ATP Australian Open: Shaky Roger Federer loses second set vs. Sandgren for a scare

Playing in his 15th Australian Open quarter-final, world no. 3 Roger Federer is trying to stay on a perfect score in the last eight encounters here in Melbourne and advance into the 15th semi-final. He will have to work hard for that, though, losing the second set 6-2 to Tennys Sandgren in half an hour. Unlike in the opener, Roger made too many groundstrokes errors and got broken twice to send his rival in front, with Tennys trying to become the first American in the semi-final in Melbourne since Andy Roddick in 2009! Tennys did everything right in his games and mounted the pressure on Roger in the return games, hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter.

Sandgren held at the beginning of the set after a deuce when Federer netted a backhand, finding the range on the return and stealing Roger's serve at 15 in the next game when the Swiss sprayed a smash error. Landing an ace in the third game, the American confirmed the break and move 3-0 up before Federer reduced the gap to 3-1 with a forehand down the line winner in the fourth game, ready to fight to pull the break back. That couldn't happen in the fifth game, though, netting a volley at the net and allowing Tennys to build a 4-1 advantage before the second part of the set that has gone to his side so far.

Roger held at 15 in game six with a service winner to stay within one break deficit but Tennys was not to be denied, firing another booming serve to move 5-2 in front and force a great rival to serve for staying in the set. Facing two set points in that eighth game, Federer saved the first with a volley winner before netting a backhand that gave the set to the American after 30 minutes of play. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2tXaYzd