By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 11, 2021
Nikolaz Basilashvili saved match point at 4-5 in the decider upsetting Roger Federer 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 to advance to the Doha semifinals.
Photo credit: Mohamed Farag/Getty
Roger Federer's buzzing comeback hit an inevitable roadblock today.
Serving at 4-5 in the final set, Nikoloz Basilashvili saved match point sparking a three-game surge to topple Federer 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 and advance to the Doha semifinals.
More: Federer Wins Comeback Thriller in Doha
The 39-year-old Swiss was playing his second match following a 405-day sabbatical that included two arthroscopic surgeries to his right knee and called this second straight three-setter a "steppingstone" to progress ahead.
"I come from so far away that I'm actually happy that I was able to play back-to-back three-set matches against top players. That's an important step forward to me," Federer said. "Like I said, I'm not 100 percent yet. I can feel it. I can see it, you know. From that standpoint, important is to be 100 percent by the grass court season. I know that. I'm still building up. So this is a steppingstone."
Playing without taping or any brace, Federer showed fluid movement, changed direction in the corners and defended on the run, but ultimately looked a little weary and lacked the closing kick in the final stages.
World No. 42 Basilashvili scored his fifth career Top 10 victory as he begins to try to put a nightmare 2020 season behind him that included him losing a staggering 19 of 20 sets played after the pro circuit resumed last August.
Playing some of his most dynamic tennis down the stretch, Basilashvili took down his tennis idol.
"It feels really good, obviously. He was my idol," Basilashvili said. "And just to play against him, even in match, practice, whatever it is, I'm happy. He's for me one of the greatest of all time.
"To win means a lot. I'm happy to be in the semifinal. I had terrible last eight months, so I'm happy to win match by match and point by point and I'm really happy that I managed somehow to be in this semifinal here. It was a good tournament so far."
Arriving in Doha mired in a five-match losing streak, Basilashvili is through to his first ATP semifinal since the 2019 Hamburg. He will take on American Taylor Fritz for a spot in the final.
For Federer, who fought off Daniel Evans 7-6(8), 3-6, 7-5 yesterday, the Doha experience showed his surgically-repaired right knee can withstand the rigors of successive three-setters as he tries to build strength through match repetition.
Basilashvili broke for 6-5 and converted his fourth match point banging his favored two-handed backhand to end Federer's Doha return in one hour, 50 minutes.
In contrast to the variation and sudden shifts in spins and speeds practice partner Dan Evans posed yesterday, Federer faced the jolting Basilashvili power immediately dodging break point in the opening game.
"He pushed me much more into the forehand corner whereas against Dan was very much running around with his slice, keeping the ball low, and I think that was a challenge," Federer said. "Overall the body is actually fine. I'm happy. You know, it could be much worse. I mean, there was always, you know, a little bit within me that thought, you know, how am I going to feel after a brutal first-round match? That's what I was thinking about going into the tournament, and how would I feel the second round?
"I was always worried that maybe I couldn't play it for whatever reason. I felt fine. You know, little stiff in the morning, but that's totally normal I think."
Moving to his left quickly to step around his forehand, Federer roped a pair of winners then exploited a double fault for break point. Flicking back a forehand to extend the point, Federer showed sharp footwork getting low for a bold backhand strike down the line breaking in style for 3-1.
The bearded Basilashvili spun a backhand down the line for his third break point 22 minutes into the match, but failed to put a return in play. Sharp serving helped the 39-year-old Swiss navigate a four-deuce game to back up the break. By the end of that game, Federer was flowing on first serve.
Serving for the set, Federer slashed his seventh ace out wide sealing the 37-minute opening set that saw him serve 66 percent, save all three break points he face and work the angled slice to blunt Basilashvili's eye-popping power at crucial stages.
It was an entirely different type of tennis to the all-court clash of Federer's opening-round win over Evans yet still impressive that after a 405-day layoff the former No. 1 served with such authority and drove the down the line dagger to shred open points. Through the first four sets of his comeback, Federer hit 20 aces against no double faults.
The depth and pace of Basilashvili's drives finally created his first break as he stretched the Swiss at net and banged a backhand pass down the line breaking in the second game of the second set.
The low angled slice from Federer leveraged an errant backhand for triple break point. Staring down love-40, Basilashvili barged through five straight points pumping an ace to hold for 3-0.
When Federer pushed, Basilashvili shoved back with point-ending vigor recovering from love-30 down to hold for 4-1.
The sound of the ball rocketing off the strings of Basilashvili's head racquet reverberated with force. He showed finesse running down a Swiss slice and nudging a clever drop shot to break again for 5-1. Basilashvili leaned into a backhand crosscourt converting his fourth set point to take the second set and force a decider after 63 minutes.
Timely serving and a cluster of aces helped Federer hold in the third and fifth games of the final set. Basilashvili won 12 of the first 14 points played on his serve leveling after six games.
A fierce Federer fought off two break points, but Basilashvili coaxed a netted forehand for a third. Federer kicked a wide serve to save it, eventually knocking off a forehand volley to end an arduous test for 4-3.
Serving at 4-5, 30-15, Basilasvhili brain-cramped stopping play to challenge a Federer he thought sailed long but replay showed the ball touched the line. Federer carved out an exceptional dropper for match point, but Basilashvili saved it and earned a hard-fought hold for 5-5.
That sequence sparked a shift as a fatiguing Federer netted a forehand to face a 10th break point. This time, Basilashvili battered Swiss resistance wrong-footing the former No. 1 with a diagonal backhand to break for 6-5. Basilashvili's 12th ace brought him match points and he finished with that crackling backhand.
Next up for the man from Georgia is young American Taylor Fritz, who edged fourth-seeded Denis Shapovalov 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals after the left-handed Canadian won 24 straight points on serve in the first set.
For Federer, the comeback tour marches on.
"I'm already over it," Federer said of the quarterfinal setback. "I mean, I would have loved to play tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, you know. But at the same time I'm also happy to get a rest. I'm happy how I played today.
"I'm happy how I did yesterday. I'm happy I was back on the tour. I'm pleased I came here to Doha. So it's really, really a positive return for me. I'm really happy."