“A great match, I really enjoyed it,” says Federer. But, then again, he would. Federer of course now has to play Novak Djokovic in the final tomorrow, his tenth appearance in the finale of this, erm, finale to the tennis season, of which he’s won six. Join us then for game-by-game coverage of the game - should be at about 6pm GMT.
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Federer beats Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3
Brilliance from Federer to pull Wawrinka all over the court, before a delicate forehand volley puts Wawrinka on the floor, both figuratively and literally. Federer then adopts the ‘no messing’ approach, holding and serving out the game to love, the final point coming with a loopy miscue that sails long.
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Second set: Federer* 7-5, 5-3 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
They dip the lights between games, and only bring them up at the last minute. Maybe they should leave them off and they could play in the dark. That would spice things up rather. Wawrinka has the vague air of a defeated man, Federer going 30-0 up...but then Wawrinka comes back with a trio of absolutely blinding aces. Maybe he hasn’t given up on the match, just the idea of running. At advantage, Wawrinka plays an excellent drop-shot that Federer not only somehow gets to, but somehow somehow somehow plays the most beautiful, delicate backhand down the line. Wawrinka saves the first match point with a big forehand, before finding that serve again and clawing things back just a little. A terrific rally ends in Wawrinka netting an overhead, before he finally closes out the game with a brilliant whipped cross-court forehand.
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Second set: Federer 7-5, 5-2 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Well, that was fast. A hold to love, Wawrinka barely had a chance to play a shot, and he must now serve to stay in the match.
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Second set: Federer* 7-5, 4-2 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Federer opens things up with a tasty cross-court backhand that lands in the corner, but Wawrinka fizzes one of his own followed by one of those belting forehands to edge ahead in the game. He then takes the game with a deep backhand that causes Federer to stutter in his footwork and drop his racket. Without which he’ll be struggling, you’ll probably agree.
Second set: Federer 7-5, 4-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Federer inspects the court with some suspicion after missing a forehand, like a batsmen ruefully eyeing a lively pitch after edging one to slip. However, after a brief scare via some good play from Wawrinka, Federer cracks out a couple of belting serves to take the game.
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Second set: Federer* 7-5, 3-1 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Wawrinka doesn’t seem to be thinking massively clearly at the moment. He goes all out for an inside-out forehand, that would’ve been fine if he’d nailed it, but he only succeeds in putting one right in Federer’s wheelhouse, and leaving half the court wide open. And tennis takes its course. However, he then manages a couple of splendid points to bring it back to deuce, and eventually closes out a morale-boosting hold as Federer nets a backhand return.
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Second set: Federer 7-5, 3-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Some effortless serve-volleying puts Federer ahead, but from almost nowhere Wawrinka plays the most brilliantly delicate shot of the match, a flicked backhand from the baseline that eludes Federer at the net. And suddenly, as Federer nets a forehand, it’s break point...but Wawrinka tries to put too much on a forehand of his own and it goes well long. Federer then mops up the game and it’s tough to see anything but a win for the great man from here. Make a note of that for when Wawrinka inevitably storms back.
Second set: Federer* 7-5, 2-0 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Federer plays one of the most deliciously cool volleys, the most casual thing you could possibly imagine while running in towards the net, then finishes up that point with a delightful drop-shot. He might not be quite at his peak, but man alive he can still play some beautiful tennis. Then Federer sets up break point...which he takes as Wawrinka carelessly nets a big forehand. That’s seven of the last eight games that Federer has won, and there’s a danger of the Wawrinka wheels coming off here.
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Second set: Federer 7-5, 1-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
A Wawrinka move to the net and a double-fault and suddenly it’s 0-30, but Wawrinka smacks a forehand aiming down the line into the net. Then Federer apologises after a volley at the net clips the cord and limps over, but the reactions that allowed him to even get to that shot were extraordinary. Then Federer closes out the game as a cross-court backhand lob from Wawrinka goes wide.
Federer wins the first set 7-5
Wawrinka nails probably his truest hit shot of the night down the line, one of those efforts that you blink then see in the backboards. However, some vintage Federer, pulling his adversary hither and thither, sets up break and set point...which he claims with a brilliant cross-court forehand that catches Wawrinka halfway to the net. Brilliant comeback from Federer to take the first set.
First set: Federer 6-5 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Brilliant serving followed by excellence at the net from Federer very quickly puts him 40-0 up, then he creates space on the court to leave him with one of those forehands he can wait until the last minute to direct, just waiting until Wawrinka picks his direction to move. He goes right, Federer puts it left and now Wawrinka has to serve to stay in the set.
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First set: Federer* 5-5 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Beautifully controlled backhand puts Wawrinka ahead, but Federer comes up with another by pinning his opponent right back with a superb forehand, followed by a smash when the lob goes high, high, high. However, some ruthless hitting from Wawrinka, with a terrific couple of forehands and then Federer netting one of his own, takes the game and puts him back on terms.
@NickMiller79 can't see either of these 2 troubling ND in the final. ND is just 2 good right now clinical ruthless Terminator like. RF in 3.
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) November 21, 2015
You might just be right, John.
First set: Federer 5-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Federer follows a careless forehand miss with a brilliant ace down the middle, then delightfully wrong-foots Wawrinka with an inside-out forehand when the shot down the line looked on. Federer closes out the game and takes the lead in the set in the manner of much of his best play so far, by coming to the net and sticking a volley away.
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First set: Federer* 4-4 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Some serve-volleying from Wawrinka now, and it works, skimming a delightful sliced volley beyond Federer for the first point of the game. However, then a couple of iffy forehands and a double-fault by Wawrinka gives Federer a sniff and a break-back point...which he takes as Wawrinka booms a backhand long.
First set: Federer 3-4 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
And just as easy as the last game was for Wawrinka, so was that for Federer, holding to 15. He’s still in touch in this first set, but Wawrinka of course has that break to his name.
First set: Federer* 2-4 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
A simple hold for Wawrinka, closed out with a big booming serve that Federer can only loop long, as he holds his advantage in this first set.
First set: Federer 2-3 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Federer muffs up a shot at the net, which is worthy of note considering how good he’s been there thus far, netting a backhand volley. A Federer double fault gives Wawrinka a sniff, but he nets a simple forehand to give away the advantage, but after we reach deuce the game is decided by a difference in net cord fortune. Wawrinka gets a lucky break off one that hops up at Federer’s throat and he can only flap it wide, then next up Federer drives one into around the same spot, but it loops wide. The first break of the game to Wawrinka.
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First set: Federer* 2-2 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Are these two off out after this? They’re certainly not hanging about, particularly Wawrinka who serves rapidly, both in pace off the strings and time between serves. We’re quickly at 30-30, but Wawrinka shuts it out with some booming serves, including an rapid ace at the end that Federer barely moved, like a goalkeeper watching a deflected shot float agonisingly into the opposite corner.
First set: Federer 2-1 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Federer is straight in at the net again, pulling Wawrinka all over the court, and throws in a superb wide serve as well. However, Wawrinka takes the first point against the serve with a superb backhand passing shot that lands on the line, then the second as Federer nets a backhand, then the third to take it to deuce as Federer sticks an inside-out forehand into the tramlines. Federer’s back at the net to get advantage, before Wawrinka goes long and that’s the game. Federer was a bit iffy on the first serve in that game, though. Something to keep an eye on.
First set: Federer* 1-1 Wawrinka (* denotes next server)
Woof. Two games, no points against the serve, some booming efforts by Wawrinka, including two aces, takes the second game in rapid fashion.
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First set: Federer 1-0 Wawrinka* (* denotes next server)
Think that qualifies as ‘the minimum of fuss’. Federer serve-volleys straight away and wins three of the four points that way, taking the game to love in quick-smart order.
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Pre-match note - the * in the score will denote the server in the next game. And with the admin out of the way, Federer will serve to get us started...
Federer has just dropped the ball as he warms up with some serves. Advantage Wawrinka.
The umpire is engaging in what sounds suspiciously like ‘banter’ before the toss, asking the players not to punch below the belt. You card, sir.
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Before the match starts, let us ponder whether Adele really can bring back ‘clothes’.
I for one hope Adele brings back clothes cuz it's getting kinda cold & I caused a scene at my grandmother's funeral pic.twitter.com/pJttknYTZQ
— Emily Reynolds (@rey_z) November 21, 2015
Apparently Wawrinka was listening to Guns n Roses in the locker room. Probably not November Rain, you’d imagine.
Want some piping hot head-to-head action? These two have faced each other 20 times, and Federer has the whip hand, to say the least, winning 17 of them. One of those three wins was pretty big, though, as Wawrinka beat Federer in the quarter-finals of the French Open this year. Federer did get one back on him by winning the US semi in September, though.
Preamble
Beef! Delicious, tasty beef! There is no more delicious beef than the beef between two men who theoretically have to be teammates. Like Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, or Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole. Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka don’t quite dislike each other as those chaps do/did, but there is a little beef (carpaccio, perhaps?) left over from when Mirka Federer called her husband’s opponent a “cry baby.” That was actually in this game last year, when a post-match argument about Mirka’s rather vocal support of Roger ended in Wawrinka complaining and the subsequent barb.
Still, if there was a big problem between the two it didn’t show in the Davis Cup final a few weeks later, when the pair combined to beat France. So perhaps there won’t be so much beef. Which is a shame.
Still, despite the absence of bovine meat, this one should still be a tasty one, as the two Swissers scrap to see who will face Novak Djokovic in the final tomorrow. Should get underway at about 8pm GMT.
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