Right, that’s it from me. Thanks for your company – be sure to join us again on Wednesday for the rest of the quarter-finals. And stick around on site for all the reports and reaction from day nine. But, from me, cheerio!
Federer will face Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals – his 13th trip to the last four in Melbourne in 14 years.
Here’s Federer courtside with Jim Courier: “I thought I was maybe going to win a few rounds, maybe get to the fourth round, quarters, depending on the draw. Then when I saw the draw … I didn’t see a dream draw at all. I didn’t expect to play this well.
“Stan is a clutch player. He’s won a slam the last three years. I’ve just got to stay aggressive, the more time I give him the better he is.”
Well, that was about as emphatic as you can get. Zverev momentarily looked in the match in the second set but in general he was utterly overwhelmed by Federer, who was imperious.
Federer wins 6-1, 7-5, 6-2
Third set: Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-6 Federer* (*denotes server)
An ace takes Federer to 30-0 in a flash but a fine Zverev return brings it back to 30-15 and Federer nets a forehand for 30-30. He follows that up by netting a routine volley. Zverev has an unlikely break point … and Federer crunches down an ace. Match point arrives presently and a forehand into the open court gives Federer victory.
What the deuce?
Federer about to serve for the match …
Updated
Third set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-5 Federer (*denotes server)
Zverev sends down a couple of unreturnable serves to lead 40-15 but his second serve is letting him down and a gentle Federer backhand brings him back to 40-30 before a couple of straightforward passing shots – at least, he makes them look straightforward – give him a break point. Zverev twice volleys beautifully to save it though. But the German can’t get over the line and nets another volley to bring up a fifth deuce. Federer passes him to bring up a second break point … but an ace saves the day.
Deuce No6. He misses with a volley … break point No3. But another fine serve comes to the rescue again. Deuce No7. And then deuce No8. Break point No4 … but Federer goes a touch long. Deuce No9. Federer is almost inside the service box on Zverev’s second serve as he earns a fifth break point … but another ace booms down.
Crikey. Deuce No10. Zverev nets a forehand volley. Break point No6 … and this time Federer backhands down the line for a double break. That game took about as long as the first set.
Third set: Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-4 Federer* (*denotes server)
Federer charges the net and Zverev dumps a dejected backhand to give the Swiss a 30-15 lead. And two points later Federer has the hold. Zverev looks truly broken now.
Third set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-3 Federer (*denotes server)
Zverev goes 30-0 up but is again passed twice at the net – at times he looks like a man at a bus stop watching perplexed and stranded as the No91 zooms past him without stopping – as Federer brings us back to 30-30. Federer soon has a break point but Zverev scrambles to bring up deuce.
Zverev takes the advantage but then there’s probably the rally of the match, Federer brilliantly hitting two lobs, the first of which is hoiked back in by Zverev; the second, a dozen shots later, drops inside the line to give Federer the point. And that puts a bit of a pep into the Swiss – a fizzing cross court backhand gives him another break point, one he takes with a ludicrously good backhand down the line. Zverev, at the net on both occasions, can only watch on with admiration.
Third set: Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-2 Federer* (*denotes server)
Zverev makes a rare excursion to the net on the Federer serve and gets passed for his troubles. Another utterly straightforward hold.
Third set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 2-1 Federer (*denotes server)
It’s all gone a little flat out on Rod Laver – the crowd have stopped believing in this as a contest, while Zverev has only sporadically suggested he believes in it himself. Federer brings up 30-30 with two passing shots as Zverev looks on helplessly at the net but a nice deep volley from the next points takes him to 40-30 and Federer goes long from the next.
Third set: Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 1-1 Federer* (*denotes server)
The most routine of routine holds for Federer.
Third set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-7, 1-0 Federer (*denotes server)
Deuce on the Zverev serve and a cracking passing shot gives Federer a break point. The world No50 saves it with a ferocious serve and a controlled volley. Another excellent volley gives him the advantage and a point later he has the hold. It’s far from straightforward for the German at the moment though.
@John_Ashdown Do you think it's possible to watch FedEx and not call in love?
— Vipul Nanda (@null_interest) January 24, 2017
There’s just something in the way he moves isn’t there? Federer is almost exactly six months younger than your correspondent – I move like the Tin Man filled with concrete, he moves like some sort of sentient liquid.
Federer wins second set
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 5-7 Federer* (*denotes server)
A extraordinary, barely believable, cross-court forehand kisses the line to take Federer 30-0 up and within the blink of an eye he has two set points. A wonderful volley from the German keeps him in it at 40-30 but he follows that up with an errant return and Federer leads two sets to love.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-6 Federer (*denotes server)
This is exactly the point that you’d expect Federer to crank through the gears and he duly does so. At 0-15 Federer sends a return skidding onto Zverev’s toes and the big man can only dump the ball into the net. 0-30. And that soon becomes 0-40 as Federer gets the better of a close-quarters exchange at the net. Three break points. Federer needs just won, passing Zverev with ease as the German’s volley sits up to be hit. Federer will serve for the second set.
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 5-5 Federer* (*denotes server)
So Federer serves to stay in the second set. Zverev seems content to sit at the back of the court on the Federer serve now, tempting Federer to attack the net. Which he does without success on this occasion – Zverev leads 15-30. A weak return from the German allows Federer to go cross-court for 30-30 a long return makes it 40-30, and an ace gives Federer the hold.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 5-4 Federer (*denotes server)
At 30-0 Federer misses with the most routine of forehands and an ace brings Zverev a routine hold. The German is still on the back foot in the main but it’s chalk-and-cheese from the first set.
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 4-4 Federer* (*denotes server)
Federer cruises into a 30-0 lead but Zverev battles back to 30-30 with the help of his strangely punched forehand (he almost shovels the balls over the net rather than take a full swing). Again from that point though, Federer takes control.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 4-3 Federer (*denotes server)
Zverev booms down an ace to hold to 15.
In other news, Andy Murray is not in the GB Davis Cup squad:
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 3-3 Federer* (*denotes server)
The points here are flying by so quickly it’s hard to keep up. Essentially the shape of the match is as follows – Zverev is at the net; if his approach shot is awkward for Federer then Zverev tends to win the point with a volley; if his approach shot is anything other than excellent then Federer wins with a passing shot or by sending a ferocious drive into the body of his opponent.
Federer is also attacking the net on occasion – he does so at 30-0 but is beaten by a fine passing shot, then a long baseline rally – the longest of the match – ends with Federer netting a backhand. From 30-all, though, Federer steps on the accelerator again and holds with ease.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 3-2 Federer (*denotes server)
Federer earns two break points – he can’t beat Zverev with a lob from the first but hammers a backhand at the body of his opponent to take the second. We’re back on serve.
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 3-1 Federer* (*denotes server)
We have a match now! Zverev breaks to love. All of a sudden, Federer isn’t getting those easy passing opportunities and on the occasions when the Swiss comes to the net, Zverev is making life very awkward.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 2-1 Federer (*denotes server)
The point of the match comes at 30-0 with Zverev being peppered at the net by Federer but coping admirably and finally winning the point with his third successive volley. A hold to love.
Second set: Zverev 1-6, 1-1 Federer* (*denotes server)
This is better from Zverev, a cracking forehand down the line takes him 15-30 up on the Federer serve. But a couple of thumping Federer backhands help him back to 40-30 and the deepest of deep forehand just kisses the line to give Federer the hold.
Second set: *Zverev 1-6, 1-0 Federer (*denotes server)
Federer nets a forehand as Zverev finally finds a bit of venom in his serve and the German player has his nose ahead in the second set.
“John, can we get some sort of longitudinal study up and running about sporting arena marriage proposals?” wonders Ian Nicol. “I have a feeling that divorce rates among those who marry after a very public proposal must be higher than the national average. There’s something very odd about the impulse to do it. Evidence sought!”
I’d be surprised if there’s never been a study done on the “most successful” place for a marriage proposal. Who knows, maybe Rod Laver Arena has a 100% success rate for happy unions. The pool must be fairly small.
Federer wins first set
First set: Zverev 1-6 Federer* (*denotes server)
That game ends a run of 18 (at least) straight games for Federer against this opponent. Zverev digs in for 30-30 but another straightforward winner gives Federer his first set point … but he makes a rare error, straying wide on his forehand. An ace and a serve-volley of his own brings Federer the first set. It took just 19 minutes.
First set: *Zverev 1-5 Federer (*denotes server)
So the underdog can’t compete from the baseline and his serve-volley game is being completely undermined by Federer’s returning. He looked tentative from the off and now he looks shellshocked. Another volley off the frame at the net at least gives him a 15-0 lead this time and, after another Federer pass, an ace takes us to 30-15. Federer fails to return another booming serve but then a Zverev volley goes long – 40-30. But Federer goes long with his return from the next and Zverev is on the board.
First set: Zverev 0-5 Federer* (*denotes server)
Zverev already looks a beaten man. Federer holds to love.
First set: *Zverev 0-4 Federer (*denotes server)
Federer races into a 40-0 lead, with Zverev left helpless at the net by his opponent’s brilliant returning. The German’s second shot is continually a desperate pop into the middle of the court, giving Federer all the time he needs to find the passing shot or a lob. Another break to 15.
First set: Zverev 0-3 Federer* (*denotes server)
Zverev sprints into a 0-30 lead, courtesy of a slightly fortunate framed-volley at the net. Federer responds with an ace before charging the net himself and forcing Zverev to go long. The baseline rallies are complete one-way traffic – with Zverev pinned to the back of the court Federer rattles through another two points and holds once more.
First set: *Zverev 0-2 Federer (*denotes server)
A couple of successful serve-volleys take Zverev 30-0 up but he nets the next attempt and Federer passes him with a beautiful backhand to bring up 30-all before pinging a forehand cross court to bring a first break point. And Federer needs no second invitation, putting his return onto Zverev’s toes and then hammering another forehand cross-court past his opponent. An early break.
First set: Zverev 0-1 Federer* (*denotes server)
Zverev won the toss but opted to receive, interestingly. A couple of spot-on serves give Federer a 30-0 lead before Zverev dumps a backhand into the net. The German comes to the net at 40-0 down but Federer stings his racket with a forehand and it’s a straightforward hold for the Swiss.
Right, warm-ups completed, off we go. Federer to serve.
Out come the players. Zverev gets a warm round of applause, Federer receives a raucous reception.
It looks like we’ve had a pre-match marriage proposal out on Rod Laver. She said yes. Sporting venues have never struck me as prime proposal territory, to be honest. But each to their own, I suppose.
We’re about five minutes away from seeing the players on court at the Rod Laver Arena. The suspicion is we’ll see them walking off again about two hours later after a straightforward Federer victory. But you never know.
The bad news for Zverev: In the last 13 Australian Opens, Federer has reached 12 semi-finals.
And on both occasions these players have previously met, Federer has won in straight sets.
And on the most recent of those occasions, in Halle in 2013, Federer was a 6-0, 6-0 winner.
And the Swiss master has been in superb form in Melbourne, crushing Tomas Berdych in round three and coming through a thrilling five-setter with Kei Nishikori in the last 16.
The good news? Well, this is already Zverev’s best run at a grand slam, eclipsing his run to the third round of Wimbledon in 2008. And he was brilliant against Murray.
Updated
Preamble
Hello all. Well, then. This was supposed to be Roger Federer v Andy Murray for a place in the Australian Open semi-finals. Mischa Zverev, though, put paid to that on Sunday with his shock victory over the world No1. The whole tournament is very much up for grabs now and no one will fancy their chances more than Federer.
Also in the running is Stan Wawrinka, who beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga earlier today and awaits the winner of Federer/Zverev in the semi-finals.
In the women’s draw Venus Williams rolled back the years to oust Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets. Coco Vandeweghe is also through to the last four after romping to victory over Garbiñe Muguruza.
John will be here shortly. In the meantime, read Kevin Mitchell’s preview of Johanna Konta versus Serena Williams.
