It will be an all-Swiss affair when friends and familiar foes Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer square off in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday. Federer emerged from a quarter of the draw that included Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori.
Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer will be facing each other for the 22nd time in their careers when they battle for a place in the Australian Open title match on Thursday night.
Federer is dominating the head-to-head series 18-3 and he has never lost to his fellow Swiss on a hard court. All three of Wawrinka’s victories have come on clay; twice at the Monte-Carlo Masters (2009 and 2014) and once on the way to his 2015 French Open triumph. They have not met in more than a full year, as Federer most recently prevailed 7-5, 6-3 in the semis of the 2015 World Tour Finals.
Last season was a tough one for the 35-year-old, with a knee problem sending him tumbling all the way out of the top 16. That left him at the mercy of the Aussie draw, and he found himself in the same quarter as Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, and Tomas Berdych. Federer got past Berdych (straight sets) and Nishikori (five) before avoiding Murray, who was stunned by unseeded German Mischa Zverev. The 17-time Grand Slam champion promptly ended Zverev’s run 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“Against Roger it’s always special because he’s so good,” Wawrinka noted. “He’s the best player of all time. He has answer for everything. But I managed to beat him in a Grand Slam, so we’ll see. Most important is that I step on the court and I play my best tennis…. He’s playing so well since the beginning of the tournament. He had a little bit some hesitation in the [first two] rounds, but since that he’s really flying on the court.”
Wawrinka has progressed in similar fashion. The world No. 4 struggled against Martin Klizan (five sets) and Viktor Troicki (one point from going to a fifth set), but posted more convincing wins over Steve Johnson, Andreas Seppi, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on his way to the last four. Wawrinka is through to the semis Down Under for the third time in his career and he is ultimately looking for his second title (2014) and fourth overall at a major.
“I think [Stan] and [Rafael Nadal] know my game (better than anyone else),” Federer commented. “Stan and I practiced so much together. With Rafa, I only practiced once in my life, whereas with Stan, I can’t even keep count anymore. Yeah, I guess those two guys know me very well.”
What Wawrinka knows is that his game does not match up well with that of his countryman. He does not have the heavy topspin to pound away at Federer’s one-handed backhand, which Nadal does with consistency. His backhand down the line can be combatted by Federer’s signature running forehand. Most importantly, Wawrinka lacks belief; he is well away of his futility against Federer on every surface other than clay.
This is not necessarily the 17-time major champion’s “last best” chance to win a major, but it is certainly an amazing opportunity. He won’t let it go to waste–not against Wawrinka at least.
Pick: Federer in 4
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who ya got?
Interesting comment from Fed about Stan and Rafa knowing his game better than anyone. Stan because he practices with him and Rafa because he doesn’t? 🙂
Oh yeah, Fed in 4. Color me a believer!
Wawrinka in 5
wow
Fed in 3.
Fed is CryBaby’s tennis daddy. 18-3 overall (only losses on slower clay), 13-0 on hard court. 28-4 (0.875 pct) in sets played on hard court.
Fed in 3.
This isn’t the same Wawrinka of old, Fed is now facing a 3-time major champion and I’m sure Wawrinka will want to make that point very clear.
Should be a great match.
Fed hasn’t been tested yet. All his opponents are in terrible form or such a bad matchup that Fed doesn’t even think he can lose.
Wawrinka will test Fed throughout.
Plus the courts are playing very slow, that plays into Wawrinka’s hands.
No they are playing faster this year with a lighter ball with tighter felt. Stan gonna get schooled (just like the one here)….
ROGER Federer says the fast court speed on Rod Laver Arena could be behind the stunning series of results at this year’s event which has seen himself and other grass court specialists thrive.
Reports of faster courts than previous years were largely dismissed as a determining factor heading into this year’s event, but it has been a major contributing factor in the bizarre results seen during the opening nine days, including the shock eliminations of Angelique Kerber, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic.
Federer said it has been 15 years since the court speed at the Australian Open, now played on a Plexicushion surface, has increased.
He said any player who grew up playing tennis before tennis shifted towards slower courts and longer rallies around 2005 has a huge advantage of being more familiar with the quicker velocity balls have been flying at — especially on Rod Laver Arena — this week.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/talking-points-from-day-nine-of-the-australian-open/news-story/fb8e9f54f3d77c1a5c7c01cbd7710cca
My bad, I read it wrong. Looks like Fed might have the advantage this year then.
Fed in 4 is the likely result but I want Wawrinka to win.
No worries.
A set at most IMO.
I just hope to God you are right.
new posters FTW
Will that include our dear boy Rafa? Rafa started playing in the main tour in 2003, playing in futures, challengers in 2001/2002, would that count?
I’m sure Rafa had played on quicker courts back in 2004 and then 2005 (won the Madrid indoor HC Masters). Surely he’s ok at least with the quick surface, having survive to QF so far?
Fed in four
Bet $1000 on federer?
Up to you. Wawrinka hasn’t dropped a set last 2 matches against handy opponents.
That would worry me if I was having a bet on Fed.
Fed has looked like young Fed this tournament. Serving unbelievable, hopping around like a kid out there. And he’s hungry, having been away from his beloved tennis for so long.
Fed in 4 or Wawa in 5
Wawa yelling at Tsonga was so inappropriate. He really was rude! I wonder if he would have been so “vocal” if it was Kyrgios on the other side of the net as most of us expected!
Fed over nervous and frustrated Crybaby in 4
will be great tennis…Fed in 3!
No pick, just want Fed to lose.
Wow hardly anyone expecting Stan to win here..Lot of respect for Fed 🙂
That said since courts are playing fast and Stan still has a mental block against Fed and has not beaten him outside clay, Fed in 4
Stan was 2 time champion even during USO2015..but it just did not matter. He lost tamely.
Anyways iF Fed passes Wawrinka, he wil be crushed by Nadal in straight sets..He can avoid his head to head with Nadal from getting far worse..from 9 – 2 in grandslams to 10 – 2.
Ricky which team do you think will win the super bowl?
We will
Don’t let tom brady hear that.
On paper Fed should win, but better let it go if he wants to prevent Rafa getting 18 slams and beat his record.
The only way is to let Wawa fighting for him.
He would never believe he could beat Rafa if they were to meet in final, zero chance.
Only Wawa has a chance to beat Rafa as he is fearless in GS final.
Don’t be so sure that Fed will lose to Rafa if they meet.Nothing is sure ever. Things can change anytime
How could you say zero chance? If you go on their overal head-to-head, then sure Rafa is by far the favorite. But everyone is saying that this court is playing very fast- some even going as far as to say the fastest on tour. If this court is playing as fast as indoor hard courts or grass, then you really can’t say that Federer has “zero chance” when the head-to-head on traditionally fast courts (indoor hard and grass) is 7-2 in Federer’s favor. I’m not saying that Federer should be the favorite. I just think it’s pretty ridiculous to suggest that it would be a guaranteed win for Rafa. Also, Federer is playing much more aggressively than he was when Rafa last beat him. Like I said the other day- if Federer insists on staying back and trying to slug it out from the baseline like he always did against Rafa, then he won’t stand a chance. But if continues playing the more aggressive game he has been playing this far at this tournament and comes to the net a lot more, then he absolutely stands a chance. That being said, I do think that it would be Rafa’s match to win or lose, especially being a best-of-five match.
not buying the ‘it is impossible for fed to beat Rafa’ but would like to say that never confuse indoor courts and quick outdoor hard courts. They are very different. Rafa has even beaten Fed on the quick courts of Cincinnati.
The courts are playing quick but I don’t think they are that quick. Fed will need to execute a super-aggressive game plan to take Nadal down.
Anyway,first let’s see whether Fed has a good enough game plan for Stan tomorrow!
I can be very wrong here, but I think Stan is not going to even put up a fight.
Federer is 18-3 against Wawrinka, with those three losses coming on clay. He hasn’t lost to Stan on hardcourt in 13 meetings. It wasn’t always easy, but those times where it was a struggle, those matches were on rather slow HCs – Indian Wells 2013, WTF 2014 (4 matchpoints for Stan). This year, the courts at Melbourne are playing reportedly faster.
Of course there are some age issues, but I think a lot of people forget that Stan is also over thirty. He’s three and a half year younger than Fed – is it much? Both yes and no. However, I heard a lot before the Nishikori vs Federer match that if it goes into the fifth set, Kei will have the advantage. This opinion turned out wrong, because in the fifth it was actually Kei who barely moved at times and took MTO, while Fed was looking fresh, just like in the beginning.
Federer probably also has the mental edge, plus Wawrinka hasn’t played evening session at Rod Laver Arena yet, while Federer played 5 out of 5 matches on RLA, 4 out of 5 being in the evening session.
If Federer plays agressive enough, it’s gonna be like that US Open semis 2015. I think Roger is too intelligent and has too good of a team to come out on court with a poor tactical plan. If he grinds from the baseline, goes backhand to backhand with Stan, he will lose. We also know that Stan needs time to prepare his groundstrokes, to get into his rhythm, and Fed is one of those players who hit the ball early and feel comfortable playing without any rhythm to make their opponents feel uncomfortable.
Therefore, I don’t think Wawrinka even takes a set.
Are courts slower at night compared to day ? That’s what I read sumwhere..anyone can clarify ?
courts aren’t, conditions are
Very Difficult to Predict.
if courts are very fast then Roger will win.
Otherwise 50-50.
will be medium pace most likely. Slower at night.