Federer, Baby Federer Seek Grass Titles Sunday; Ivanovic In Birmingham Final
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Roger Federer will seek a seventh title at the Halle Gerry Weber Open tomorrow against Colombian Alejandro Falla. In semifinal play, the 32-year-old Federer knocked out the fast-improving Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6.
The match offered some late hi-jinx when the Swiss forgot the score, not realizing he had won the match. Despite the memory lapse, the father of four is pleased with his week.
“I’m very happy that things are going so well for me here this week,” said Federer. “I only played a few matches and I’m in the final now. I wasn’t sure whether it’s a good thing to get a walkover in the quarter-finals because I was really lacking matches on grass. Playing against somebody like Nishikori is a big test.
“I’m extremely happy with the way I played today. I think I played really aggressive, I served well when I had to and I was able to keep the pressure on Kei and at the end I think I deserved to win. I played a good tie-break as well to get back into it and now I’m in another final here at the Gerry Weber Open. I love this tournament. I’ve won it six times before. So I’m hoping to make it seven.”
Federer has beaten Falla in all six of their meeting including a two-set comeback at Wimbledon in 2010.
Federer will also play in the doubles final with partner and countryman Marco Chiudinelli as he tries to become the first person this season to win both singles and doubles at the same event.
“Every match is different. Roger knows me well,” the lefty Falla said. “So, it’s going to be a very tough match, a different match. He beat me here 61, 64 or 61, 62 the same way we played in Wimbledon. So, you never know. He’s playing well and it’s going to be very tough.”
In Queen’s, Baby Federer Grigor Dimitrov advance to his first grass final after beating Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4. In the title match the Bulgarian will face Feliciano Lopez, a straight set winner over Radek Stepanek.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Dimitrov. “I always wanted to be in a final out here, stepping on there on Sunday means a lot to me, especially out here. I don’t know why I have such a strong intuition about this tournament. It has always been one of the biggest events for me, for some reason. There’s nothing better than to be in the final. I’m sure I’m going to go out there and give 100 per cent from myself.”
The ladies are in Birmingham where Ana Ivanovic continued her return to form. The former No. 1 who dropped outside the Top 60 four years ago is back to playing Top 10 tennis. This week the 26-year-old seeks a third title of the year and first on grass of her career against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova tomorrow.
“I mean it would mean a lot for me to have title on grass,” Ivanovic said. “It’s been – not to mention my age – ten years on tour and I have never won a title on grass. That would definitely be something special.”
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