopolov was unstoppable dropping just two points on his serve in the final games of the second set and closed out the match after 1 hour and 18 minutes to seal the first Master 1000 semifinal of his career.
“I was quite fast today. I was really happy with that. I was able to get more returns than you usually can against him. He serves really well and I knew I had to do that and I am pleased how I anticipated on his serve. I played good for three weeks. i am quite fresh. I felt quite good physically today. I am confident enough to come out and play good tennis. Then who knows. I beat a lot of good players around here, so I wouldn’t see why not win more matches”, said Dolgopolov.
The Ukrainian player has improved his seasonal record against top-20 players this year. Dolgopolov, who reached the Rio Open final losing to Rafa Nadal last month, confirmed his great period of form this year in which he has moved up 26 spots in the Ranking since the end of last year and started Indian Wells as the World Number 31.
It will the first match between Federer and Dolgopolov in more than three and a half a years. Federer won his only clash against Dolgopolov in his home city Basel in 2010.
Federer, who plays his eighth Indian Wells semifinal, will move up to World Number 5 in the ATP Ranking next week. He will also team up with his countryman Stanislas Wawrinka in the doubles semifinal against Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares.
