Roger Federer

Tennis superstar Roger Federer will not feature at the 2020 French Open after undergoing anthroscopic surgery on his right knee. 

Federer, 38, confirmed on Thursday that he will be absent at Roland Garros for the fourth time in five years following the operation, suggesting he'll be back in time for Wimbledon 2020:

🚨 BREAKING 🚨@rogerfederer has undergone anthroscopic surgery in Switzerland and will miss Dubai, Indian Wells, Bogota, Miami & the French Open.

"My right knee has been bothering me for a little while... I can't wait to be playing again soon, see you on the grass." pic.twitter.com/DMiDwtPfVe

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 20, 2020

The Swiss star made it to the semi-finals of the 2019 French Open where he was defeated in straight sets by eventual champion Rafael Nadal, who extended his record haul in Paris to 12 major wins.

Federer confirmed the news via social media and said doctors "are very confident of a full recovery":

pic.twitter.com/VVGI1o8XYZ

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) February 20, 2020

The veteran missed three consecutive French Open tournaments between 2016 and 2018, having featured in 19 consecutive editions of the competition prior to that. Missing the three clay-court Grand Slams was down to his desire to be fully primed for the grass season, as opposed to any injury issues.

Federer has won eight Grand Slams at Wimbledon—more than any other major in his career—and is hoping to return to the finals at SW19 after he was runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year.

He's only won a single title at the French Open by contrast (2009) and hasn't reached a Roland Garros final since 2011, so it makes sense the grass court season is a greater priority.

Federer's announcement came almost one year after he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the 2019 Dubai Tennis Championships, via Tennis TV:

No @rogerfederer this year, but Dubai 2019 was a special tournament for RF 💯 pic.twitter.com/YlyIal41RC

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 20, 2020

Needless to say he stands a good chance of adding a ninth Wimbledon crown to his collection if he can regain that kind of form on his preferred playing surface.

Rafael Nadal can draw level with Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles if he successfully defends his trophy at this year's French Open, seeking to win four in a row at Roland Garros for the third time in his career. The Spaniard won five successive majors in Paris between 2010 and 2014.

The 2020 French Open gets under way on Sunday, May 24 and will conclude on Sunday, June 7.

Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a charity match played at the Cape Town Stadium in South Africa on Friday. 

The match was created to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation, which provides education and athletic training to children in Africa. Both players also squared off in a doubles match earlier in the day, with Federer and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates beating Nadal and comedian Trevor Noah 6-3.

This. Rally. Is. Awesome. 🤣@rogerfederer @RafaelNadal @BillGates @Trevornoah @matchinafrica pic.twitter.com/O5bdZztmEG

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 7, 2020

There was a notable moment for the home crowd before the start of play when Rugby World Cup winner Siya Kolisi presented Federer with a Springboks jersey.

Siya Kolisi presents Roger Federer with his very own @Springboks jersey! 🇿🇦#MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/rp4teA2GBQ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

A firm backhand gave Federer early control, but Nadal's service game was strong and so was his forehand. However, the Spaniard's serve was broken when he put a backhand wide and allowed Federer to take the first game.

It was 2-1 Federer when the Swiss stretched his advantage further by holding brilliantly on serve after racing into a 40-0 start. The players then traded holds, putting Federer closer to eventually seizing the set at 4-2.

Nadal's deft and precise lob at the net helped Nadal close it to 4-3. It was a well-controlled shot amid strong and difficult winds.

Having fun in South Africa 😊@RafaelNadal 🙌#MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/u8TRqj1A3X

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

The decorated veterans turned the clock back to their vintage best and treated the fans to some brilliant rallies:

Both players enjoying a runaround! 😅@rogerfederer @RafaelNadal #MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/WGzqpaMTtP

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

Nadal soon returned the favour when his superb drop shot forced Federer into a stunning rescue from the baseline. Nadal got to the ball to return in style, with Federer slicing a forehand into the net.

Federer had lost the point, but he was still serving for the set at 5-4. An ace helped the 38-year-old see things out.

Nadal took control of the second set with an early break for a 2-0 lead. Federer broke back, but Nadal stayed on top en route to building a three-game advantage at 4-1, before the ballboy and ballgirl played a point:

B-E-A-U-TIFUL! 😍@RafaelNadal #MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/HQIQgLAr0R

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

From Basel to Cape Town...

Once a ballboy, always a ballboy 😅@rogerfederer #MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/YKEgrQAPGW

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

The set was settled at 6-3 in Nadal's favour.

Federer's response was an emphatic one, wasting no time building a 3-0 lead thanks largely to a pair of quality service games. The score was 4-1 Federer when Nadal produced an exquisite trick shot, a terrific overhand volley when facing the other way, helping the 33-year-old halve the deficit.

How does he do it?! 😯

Superb skill from @RafaelNadal! 👌#MatchInAfrica pic.twitter.com/zT4DXqYQvU

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2020

As good as the shot was, Federer was still in a position to serve for the match three games later. He duly won with a clever drop over the net to hold serve to cap an occasion when two of the sport's greatest combined their talents to produce a true spectacle.

Novak Djokovic produced a fantastic comeback to win his eighth Australian Open title on Sunday, beating Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Djokovic started the match the stronger player, although Thiem was able to gradually exert his authority on the contest, recovering well after losing the first set to level things up.

After moving ahead with some dominant play, the Austrian appeared on course for a four-set win, although Djokovic dug deep to recover, taking the match to a deciding stanza.

In it, the second seed secured an early break and went on to clinch his 17th Grand Slam title, putting him just three behind Roger Federer's record men's haul of 20.

Here is the moment Djokovic got over the line:

The king has returned 👑

After almost four hours, @DjokerNole def. Dominic Thiem 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 to claim his eighth Australian Open crown.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/EJOKBy040s

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 2, 2020

"This is a reminder to all of us that we should stick together more than ever."

Words of wisdom from eight-time #AusOpen champion, @DjokerNole. #AO2020 pic.twitter.com/b2yrSfW6IG

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 2, 2020

Thiem got off to the worst possible start with a nervy opening service game. The fifth seed quickly found himself 3-0 down, although midway through the set there were signs he was settled. He was able to break Djokovic and claw his way back to parity at 4-4, looking like a completely different player.

But at this point, the defending champion found another gear, starting the next game with this brilliant point:

UNRELENTING TENNIS! 👏

Simply sensational from both Thiem and Djokovic

🇦🇺 Watch the #AusOpen final LIVE
📺 Eurosport 1
📱💻🖥 Eurosport Player: https://t.co/0Fa7uXMVB9 pic.twitter.com/x7WI7H9WcH

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) February 2, 2020

After holding serve, Djokovic got his teeth into the Thiem serve. Thiem was clearly edgy at this point too, with a number of mistakes costing him the game and ultimately the set.

The Tennis Podcast commented on how ruthless Djokovic is in Melbourne when he does get ahead:

https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast/status/1223904063827275776

However, he was unable to maintain those levels, with Thiem taking it to him in the second set.

He broke early, only to be pegged back by a pumped-up Djokovic later on. At 4-4, it looked as though the Serb would press on again, but his game unexpectedly deserted him. A double-fault on break point handed the break back to Thiem, who went on to win the set.

After such a strong start to the match, errors were creeping in to Djokovic's play:

After the first five games of the match, Djokovic had made just three errors. Now his unforced error count is up to 33 - and five double faults. Strange to see him perform like this in a slam final - stark contrast to last year's final, too

— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) February 2, 2020

It got even worse at the start of the third. Thiem was sensing blood from the off in the stanza and struck to break at the first opportunity.

After consolidating, another break followed. At 4-0 down, the usually steely focus of Djokovic had been replaced by a look of dejection. The 32-year-old didn't appear to be all too comfortable out on court, either:

Resigned body language from the defending champ

— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) February 2, 2020

Thiem went on to win the set 6-3, and suddenly the favourite had a mountain to climb, with his form and fitness seemingly deserting him.

Yet from somewhere, Djokovic found extra reserves.

There was more pep in his play at the start of the fourth set. After applying pressure to his opponent's serve throughout the set, Djokovic broke to move 5-3 in front and then served it out to love, setting up a decider.

Per ATP Media Info, when matches go to five sets, Djokovic tends to prevail:

[2] @DjokerNole wins 4th set 6-3 vs [5] @ThiemDomi to level @AustralianOpen championship. #Djokovic has a
30-10 career 5-set record, #Thiem 8-6 in 5-setters.

It's 3rd time in last 4 years #AusOpen final going to 5 sets.

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) February 2, 2020

With momentum now firmly with him, it didn't take long for Djokovic to get an edge. There were some signs of weariness from Thiem in the third game, as consecutive mistakes gave Djokovic a break point and then the game.

Djokovic had to withstand some pressure on his own serve in the next game, but he was eventually able to consolidate. Despite the best efforts of a diligent Thiem, from there Djokovic served out the match in peerless style.

Sofia Kenin and Garbine Muguruza will fight it out for Australian Open glory on Saturday after both secured upset wins in their respective semi-final showdowns on Thursday.

Kenin proved to be the party pooper for the home crowd, as she knocked out Aussie favourite and top seed Ashleigh Barty. Meanwhile, Muguruza was too good for fourth seed Simona Halep, prevailing in two tight sets.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is the first player into the men's final. The defending champion was in imperious form at Rod Laver Arena, and he was able to coast to victory over a jaded Roger Federer. His opponent will be either Dominic Thiem or Alexander Zverev, who meet in the second semi-final on Friday.

Here are the results from Thursday's matches in Melbourne and a closer look at the three absorbing encounters.

       

Australian Open - Thursday Results

Women's Draw

(14) Sofia Kenin bt. (1) Ashleigh Barty: 7-6 (6), 7-5

Garbine Muguruza bt. (4) Simona Halep: 7-6 (8), 7-5

  

Men's Draw

(2) Novak Djokovic bt. (3) Roger Federer: 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3

     

Thursday Recap

While all of Thursday's matches were won in straight sets, none were walkovers, and there were times when they all felt as though they were on a knife-edge.

In the women's semi-finals, ultimately it was the underdogs who prevailed in both. Kenin, playing in her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final against the top seed in the draw, arguably produced the best performance of the day.

Barty had two set points to win each of the two sets but was unable to convert against the determined American on all four occasions. By contrast, Kenin was ruthless on the big points, showcasing remarkable maturity for a 21-year-old.

Here is the story of the match:

Per WTA Insider, Kenin's win means she's the youngest player to beat a world No. 1 at a Grand Slam since 2014, when Muguruza got the better of Serena Williams at the French Open.

It's Muguruza who stands between Kenin and her maiden major title, as she was also able to edge two tight sets to get the better of Halep.

The Spaniard has already won two Grand Slams, although in the previous two years, she's rarely been in contention for the biggest prizes. At the start of 2020, it's clear she's recaptured her mojo again.

Here is what she had to say after a memorable performance against Halep:

Muguruza tends to bring her best on the big stage, too, winning six of her last seven finals. That experience of Grand Slam success may also prove to be vital, although Kenin can take comfort in the fact she has won the only meeting between the two players.

In the men's bracket, Djokovic outlasted Federer in the first semi-final, with the latter seemingly feeling the effects of back-to-back five-set matches.

The Swiss was actually a break up in the first set and seemed on course to edge in front. However, once Djokovic settled and took the tiebreak, there was only ever going to be one winner, with the Serb's dynamism and defensive play typically rock-solid.  

It will be the task of a rising star to get the better of the defending and seven-time Australian Open champion in Sunday's final. Both Thiem and Zverev have been considered as potential heirs to the likes of Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal, although they are both still waiting on their maiden Grand Slam success.

Novak Djokovic will contest his eighth Australian Open final after he beat Roger Federer in straight sets on Thursday.

The defending champion triumphed 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3 in Melbourne to set up a clash on Sunday with either Alexander Zverev or Dominic Thiem.

Earlier, Garbine Muguruza and Sofia Kenin booked their places in the final as they beat Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty, respectively.

                          

Thursday's Semi-Final Results

Men's Singles

(2) Novak Djokovic bt. (3) Roger Federer, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3

        

Women's Singles

(14) Sofia Kenin bt. (1) Ashleigh Barty, 7-6 (6), 7-5

Garbine Muguruza bt. (4) Simona Halep, 7-6 (8), 7-5

Visit the Australian Open website to see the full results

       

Replay Details

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

Eurosport 1 at 5:21 p.m., 6:51 p.m., 8:21 p.m., 9:51 p.m. and 11:21 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)

      

U.S. Replay Schedule (Time ET)

ESPN 2 at 2 p.m.

Tennis Channel at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere (U.S.)

              

Recap

Federer will be wondering how he failed to see out the first set having gone 4-1 and 40-0 up on his opponent's serve, but Djokovic dug deep to take it to a tiebreaker.

The No. 2 seed had the momentum on his side by that point, and some excellent play in the tiebreaker—including a sensational drop shot—restricted Federer to just one point.

Djokovic claimed the second and third sets with a solitary break apiece, while Federer did not have a single opportunity to break in either.

The Serb's improvement over the course of the match can be seen in the numbers. He made just 18 unforced errors on Thursday, and 11 of those came in the first set. Federer finished the match with 35, although he also hit 46 winners to Djokovic's 31.

Kenin took on world No. 1 Barty in the opening semi-final of the day. Despite facing a partisan crowd at the Rod Laver Arena and an opponent who had won four of her five career meetings in the intense heat, the American battled to a hard-fought win.

The 21-year-old saved three break points to hold for 3-3, and the pair eventually reached a tiebreaker without Barty having faced a break point herself.

Barty had two chances to close out the set when she went 6-4 up, but she failed to convert either.

The Australian went a break up early in the second on the way to a 5-3 lead, but once again Kenin saved a pair of set points as she rattled off four games in succession to take the win.

Muguruza's clash with Halep was a topsy-turvy encounter in which they shared seven breaks of serve in two sets.

The Spaniard saved two set points to force the first set into a tiebreaker after Halep had come back from 5-3 down. In the tiebreaker, the pair each saved two set points before Muguruza finally closed it out, resulting in Halep smashing her racket in anger.

The No. 4 seed twice went a break up in the second, but on both occasions she was pegged back by her opponent, who conjured a third break at the death to seal her place in the final.

Muguruza hit 39 winners and made 44 unforced errors to Halep's 20 and 23, respectively.

Novak Djokovic booked his place in the 2020 Australian Open final by beating Roger Federer 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.

The Serb survived a blistering start by No. 3 seed Federer and eventually won the opening set after a brilliant tiebreak.

It was a huge blow to Federer, who had nothing to show for his early brilliance, and in the second set, he had to scrap simply to stay in contention until Djokovic eventually went up a gear and broke to go 2-0 ahead.

The Swiss legend looked spent, and Djokovic remained completely in control in the third. The defending champion eventually sealed victory in two hours, 18 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. 

He will face either Dominic Thiem or Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final as he aims to win an eighth title at Melbourne Park.   

There was huge expectation surrounding Federer and Djokovic's 50th competitive meeting, and the opening exchanges did not disappoint. 

The first game lasted six minutes and included four deuces. Federer saved two early break points and served three aces all just to hold for a 1-0 lead.

He then produced a sumptuous backhand pass to break immediately for 2-0, only for Djokovic to break straight back.

A third consecutive break went Federer's way thanks to some Djokovic-like returning of serve, and the Swiss consolidated for a 4-1 lead by holding with three more aces.

Federer, 38, was playing supreme tennis, hitting winner after winner, and it seemed inevitable he would serve out the set at 5-3 ahead.

But all of a sudden, his serve disappeared. He double-faulted, missed a relatively easy shot at the net and went wide and long to be broken to love.

The momentum had turned in the blink of an eye, and when Djokovic won the ensuing tiebreak in comprehensive fashion, Federer found himself a set behind despite having hit eight aces and 26 winners.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion spent the second set simply trying to stay in touch while Djokovic won 20 of 24 points on his own serve.

Federer, meanwhile, had to scrap to hold his own serve.

And he had no answer when Djokovic upped his game at 5-4 ahead, breaking to win the second set with an impeccable touch at the net that left his opponent helpless.

Federer has performed innumerable minor miracles on a tennis court in the last two decades, but there was never any prospect he would fight his way back into Thursday's semi-final.

In the sixth game of the third set, Djokovic again went up through the gears with some fearsome returning and a devastating crosscourt winner to break for 4-2, and two more routine holds put him into the final. 

The semi-finals for the 2020 men's singles competition at the Australian Open are set, with a quartet of big names in contention for a spot in the final.

On Thursday, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will write another chapter in their longstanding rivalry, as they face off in what should be a thrilling encounter.

A day later, Dominic Thiem will be out to build on the momentum he accrued from his excellent win over Rafael Nadal. He will take on Alexander Zverev, who has begun to overcome his Grand Slam issues at this competition, making it to the final four of one of the majors for the first time in his career.

Here are the key details on where to catch what promise to be some absorbing contests in Melbourne.

                 

Men's Semi-Final Schedule (GMT)

Thursday, January 30

Not before 8:30 a.m.: (2) Novak Djokovic vs. (3) Roger Federer

         

Friday, January 31

Not before 8:30 a.m.: (5) Dominic Thiem vs. (7) Alexander Zverev

        

TV Info: Eurosport 1 (U.K.), ESPN 2 (U.S.), Tennis Channel (U.S.)

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (U.K.), ESPN Plus (U.S.) Tennis Channel Everywhere (U.S.)

             

Preview

It's no surprise to see both Federer and Djokovic in the semi-finals, but they've both taken different paths.

While Djokovic hasn't dropped a set since his first match and coasted past Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals, Federer has been on the brink of elimination a couple of times.

The Swiss somehow clung on in the quarters against Tennys Sandgren, when he saved seven match points and eventually clinched the clash in five sets. 

Eurosport shared the highlights of one of the best comeback wins of Federer's career:

Given Federer was suffering with a groin injury during the Sandgren match and was taken to five sets in the previous round against John Millman, you suspect his 38-year-old frame will be sore as he prepares for the showdown with Djokovic.

It makes the Serbian, who is the defending champion and a seven-time winner of this competition, a big favourite to progress into Sunday's showpiece final.

Also looking to get there will be Zverev, who has displayed signs of finally delivering on his immense potential. In the quarters, he dug deep to beat Stanislas Wawrinka, fighting back from a set down and showing the sort of steely focus fans have long been demanding from him on this stage.

After the win, Zverev said he didn't have especially high ambitions at this competition:

The German's mindset will be fascinating going into the semi; already this is his best performance at a Grand Slam, but the pressure of playing this deep into a major event will be a new experience.

Thiem has played in two Grand Slam finals before, both at the French Open. In each of those he lost to Nadal, although he gained a measure of revenge on Wednesday by beating the Spaniard.

The Austrian showed both quality and resilience to best the top seed in four sets; that type of performance—given the opponent he beat and the manner of the win—should give him the confidence to win one of these major events.      

Novak Djokovic beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1) on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2020 Australian Open.

The Serb won in straight sets for the fourth straight match to advance in his Australian title defence, leaving Raonic in his wake despite the Canadian's valiant efforts to keep up in the clash.

His semi-final opponent will be Roger Federer, who saved seven match points to beat Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3 and prolong his hopes of trying to level with Djokovic on seven major titles in Melbourne.

Ashleigh Barty is still hoping to win her first such Australian Open, and she booked a maiden semi-final spot after defeating Petra Kvitova 7-6 (6), 6-2.

She'll face Grand Slam semi-final debutant Sofia Kenin, who beat Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 to become the first woman to book her place in the last four.

      

Monday's Quarter-Final Results

Men's Singles

(2) Novak Djokovic bt. (32) Milos Raonic: 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1)

(3) Roger Federer bt. Tennys Sandgren: 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3

      

Women's Singles

(1) Ashleigh Barty bt. (7) Petra Kvitova: 7-6 (6), 6-2

(14) Sofia Kenin bt. Ons Jabeur: 6-4, 6-4

Visit the Australian Open website to see the full results.

      

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

Eurosport 1 at 1:19 p.m., 4:18 p.m., 6:18 p.m., 8:18 p.m. and 10:18 p.m.

Eurosport 2 at 3 p.m., 7:26 p.m. and 8:41 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)

       

Recap

Djokovic looked as though he had plenty left in reserves despite appearing so confident in his meeting with Raonic, where the world No. 2 recorded only 14 unforced errors compared to his opponent's 48.

That figure perhaps didn't fairly reflect the performance of Raonic, who looked second-best in the crucial exchanges despite pulling off some audacious shots just to keep within reach at times.

Djokovic overcame an issue with his contact lens in the third set to set up a 50th career meeting with Federer, whose record against Djokovic has diminished, per the New York Times' Christopher Clarey:

7-time Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic defeats Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1), breaking his serve twice, to advance to a Thursday semifinal against Roger Federer, who has not beaten him in a Grand Slam tournament since Wimbledon in 2012

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 28, 2020

Federer was forced to dig deep against world No. 100 Sandgren, who came within one point of ousting the six-time Australian Open winner on no fewer than seven occasions.

The American underdog was one set up and led 5-4 in the fourth when he failed to convert three match points, later missing four opportunities to seal the upset in a tiebreak.

Sandgren may feel particularly upset considering he won more games than his opponent, per Gracenote Olympic:

Tennis🎾 - For only the 2nd time in his Major career, @rogerfederer wins a Grand Slam men's singles match despite winning fewer games (23-24) than his opponent. This was also the case in the 2009 Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick. (38-39) #AusOpen #Federer

— Gracenote Olympic (@GracenoteGold) January 28, 2020

Federer has won more Wimbledon titles (eight) than he has any other major, though his track record in reaching the decisive phases in Melbourne is superior to even that at SW19:

Breakdown of @RogerFederer's #GrandSlam record 46 SFs:@AustralianOpen 15@Wimbledon 13@USOpen 10@RolandGarros 8

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 28, 2020

Barty weathered an early storm to overcome the challenge of Kvitova, who beat the top seed at this stage of last year's tournament to deny her a home Grand Slam.

The Australian—who has since won the 2019 French Open—showed her class in the second set, where she broke Kvitova three times.

The New York Times' Ben Rothenberg highlighted this as a landmark win for Barty in major contests:

That win over #7 Kvitova was, implausibly, #1 Ash Barty's first career win over a top-10 opponent at a Slam (previously 0-5).

Also first time she'd faced a top-10er at a Slam since becoming a top-10er herself. #AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2020

Upcoming opponent Kenin is the last American remaining in either draw after she got the better of Jabeur, whose unpredictable style looked problematic for her at times.

The Tunisian won 16 of her 18 net points and accounted for the only five aces of the match, but an unforced error count of 36 ultimately worked too much against her.

Kenin, 21, has beaten Barty in one of their five career meetings so far, a second-round win at the 2019 Rogers Cup, per tennis writer Jose Morgado:

Insane 12 months from Barty. Clear #1 and nobody even close. Her results in GS/PM/P5

Indian Wells - R4
Miami - W
Madrid - QF
Rome - R16
Roland Garros - W
Wimbledon - R16
Toronto - R2 (to Kenin!)
Cincinnati - SF
US Open - R16
Wuhan - SF
Beijing - F
WTA Finals - W#AusOpen - SF*

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 28, 2020

The No. 14 seed will continue her best campaign at a Grand Slam to date but has the odds stacked against her facing Queensland native Barty.

Roger Federer saved seven match points en route to a 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3 win over Tennys Sandgren as he progressed to the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals on Tuesday.

Federer looked to be on the verge of a shock exit but held on to defeat American Sandgren and reach the semi-finals in Melbourne for the 15th time in his career.

The 38-year-old became the first player to book his place in the men's last four, where he'll face Novak Djokovic following his 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1) quarter-final win over Milos Raonic.

Ashleigh Barty defeated Petra Kvitova 7-6 (6), 6-2 to continue her quest for glory on home soil, beating her previous best performance at the Australian Open.

She'll face Sofia Kenin in the last four after the 14th seed defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4.

      

Tuesday's Quarter-Final Results

Men's Singles

(2) Novak Djokovic bt. (32) Milos Raonic: 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1)

(3) Roger Federer bt. Tennys Sandgren: 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3

      

Women's Singles

(1) Ashleigh Barty bt. (7) Petra Kvitova: 7-6 (6), 6-2

(14) Sofia Kenin bt. Ons Jabeur: 6-4, 6-4

Visit the Australian Open website to see the full results.

      

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

Eurosport 1 at 1:19 p.m., 4:18 p.m. 6:18 p.m., 8:18 p.m. and 10:18 p.m.

Eurosport 2 at 3 p.m., 7:26 p.m. and 8:41 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)

      

U.S. Replay Schedule (Time ET)

ESPN 2 at 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Tennis Channel at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere (U.S.)

       

Recap

Federer failed to produce his best at Rod Laver Arena, but the Swiss star survived a huge scare to beat world No. 100 Sandgren to a semi-final spot as he pursues a seventh Australian Open title.

Sandgren forced three match points while leading 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 5-4 in a tense fourth set and failed to convert another four times after leading by as much as three points in the tiebreak.

Durability also became a concern for Federer, who credited good fortune as a factor in his post-match interview:

"I think I got incredibly lucky."

Luck or not, here's how @rogerfederer assessed his performance to advance to the #AO2020 semifinals.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/MK8UDBxT9o

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020

The 20-time Grand Slam champion can expect the level of competition to increase in the semis, although tennis writer Nick Nemeroff highlighted Federer's evergreen qualities at major tournaments:

Federer has now made a slam semifinal in three different decades.

— Nick Nemeroff (@NNemeroff) January 28, 2020

Djokovic overcame the challenge of Raonic in confident fashion despite the Canadian's best attempts to keep pace with his opponent on Rod Laver Arena.

It was a clinical display from the defending champion, who made Raonic look ordinary in a performance that underlined his potential to win back-to-back Australian Open titles for a third time in his career.

Djokovic couldn't ask for a much more difficult semi-final test than Federer, with the pair set to celebrate a half-century of matchups, per Gracenote Olympic:

Tennis 🎾- @DjokerNole and @rogerfederer will meet for the 50th time. Only Djokovic vs. Nadal has been played more often in Open Era in the men's singles tournaments (55). #AUSOpen #AO2020

— Gracenote Olympic (@GracenoteGold) January 28, 2020

Barty's hope for a home Grand Slam win in 2020 remains alive after she bested Kvitova in straight sets, earning redemption against the player who knocked her out at the same stage at last year's Australian Open.

The 23-year-old's triumph over the seventh seed also cemented her place among Australia's modern greats, per WTA Insider:

World No.1 Ashleigh Barty is the 1st 🇦🇺woman to reach an #AusOpen semifinal since Wendy Turnbull in 1984, who was also the most recent finalist in 1980.

The last Aussie champion was Chris O’Neil in 1978.

Barty defeats Kvitova 76(6) 62 and faces Kenin in the semis. pic.twitter.com/6f3Q83mRVE

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 28, 2020

She'll meet a fellow rising prospect in Kenin, 23, who continued her career-best Grand Slam run in Melbourne following her own straight-sets victory against Jabeur.

Tunisian star Jabeur was one of only two unseeded players in the women's quarter-finals—Garbine Muguruza is the other—but Kenin's father, Alexander, didn't underestimate the task, per The National's Reem Abulleil:

Kenin's dad/coach Alexander:
She played a very talented girl w a very unique playing style. I’m very proud of her that she found a way to handle it. Because it’s not very easy and it’s completely out of the box. This girl has everything, all the shots that other girls don’t have

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) January 28, 2020

Kenin will feel well-acquainted with Barty after the pair met on four separate occasions in 2019, though their head-to-head record leans heavily in favour of the Australian:

Ashleigh Barty. Sofia Kenin. A spot in the #AusOpen final.

Who's ready? 🍿 pic.twitter.com/TYyJ7y7CwD

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) January 28, 2020

Barty will be the first seeded opponent Kenin has faced in Melbourne despite reaching the penultimate round, where the pressure of reaching a first Australian Open final could become a burden for either player.

Roger Federer produced one of the most memorable wins of his distinguished career on Tuesday, somehow finding a way past Tennys Sandgren and progressing into the semi-finals of the 2020 Australian Open, 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3. 

Sandgren rallied after falling behind in the first set; he had seven match points in the fourth, with Federer struggling with an injury issue.

However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion managed to dig deep to save them all and claw his way back to parity in the match.

In the decider, Sandgren was stunned, and when Federer broke, there was no coming back for the American.

Here is the moment Federer progressed, setting up a last-four showdown with either Novak Djokovic or Milos Raonic:

Federer finds a way 🇨🇭@rogerfederer saves seven match points to def. Tennys Sandgren 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-6(8) 6-3 and reach the #AusOpen semifinals for the 15th time.#AO2020 pic.twitter.com/B3Biy3q1Ez

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020

Afterwards, the third seed said he thought he was fortunate to get through the contest: 

"I think I got incredibly lucky."

Luck or not, here's how @rogerfederer assessed his performance to advance to the #AO2020 semifinals.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/MK8UDBxT9o

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020

The opening set saw Federer on form, and while Sandgren was determined and diligent, the class of the Swiss was too much for him to cope with. A 6-3 stanza looked poised to be a precedent for a quick day's work for the great man.

However, in the second some raggedness crept into Federer's play, with Sandgren's serve starting to click into gear. 

In the third set, there was no significant response from Federer, with Sandgren beginning to dictate the points and get stuck into his opponent's serve. 

After a two breaks in quick succession for the American in the third, Federer seemed to be struggling with an injury issue and took a medical timeout; Jose Morgado of Record noted his serve speeds were down: 

Federer's first serve speeds in this game
170
163
174
143 (!)

Not looking good.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 28, 2020

As Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times noted, the usually cool Federer was beginning to look uncharacteristically flustered out on court, as Sandgren edged in front:

Line judge on Federer's end tattles on Federer, getting him an audible obscenity code violation.

Roger is NOT thrilled by her due dilligence.#AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2020

In the fourth set, the underdog had his opponent on the brink three times at 5-4, although he planted three match points into the net to allow Federer off the hook.

With Federer clearly struggling to move with his usual grace, he somehow forced a tiebreak but when 6-3 down in it his hopes of making the semi-finals appeared to be over. Yet the 38-year-old somehow clung on, with a combination of brilliant play and Sandgren's nerves keeping the match alive, with three more match points passing him by.

A rasping serve from Sandgren gave him his seventh match point of the match, but once again he was tentative in the following exchanges, allowing Federer off the hook. The Swiss then forced a mini-break and his first set point, which he seized.

Christopher Clarey of the New York Times summed up an incredible spell of tennis:

Federer saved 1st 3 match points serving at 4-5 in 4th set as Sandgren hit groundstrokes in net

Fed saved next 4 in TB, which Sandgren led 6-3.

Fed saved 4 & 5 as Sandgren hit BHs in net. Fed saved 6 with a combination of passing shots, 7 as Sandgren missed a BH chip approach https://t.co/DloFYPAkb8

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 28, 2020

Per The Tennis Podcast, both men were struggling to grasp their opportunities when they surfaced: 

https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast/status/1222057728329207808

At the end of the fourth set, Federer was able to find some fluency in his movement again, which transferred into the fifth against a noticeably dejected Sandgren.

In the early stages of the decider, the American was clinging on to his serve, with Federer suddenly finding a way of getting into the points again when returning. After fashioning a 3-2 lead, the Swiss broke, consolidated and there was ultimately no way back his opponent.