- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
If Roger Federer hopes to edge closer to an 18th grand slam title, he will firstly have to get past world No.1 and perennial rival Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:30pm (AEDT).
Federer has been the most impressive player thus far in the men’s draw and is playing well enough to win his fifth Australian Open title.
Indeed if it weren’t for Djokovic’s exploits last season, the Swiss star would have added Wimbledon and the US Open to his 17 grand slam titles.
Federer’s game at the moment is as sharp as it was a decade ago and you could even argue that parts of his game have evolved over time.
Last year’s Wimbledon and US Open finalist is still moving gracefully around the court and his forehand, backhand and serve remain aesthetically pleasing and incredibly effective weapons against the very best on the ATP tour.
As good as Federer is however, Djokovic remains a key thorn in his attempts to perhaps win an astonishing 20 grand slam titles before he retires.
The Serb hasn’t been too convincing at the Australian Open thus far but he invariably plays his best tennis when it matters most. Djokovic is a master absorber of pace and is probably the only player on tour capable of mitigating Federer’s great offensive play.
Djokovic’s court coverage is perhaps the greatest the men’s game has ever seen, and the more shots Federer is forced to play, the more likely his game will break down.
Indeed, this was exactly the case last year at Wimbledon and the US Open. Both matches were well-contested affairs but Federer’s shot-making let him down in key moments as he tried to take too much risk against an opponent who is rock solid with his shot-making when under pressure.
Djokovic has become a master at playing aggressive, yet low-risk tennis that enables him to dictate rallies against opposition who are then forced to go for the line to win a point. The Serb’s double-handed backhand, in particular, is arguably the most solid in the men’s game and it barely lets him down on big points.
With that said, Federer’s style is still the most likely to trouble Djokovic compared to the conservative styles often employed by other top players such as Andy Murray.
Stanislas Wawrinka’s victory over Djokovic at the French Open last year proved that a highly offensive game is the only way to beat the Serb at the highest level. It is not a risk-free approach by any stretch of the imagination but, if executed well, it is the approach most likely to yield results.
If Federer can execute with his serve and forehand tonight, he is a real chance of causing the upset. If unforced errors creep into his game at key moments, however, Djokovic’s solid and aggressive style of tennis will once again get the better of him.
Either way, tennis fans should brace themselves for a classic
Federer to win in five sets.