Friday September 11, from 7pm local time, Flushing Meadows, Arthur Ash Stadium.
SWITZERLAND’S tennis legend vs. his heir apparent is set to be an absolute cracker with both men in seriously hot form.
In a rematch of this year’s French Open quarter final, second seed Roger Federer ($1.30 with CrownBet.com.au) takes on compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka ($3.50 with CrownBet.com.au) in the semi final of the US Open.
“Stan played a wonderful match against me in Paris, and I was very happy for him that he went on to win the tournament.
“He deserved it.
“He’s been such a great player throughout his career.
“He always improved a lot, kept on working really hard.
“Couldn’t be happier to play him here, to be quite honest.
Both men are guns, with Federer, even at age 34, still setting the bench mark in the tennis world, rolling like he was still 25 throughout this tournament.
Intriguingly, while both are great players, the pair has never squared off against each other in the semi finals of a major tournament, despite playing each other 19 times previously.
Federer this morning defeated Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets in the quarters, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, to book his place in his 10th semi final at Flushing Meadows.
It’s damn hot in New York, but it appeared Federer had ice in his veins as he cruised through the quarter final, while the Frenchman looked like he had just run a marathon by the end of it.
“I felt the ball great and was able to get in a high percentage of first serves,” Federer said.
“I was able to stay aggressive and enjoy myself out there.
“My serve worked very well.
It took less than an hour and a half for him to dispose of Gasquet and he still hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament.
Remarkable, but humble Fed was typically humble.
“It’s nice to play this way,” Federer said.
“And, maybe at my age, to run through five opponents the way I have done here at the US Open, I don’t consider that normal, to be quite honest, even though I expect it in some ways.
“I don’t feel like I’m as old as I am.
“I still feel young.
“So it’s nice to get rewarded with the hard work and know that, actually, I’m able to play sort of ‘fun’ tennis.”
It’s almost unthinkable when you realise this guy has not won major title since Wimbledon in 2012.
Federer is just stoked that two Swiss products are in the semi finals of a grand slam.
“For Switzerland it’s huge that we have two guys in the semis of the US Open, a huge tournament, biggest arena in the world,” Federer said.
“I think we are both very much pumped up that that’s the case.
“Only better scenario would have been in the finals, but this is very, very good.”
Federer must battle his fellow countryman Wawrinka, who he plays with on the nation’s Davis Cup and Olympic teams – Although he owns a brutal 16-3 advantage in that time.
They will know each other well and he will be wary of the talented 2015 French Open champion.
He hammered big serving South African Kevin Anderson in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0, breezing past the fifth seed to reach his second US Open semi final in three years.
The third set lasted just 25 minutes against the towering 6-8 South African, who sends them down at 125 miles per hour.
“It was the best match of the tournament for me,” Wawrinka said.
“I was really happy with the way I played.
“I was trying to be really aggressive on the return and make him play a mix or some slice, some aggressive play from the baseline.”
The question mark is, did Anderson simply run out of gas, or was he dominated by the Swiss?
Wawrinka never lacks confidence and, despite the huge slant toward Federer in their previous meetings, he reckons he can still beat the superstar.
“I know I only have two matches left but it’s a big challenge ahead of me,” Wawrinka said after today’s match.
“I’m far away from thinking about the trophy.
“I think you should only think about the trophy when you are in the final.
“Not before.
“I will try to play my game, to play really aggressive.
The pair have lockers right next to each other at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“We always laugh together,” Wawrinka said.
“Friday we’re going to laugh together in the locker room before the match.”
Only one of them will be laughing after the match.
Let’s hope the compatriots produce a memorable one.
As far as the men’s singles US Open title markets go, World Number one Novak Djokovic is the punters pick with WilliamHill.com.au, favoured at $1.75.
But Federer is not far behind at $2.60. Wawrinka is next best at $8, while Djokovic’s semi final opponent Marin Cilic is given almost no chance at $23.
Predictions
Match result: Roger Federer wins ($1.30 with CrownBet.com.au)
Sets: Roger Federer 3-0 ($2.72 with CrownBet.com.au)
Normally we’d say this is a tough one and it probably could go either way, but, in the form that he’s in, it’s hard to see the Fed Express losing. One factor that is set to be telling is the time each man has spent on the court. Fed has only spent a tick over eight hours demolishing his opponents. Wawrinka’s matches, while only going past three sets once, have been tougher, going to five tie breakers and have taken him more than 11 hours to complete. It might be that the rested Federer gets the upper hand. The hotter the better for the second seed we reckon, after watching him float through the quarters against Gasquet. This is a guy who reckons he know Wawrinka so well that he can anticipate his shots before he plays them. The guy hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament and we reckon, despite the fact Wawrinka is the most talented player he’s faced off against so far, he has the class, skills and form to continue his perfect run. The US Open is set up for a Federer vs Djokovic grand slam final and really, does anyone want it any other way? Let’s hope our tip is right and the game’s two biggest stars end up going head to head for grand slam glory.
US Open Men’s single market
Novak Djokovic ($1.75)
Roger Federer ($2.60 with WilliamHill.com.au)
Stanislas Wawrinka ($8)
Marin Cilic ($23)
Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au
