Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers and for the first time since the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals when they meet again at the O2 Arena during semifinal action on Saturday.
Federer leads the head-to-head series 3-2 following a 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-1 round-robin success last fall. They have alternated wins dating back to their first encounter at the 2016 Rome Masters, where the Swiss emerged victorious 6-3, 7-5. It is all tied up at one win apiece on hard courts, as Zverev beat Federer for the second time via a 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the 2017 Montreal final.
Neither man was officially through to the semis after two group-stage matches, but both took the drama out of uncertainty right away. Needing to win only five games against Kevin Anderson on Thursday night, Federer rolled 6-4, 6-3. The 37-year-old preceded that result with a 7-6(4), 6-3 loss to Kei Nishikori and a 6-2, 6-3 rout of Dominic Thiem. He has now reached at least the semis in all four of his fall-swing appearance, a stretch highlighted by a ninth Basel title and a third-set tiebreaker loss to Novak Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters.
“I’ve always tried to pace myself in a way (and) set up my schedule in a way that I would have something left in the tank–I would peak at this event,” Federer said of the year-end championship. “I’m happy that this is another week like this; didn’t look like it maybe 72 hours ago (after losing to Nishikori). But I was able to come back and play good tennis.
“Personally I’m still not thinking of the number 100. I won’t let that get in my head (or) make me go crazy…. I think it’s just going to be hard to finish it. I’m happy I gave myself the opportunity. I’m happy that I’m raising my level of play throughout this week. This is what I hope to do. It’s exciting to be in this situation now, of course, no doubt.”
Already making his third London appearance, Zverev will be a part of semifinal Saturday for the first time. The 21-year-old German put himself in good shape for that with an opening 7-6(5), 7-6(1) defeat of Marin Cilic this past Sunday. Although that was followed by a 6-4, 6-1 setback against Djokovic, Zverev recovered to beat John Isner 7-6(5), 6-3 on Friday afternoon.
“Obviously it’s going to be a very difficult match,” the world No. 5 assured. “On this surface, indoor court, he’s an unbelievable player. (I have) played him a few times in all different conditions; all different surfaces. As I said, I’ll prepare myself for a very tough match.”
Zverev has been solid this entire fall and has played well for the most part through three matches at the O2, but Federer is once again getting better and better each time he takes the court. This week’s second seed has gotten accustomed to the conditions and is suddenly thriving in them.
Pick: Federer in 2
[polldaddy poll=10166935]
who ya got?
I like Fed in 2 (over Zv….not Ason).
Roger is just getting revved up now … http://www.138mph.com/tennis-federer-avenges-wimbledon-loss-to-anderson-nishikori-thiem-atp-finals-london/
hard to say, Alex has always been a challenge to Roger.
It is going to be close, 50:50 chance
Come on Fed! I hope he isn’t going to make loads of ues!
Sasha is really not good at the net, can’t win points there, has to rely on his big serves and big groundstrokes.
Fed’s return game is so dodgy !
Don’t know why he put Zverev in to serve first given how erratically he returns!
Sasha really doesn’t have deft touches! Maybe he has to train more the way Djoko does to get better at the net. He certainly doesn’t have good feel or soft deft touches to win points at the net.
I knew fed was going to get broken! I said he shouldn’t have put Zverev in first!
Fed is too vulnerable now imo..
I do wonder if Kevin is right and fed is showing his age now..I was rooting for him to win today but didn’t feel confident at all..
Why are you so against Sasha?
Fed has shown his age for quite a while now; Sasha just doesn’t have a good game plan vs Fed; should attack Fed’s FH to make him run for it instead of going CC to Fed’s BH all the time. It’s like he’s attacking Fed’s BH no matter what, and is not able to change the pattern of play.
See, on the rare occasion of him hitting to Fed’s FH and makes Fed runs for it, Fed hits an error!
surely you must have noticed that most people on this site dislike Zverev! They, like me, think he’s arrogant and entitled!
I don’t dislike him that much, but I prefer a Sasha vs Anderson final, as I can’t stand a Fed or Djoko winning here with the media drooling over Fed, and also bigging up Djoko that he’s > Fedal.
To me, the best is a Anderson win, and I doubt Anderson has too many chances winning here again.
I don’t see anyone beating Nole tbh…
‘Arrogant and entitled’ nobody is, but as sportspeople,
confidence is everything.
God, so many Federer fans in the crowds at every close match he plays simply suck.
Cheering his opponent’s unforced errors and chanting here we go roger in the middle of opponent’s service.
No. 1 reason I cheer against him.
How do you cheer a missed first serve and call yourself a tennis fan?
If you’re not a Karlovic fan.
Classless fans.
Fans booing Zverev in his post match interview.
Seriously looking forward to federer retiring now.
a lot of them were good. unfortunately some were absolute shit.
Amen to all of the above, especially #3. Can’t happen too soon.
I say he retires next year.
Watching Sasha, he’s really no where near to a Djoko at age 20/21; Djoko at that age was playing so well to win his first slam at AO2008. This Sasha doesn’t have Djoko’s sharpness and court craft; I think he’s more in the mold of a Delpo or a Cilic.
Anyway, congrats to him for beating Fed to reach the final here for the first time; well deserved win as he’s the better player obviously.
I don’t see the need for him to apologise to such rude crowd here, they booed him for nothing, just because Fed lost!
AZ is very good at the things he does well. He’s viable on all surfaces. I think he’s more like Berdych. He’s still very young so plenty of time to improve and no, I don’t like him either. He’s really not very likeable. This pathetic excuse for a tournament in on Djokovic’s racquet, which is where it always was.
The ATP is fond of making up new rules. Could they PLEASE ban the stupid neck chains that are getting so popular among the men?
why? it’s only a hindrance to the person wearing them.
Zverev’s apology is self serving. Thinking ahead to his next match crowd and at the same time passive aggressively calling them on it.
Well done to Annabel Croft for calling them on it (and she’s a huge fedfan).
Butt hurt Federer fans just booed Sascha for stopping the point in the tiebreak. Even Robbie Koenig forced to say that they are angry for Sascha daring to beat Federer
Will be interesting to hear what Fed has to say about that episode
Rooting for Nole to win the whole thing and equal the record of 6 titles..
Vamos Nole!
the unforced errors by Federer wow
not that bad today
👍 to Sacha for maintaining the points gap between the #2 and #3 in the ATP rankings!
👎there are some great fed fans here ie Eugene Benny and Kevin who are always gracious when rafa loses.I am not going to rubbish fed a. Because I don’t want to and b.it really isn’t fair on such great people and tennis fans.
I’m a Rafa fan and because of that I care about HIS ranking.
amy!…Agree with u!!…Sometimes i wanna say some things very bad,but when i think of the great Fed fans here,Eugene,Joe,Benny,Big Al,Kevin…i have to withheld my thoughts..coz at the end of the day,when i think deeply…”nah!peoples feelings[especially great peoples here] were much more important than my opinion”…And,it’s only tennis…
Thanks mira!! I just feel that it’s really not fair on great people and fans like Eugene, Benny and Kevin. We are lucky to have them on this site and I don’t like it at all when people rubbish rafa when he loses so it’s not something I want to start doing myself! ( don’t know why you include Joe and Al though…they are always insulting rafa and his fans!)
Also, as you say, human values are more important than who wins a tennis match!
Hope you are well hon?
Tsame. (Especially the part about the Fedfans here both good and bad.)
I didn’t watch the match, but I have read that Fed’s rent-a-crowd behaved rudely towards his opponent, as usual.
Sascha’s bravery deserves applause!