Federer eases into semifinals

We seem to have been here before. As the line-up for the semifinals takes shape, Roger Federer is the first man into position, comfortably getting his feet under the table with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over Juan Martin Del Potro in just a minute under two hours. It seemed like old times, indeed.

It was Federer’s 31st consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal (he has won all but three of them), his 30th semifinal place in all and – feel free to gasp here – his 1,000th match at tour level (clearly he must have been a child bride; either that Methuselah’s God-son is wearing well). And he made it look so easy.

“It's a big milestone, I agree,” he said cheerfully. “It's a lot of matches and a lot tennis. Either I have been around for a long time or I'm extremely fit. You decide which way you want to describe it. I don't know. But I'm happy.”

Del Potro is still on his way back from his annus horribilis of 2010 when a wrist injury kept him out of action for most of the season. Last year was spent forcing his way back up the rankings from No.257 to No.11 and now, as he hopes and everyone else expects, the next few months will be spent trying to force his way back into the world’s top five. He is fit, he is ready and he is dangerous. And Federer sploshed him.

Then again, Federer has been looking awfully good for a few months now. At the end of Grand Slam season last year, the once-mighty Fed had come away with nothing: not a major trophy to call his own for the first time since 2003. He had also turned 30 in August so as the pundits prepared their obits and Fed’s followers chewed their fingernails down to the knuckles, the man himself took a few weeks off and had a think. Well, he had a rest and a think. What he obviously decided was that there was quite a bit of gas left in the tank – he was ready for the fray once more.

When he returned to the circuit at his hometown event in October, he was renewed, refreshed and revived. He won there and went on to mop up the Bercy title and the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals in London. The Fed was back and he meant business. But as he is the first to point out, that was a while ago where the conditions were different and the stakes were lower. Not even he knew if he could carry that form into the new season and through the Australian Open.

“I guess you're always a little worried that when you come back you're like not going to play as good and conditions are going to be different,” Federer said. “That was all indoors at the end of the season. This is clearly slow outdoor hard courts, so you're never quite sure if you're going to adjust and are you going to be moving as well or is it going to be completely different movement just because it is slower‑paced courts.”

He need not have worried. He has not dropped a set so far and has been looking sharper the longer the tournament has gone on. Del Potro posed the greatest challenge in the first set, was tricky to put away in the second and then was defenceless in the third. As Federer moved to set point in the second set, bringing a nine-minute game to a conclusion, he let out a roar, a sound we have not heard for a while. It is not Federer getting excited, it is not Federer getting frustrated – it is simply Fed assuming complete control.

“I knew the danger of playing Juan Martin, so potentially it was my big test,” Federer explained. “But I kind of looked at the Tomic match as a big test for me, seeing where my rhythm was, how I was playing, because the first three rounds I didn't get much rhythm.  For me it was maybe that match. Today I was much more relaxed about playing Juan Martin for some reason, even though he's got the much bigger record as a player.”

What also must have relaxed him was his overall performance. Everything was working almost perfectly and Del Potro could not find a way to hurt him – and many a poor bloke has found himself in that situation when Fed is in his pomp.

“I'm moving well,  I'm serving well,  I'm hitting the ball clean,” Federer said in his own, inimitable style. “Today I thought on a very hot day with fast conditions, I was able to control the ball. I didn't really struggle too much on his serve today for some reason.  I was able to return great, and I think that was a big key. Then I think I was serving the right way, even though I didn't have the highest first serve percentage.”

So, the Fed has given himself 10-out-of-10. That’s nice. But he did pause to assess Del Potro’s performances over the past couple of weeks – and he knows that the big man will be back to haunt him in the not-too-distant future.

“I still believe he's right there in the group behind the top four,” Fed explained. “If that means five or 11, I don't think it matters much. He's right there. He's going to make another move and another push this year, I think. I will definitely see him in the top 8 at the end of the year.  He'll get many more chances this year.  It's a long year and it's only the beginning. So for me, I'm happy I'm playing well, but I also see that he's actually in good shape, too.”

And with that, Fed was off to prepare for match No.1001 of his extraordinary career.