Roger Federer takes on an American with a big serve and a big forehand. Sounds familiar. The player was not Andy Roddick, Sam Querrey or John Isner, but Jack Sock. It did not change the the traditional result though, Federer winning 6-3, 6-4.
Both men held their opening service games, but Sock was put under pressure when he miscued two forehands in game three. Federer would secure the break at fifteen-forty on his first break point.
Sock tried to break-back straight away, earning a break point at deuce-advantage. His attempted lob drifted wide though, and Federer served his way out of trouble, closing the consolidation game with a drop volley. Federer now led by a commanding four-one scoreline.
Sock quickly held with some out-school serve and volley play, though Federer dissuaded any thoughts of breaking that Sock was entertaining in his next game. Sock then needed some treatment on his knee between game seven and eight. He faced more trouble in serving to stay in the set at love-thirty, but the big serve brought him away from danger.
Federer though, still had the chance to serve the set, out and a inside out forehand brought forty-fifteen. Federer served out almost casually as Sock framed another return.
Both men were proving strong on serve and relatively weak on second serve. The difference was Federer putting more than seventy-five percent of first serves in play and Sock just over sixty percent.
Sock got back on track with a quick hold in the first game of set two. Federer also held before the story of the match practically going the same way as the first set. Sock double faulted to hand Federer a break point at deuce. Federer missed a straight forward forehand before earning another chance. Sock used the short angle to force Federer into a backhand error, saving break point again. He still could not get out of the game though, and a Federer lob off a Sock serve-volley attempt saw the young American miss the overhead. Sock then drove a forehand into the tramlines and Federer led in set two.
Sock’s inability to return continued to hand Federer easy points, blasting long on the first serve of game four. In the blink of an eye Federer had forty-love, and held when Sock went long again.
Sock was fast running out of ideas, and a ill-advised drop-shot ended up in the net in his next game. Federer again earned two break points. Sock saved one with a body-serve, but he pushed a short slice at his backhand well long. Federer now with the double break.
Sock though, has enjoyed a really strong end to the season, and he broke back as Federer tried to serve out at five-two. Sock then held to thirty to force Federer to attempt to serve out again. This time Federer obliged, Sock missing yet another return, finding the net to seal Federer’s progress to yet another Basel final.
Federer will now play old rival Rafael Nadal for the first time in nearly two years after the Spaniard defeated Richard Gasquet. They have not played since the 2014 Australian Open semi-finals, when Nadal won in straight sets. They have never played before in Basel. Federer leads their indoor hard meetings four-one though Nadal won their most recent meeting on the surface at the World Tour Finals nearly two years ago.
