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Roger Federer has got into the habit of losing the first set this week, taking his time to get stuck into these games. Today in the semi-finals he looked to be on the button right from the outset, holding to love & then setting up two break points on the Davydenko serve. But that proved to be a false alarm as Federer then went walkabout. He served two double faults to drop serve and then with a spate of errors lost serve again to go down 4-1. He briefly sparked to break to 4-2 before promptly dropping serve for the third consecutive time. Davydenko then held on to take the first set 6-2.
It had been a solid unspectacular first set for the Russian and an incredibly poor one for Federer; the second though proved to be different. Federer started serving with more composure while Davydenko played a couple of spectacular angled passes and an even better one at the net. The set stayed on serve till the 10th game as the Russian made several stunning gets as he staved off an increasingly desperate Federer's attempts to break the deadlock. But broken it finally was as Federer's repeated efforts finally got to Davydenko with the Russian hitting a forehand long to even the match at a set apiece.
The third set saw both players hold easily without it ever being a serving clinic. In the first 7 games, less than 10 points were off the receiver's racquet as the set seemed to be heading for a climactic tie-break. The set moved on and Davydenko once again served to stay in it at 4-5. Federer took the first point with a lucky net-cord deflection to go up 0-15. The next point saw Davydenko construct a superb point to set up a smash. He duly hit it only for Federer to respond in kind with a jaw dropping smash of the Russian's hit! Highlight reel stuff. Davydenko though, stood resolute as an old oak, taking the next 4 points to even the match at 5-5. Out of the blue, Davydenko then rode on Federer errors to set up a break point in the very next game. He proceeded to drill the perfect down the line backhand return winner to break the Swiss' serve. Davydenko then finally quelled the Federer's challenge taking the set and the match 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
The other semi-final turned out to be the big hitting slugfest, much as anticipated. When you put two of the hardest hitters of a tennis ball on a fast London court, the points were bound to be short and the sets close, decided by the odd point or break. One wonders how much that other big hitter on tour Fernando Gonzalez, he of the whiplash forehand & the prodigious backhand slice, would have enjoyed it here. Soderling, who is only playing here thanks to Andy Roddick's withdrawal, certainly is (enjoying it!) and carried on his fine run of form to extend Del Potro to a first set tie-break. With the shootout being the lottery that it sometimes is, a double fault and a net-cord derailed the Del Potro express and the Swede took the breaker and with it the first set 7-6 finishing a 7-1 rout in style with an ace.
The serving exhibition continued in the second set till the 7th game. In the 8th the big Argentine showed why he is labelled by many as a future No.1. At game point for Soderling, Del Potro played a crafty dropshot-lob combo that he followed up with a blistering forehand crosscourt return winner to gain a rare break point. A strong return and rally ensured the break and he duly served out the set 6-3 to even the match at a set all.
As stated earlier, the match was always going to hinge on a few points, some nervousness or a piece of inspiration. Inspiration was precisely what came over Soderling down 40-15 on his opponents serve at 3-2 in the decider. 4 marvellous returns of pretty big serves left Del Potro flat footed giving him the crucial break. But in tennis a break is never a break until you hold after that. And Del Potro with the help of his own bit of inspiration and some dodgy Soderling errors returned the compliment to get the set back on serve. After that interlude, regular service was resumed and the set duly went to another tie-breaker. Del Potro began this one in diametrically opposite style to the first running away to 4-0 lead. He maintained this advantage and took the tiebreak 7-3, with it the set and the match.
Sunday's final at the O2 Arena in London is likely to be a close affair between two players who really haven't seen too much of each other. Amazingly for players ranked in the top 8 in the world, Davydenko and Del Potro will be meeting for the first time this year! Davydenko has the slight edge in their head-to-head battles, winning twice and losing once. Their last meeting was on the hard courts of China in this tournament last year, with the Russian coasting to a 6-3, 6-2 win. However, something tells me that it will be far from that one-sided tomorrow!
The men's doubles final will be feature the Bryan twins, who are a win away from reclaiming the world no.1 doubles ranking and the Belarusian-Israeli pairing of Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram. The Bryans were far too good tonight for Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, coasting to a 6-4, 6-4 win, while Mirnyi and Ram ended a fairytale week for Frantisek Cermak and Michal Mertinak, coming away with a tight 6-4, 7-6(4) win. The two finalists met earlier in the week in round-robin action with Mirnyi and Ram winning rather comfortably 6-4, 6-4.
Saturday's Scores:
Singles - Semi-finalsN Davydenko (RUS) d R Federer (SUI) 62 46 75
J Del Potro (ARG) d R Soderling (SWE) 67(1) 63 76(3)
Doubles - Semi-finals
B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) 64 64
M Mirnyi (BLR) / A Ram (ISR) d F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) 64 76(4)
FIle Photograph Copyright: Erika Andersen
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