Tennys Sandgren is not easily overawed, which is just as well, given he owns a name that invites disbelief and is going to play Roger Federer in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The world No 100, who still lives in the Tennessee town of Gallatin – about 30 miles from Nashville – where he was born 28 years ago and mainly makes noise in the major championships because of his archly obvious moniker and occasional flashes of muscular brilliance, on Sunday earned the right to play the world No 3.
He thoroughly deserved his 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-4 win over the erratic Italian, Fabio Fognini, on Melbourne Arena. This, though, is on another scale. If Sandgren – named Tennys after his Swedish great-grandfather – were somehow to fashion the upset of the tournament by beating an opponent who has won 20 majors and who, at 38, seems desperate for more, he would almost certainly play Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals two days later. Were Djokovic to succumb to Sandgren’s uncomplicated power game, his probable final on Sunday would be Rafael Nadal, chasing his 20th major. After that Sandgren would more than likely try to fly to the moon, unaided by a rocket.
He might make history but will probably not. It does not concern him. He has nothing to lose.
Federer, meanwhile, is still reaching high, although there were worrying moments in his 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Marton Fucsovics when it looked as if the wobble he survived in his five-set struggle against the Australian, John Millman, had not been properly cleansed.
“It was nice – especially after losing the first set in the Millman match – that I had that in me,” Federer said. “At the end I was able to control things. I always wonder how other players feel after a match like this. Most important is that you’re not carrying any injury, because fatigue is one thing – you can deal with that. I think mental strength is more important. I’m very happy how I’m feeling, considering my age, considering everything I’ve gone through in my career.”
He said of Sandgren: “He plays very well. He’s got a lot of stuff in his game that says he’s deserving of being higher. I watched quite a bit of him against Fognini. It was exciting, it was close and it’s what I was waiting for. It was impressive how he was competing. I like how he moves. Very explosive. He has a nice first serve, as well. He can counterpunch but also likes to go on the attack.”
Sandgren said of Federer: “I tend to lose to guys before I play them – their record. The amount of matches they’ve played against guys in the top 20, top 10, is silly. I haven’t played that many. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had that many [moments]. Maybe I haven’t had that many looks or wasn’t supposed to. Maybe I shouldn’t be here.
“I am amped up. I want to perform. I want to do well. I don’t want to take the time on the court for granted, getting to play on a big stadium, getting to play in front of a lot of people. I’ve played a lot of tennis in front of very few people. The fact I get to do that seems to bring out the best tennis in me. If I play pretty well, I have a shot. With the way I serve, some of the offensive, defensive skills I bring to the table, they seem to translate in some of these bigger matches.
“I spent a lot of time not sniffing these opportunities. There are better players than me who I played with in futures and challengers who have stopped playing because they just ran out of money or got injured. I was blessed enough to keep hold of my dream and to be able to try and fulfil it, have the body to do so, the opportunities. Definitely I’m blessed.
“If you don’t feel like you should be there, you’re probably not going to play very well. He’s a heck of a player. It’s not to be trifled with. I had a few of those moments where it’s, like, what are you doing? Is this ever going to be worthwhile?
“It certainly isn’t the money, the glamour. It’s putting your hard-hat on, getting your work done, trying to be the best you can be, trying to believe that’s going to pay off in some form or fashion down the road. You don’t know what that’s going to look like. You hope it’s enough to sustain you. That mentality is going to get you places.”
