Roger Federer falls to Nadal in straights at Australian Open semis

World No 1 Rafael Nadal proves too strong for his great rival Roger Federer, finishing a comfortable 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3 winner


Midway through this semi-final, Roger Federer went on the offensive – but only when he was sitting down. While waiting for Rafael Nadal to have his blisters taped, Federer complained to the umpire about the volume of Nadal’s grunts. “It hasn’t been something new,” came the sensible reply.


Federer sounded a little like Mr Pipe-and-Slippers, objecting ineffectually to the raging house party next door. But then, nobody makes him feel his age like Nadal. Yesterday’s 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 defeat brought the guillotine down on Federer’s early-season revival, and reminded us that he is still a 32-year-old facing a hungry posse of twentysomethings.


“I don’t know how to explain to you guys,” said Federer afterwards, as he found himself besieged by journalists who wanted to know where his form had evaporated to. “It’s totally different playing Rafa over anybody else. Playing [Andy] Murray or Rafa is day and night. It’s not because of the level necessarily, but it’s just every point is played in a completely different fashion and I have to totally change my game.”


In other words, Federer tried to be Federer, but Nadal would not let him. When Federer stepped up to hit his backhand, Nadal’s throat-seeking top-spin forced a flurry of miscues. When Federer rushed the net, Nadal’s passing shots were so deadly that they could have been lined up with telescopic sights. Federer’s miraculous new racket had reverberated like a bass drum all fortnight, but against Nadal, it reverted to a tinny snare.


Not that this is anything new. We saw the same script played out in most of their previous 32 meetings. The tallest edifice in modern tennis is now tilting even more precipitously in Nadal’s favour, with 23 wins to just 10 losses. In grand slams, the bias is 9-2 in Spain’s favour.


While yesterday’s match offered little in terms of drama, the quality of play was high.


Murray’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, put it well when he tweeted: “Rafa in beast mode and that cannot be stopped.” Indeeed Nadal was almost unrecognisable from the erratic, anxious character who had struggled to subdue Grigor Dimitrov – the man known as “Baby Fed” – in four sets on Wednesday. Few athletes in history can match Nadal’s ability to summon his A-game when it is most urgently required.


The bad news for Stan Wawrinka – the next Swiss to face the Spanish threshing machine – is that the blister on the palm of Nadal’s left hand is clearing up, and his serve was back to its full speed yesterday. This left no apparent weakness in his thunderous, bull-fighter’s game. Federer had to wait until the third set before he earned so much as a break point.


“I think I am quick today,” said Nadal afterwards, which is about as close as this humble man ever comes to bigging himself up. “I produce great shots from very difficult positions. The movements are ready and I feel the power in the legs.”


There had been a rare sense of anticipation around Rod Laver Arena yesterday evening. The fans were desperate for Federer to maintain the sharpness that had sunk Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Murray.


Such has been the rejuvenation of Federer over the past fortnight that his whole tournament has felt like a bonus for Melbourne’s tennis community: an unexpected chance to see the greatest artist of his generation playing somewhere near his peak.


But the excitement began to drain after a tight first set, in which Federer just about managed to hang onto his serve, only to be outmuscled in the tie-break.


This was the moment when the trainer came on to fix Nadal’s increasingly minimalist blister tape (which gave Nadal more control of his racket than he had when fully strapped on Wednesday, but also left him worrying that the covering might just slip off). It was also the moment when Federer got stuck into umpire Jake Garner about the grunting.


Asked later if the noise had distracted him, Federer replied: “Not when he does it every point. But it goes in phases. One point he does and he doesn’t. That’s just what I was complaining about.”


Federer was also being forced to wait far longer than the allotted 20 seconds between points when Nadal was serving, which also came up at the post-match press conference. “Rafa is doing a much better job today than he used to,” Federer said. “But he’s gotten two point penalties over the course of our rivalry. I just think that’s not quite happening.


“It’s important to enforce the rules on all the players the same way. Don’t give me or [Novak] Djokovic a free pass just because of who we are. A guy on Court 16, because the guy had a brutal rally, you give him a time violation just because you can. On centre court, the umpires are always going to be afraid to take those decisions. I just like to challenge them a little bit.”


If it sounds as if Federer was sniping, that would be misleading. He was giving sensible answers to the questions that were put to him. For the most part, he was upbeat about his month in Australia, which delivered a runner-up finish in Brisbane followed by his first grand slam semi-final for a year.


“I’m not too disappointed tonight because I feel it’s been a good start,” he said. “I needed a good moment again because I’ve been going through a tougher time. I still feel my best tennis is only ahead of me right now. So I’m looking forward to the next couple of months, and hopefully, by April, I feel like I’m going to be at 100 per cent again.”

telegraph.co.uk


Am I surprised by this result?, am I shocked by it?. Absolutely not. Am I sad and disappointed?. As always the answer to that is yes.

When the tournament started I didn't expect Roger to get past the quarters (having one of the toughest draws). And I kept telling myself every win would be gravy.

And yet the closer he got to the end the more greedy I got, I wanted him to just make it past that one more hurdle (in the form of Nadal).

Fully knowing that it would be a big ask, and the chances would be slim.

But when it comes to this man it's hard not to hope and to want him to succeed regardless (given his already impressive record). I was hoping for a bit more of a fight though, at least a 4th setter.

Sadly once again it was not to be. I knew once he lost the first set it would be an uphill battle, I stopped watching the match at that point because I just had a feeling it wouldn't swing back Federer's way ; well that and it was 5am.

There's no denying that Nadal was the superior player again, he turned it up another gear and there was very little Roger could do.

So now I am left rooting for the other Swiss, the man who for year's has been living in Federer's shadow Mr. Stan Wawrinka.

The man who has been the giant killer when it comes to seeded players in this tournament.

I hope he goes for it, this man deserves to finally win a Grand Slam and step out of that ever present shadow.

This Aussie Open has been all about the changing of the guard (on the women's side especially). With Williams, Sharapova & Azaranka out before the semis. I'm hoping the same will be true on the men's side.

Go Stan the man!