DUBAI: Roger Federer’s defence of the Dubai Open title came to a dramatic end in the semi-finals after he failed to convert three match points against Tomas Berdych, the man who also upset him in the US Open.
The world number six from the Czech Republic thrillingly turned the match around after a neck-and-neck second set tie-break, going on to win 3-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 against the five-time champion and set up a final against Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian world number one extended his unbeaten run to 17 matches and reached the 55th final of his career with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win over Juan Martin Del Potro, the former US Open champion from Argentina.
Federer was on the verge of success at 6-4 and 8-7 in the tie break, with the second of the three points coming on his serve, only for Berdych to somehow get into a rally and win it with some fierce ground strokes.
One break of serve halfway through the final set then proved decisive, as Federer gambled more and more on rushing the net instead of continuing the bruising baseline exchanges which characterised the first two sets.
“It’s obviously unfortunate, you know,” said Federer, for whom this is a tournament in his second home. “Pity to lose that one, but Tomas did well to hang in there.
“Obviously I leave this match with a lot of regrets I’m feeling: serving for the match, with the serve, having chances in the beginning of the second, you know, when he wasn’t quite in the match yet, to go break up, you know, set and a break, you know, a few points where things just didn’t happen for me.”
Berdych was pleased that he avoided the perils of tension in the later stages, as he closed the match out.
“Staying calm is definitely the big thing I have been working on,” he said.
Earlier, Djokovic was again in fine fettle for a man who had not played a tournament since the successful defence of the Australian title nearly five weeks ago.
Del Potro hit fierce first serves and heavy ground strokes mixed in with thunderbolt accelerations with his forehand, advancing to a 3-0 lead in the second set.
Djokovic responded superbly when behind, containing brilliantly, moving superbly, and counter-attacking with excellent timing and accuracy.
However, his break back to 2-3 came amidst controversy. Umpire Magdi Somat imposed a time violation on Del Potro when he took a longer to prepare at a vital moment, at 30-40, break point down.
The Argentine walked up to the umpire to protest.
By the time the situation had calmed during the incidient , the delay was at least twice the permitted 25 seconds.
There followed a forehand-to-forehand exchange ending with a mishit under pressure by Del Potro costing him the game.
AFP
