By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday June 21, 2019
Roger Federer has battled through another tough three-setter to reach the last four at the Noventi Open in Halle.
Photo Source: AP
Once again Roger Federer needed three sets against a tough opponent in Halle. And once again, the Swiss moved through with a late push, 6-3 4-6 6-4.
On Thursday it was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga that pushed Federer to the brink, taking him to 5-5 before running out of steam, and on Friday it was Roberto Bautista Agut, a player that had won just one of 19 sets against Federer in their previous eight meetings, that challenged Federer deep into the third set.
Bautista Agut reached the semi-finals last year at Halle, so it isn't too surprising to see him playing well on grass. But it was a bit of a shock to see him so close to the upset given his personal history against the nine-time Halle champion. But it is now twice in a row that the Spaniard has been able to take a set from Federer (he also did so at Shanghai last year) and today's effort is further proof that the World No.20 isn’t as intimidated as he once was by the 20-time major champion.
Still it was Federer who weathered the storm and when push came to shove in the waning moments of the match Bautista Agut lacked the belief he needed to claim the victory.
Serving to stay alive in the match at 4-5 he committed four successive errors to hand Federer the match and send the Swiss into his 15th consecutive semi-final at Halle.
Federer improves to 66-7 lifetime at Halle and he will next face Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France.
Herbert advanced when Borna Coric retired due to injury after dropping the first set to the Frenchman on Friday.
Bautista Agut broke on his third break point of the third game of the second set and he did not look back from there. He didn’t face a break point in the entire set and converted his third set point with a big serve to Federer’s backhand that the Swiss returned long in the tenth game.
In the third set Bautista applied pressure early but Federer saved two break points with forehand winners in the first game. The second was a close shave, to say the least. The shot appeared to be mishit by Federer but a Hawk-Eye challenge revealed that the ball had kissed the line.
Bautista Agut would not see another break point and after taking a 15-0 lead in the final game of the match he lost his nerve. Two backhand errors were followed by two forehand errors and Federer was through.
Zverev Upset by Goffin, Berrettini Stays Hot
David Goffin notched his first Top 10 victory of the season with a 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) takedown of No.2-seeded Alexander Zverev. The 28-year-old wins for the first time in three career meetings against the German—he broke serve four times on 15 break opportunities.
Goffin will face Italy’s rising star, Matteo Berrettini in the semis. The 23-year-old stretched his winning streak to eight with a 6-2 7-6(4) victory over over Karen Khachanov. Berrettini saved all four break points he faced in the contest.