Roger Federer: 'I didn't deserve to beat Tennys Sandgren but..'

The 20-time Major champion Roger Federer had to endure one of the toughest challenges of his two-decade-long career on Tuesday night at Melbourne Park, ousting Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 in three and a half hours after fending off seven match points! Two rounds after that incredible win over John Millman, Federer was forced to dig deep once again against the lower-ranked players, struggling with a groin injury and defending those seven match points in the fourth set for a miracle escape and the place in the 15th Australian Open semi-final, never losing in the quarter-final stage at the first Major of the season.

Playing in his second Australian Open quarter-final, Sandgren took control from the second set and moved on the verge of victory following a 6-2 in set number three against the opponent who was far from his best. Managing to stay in contention in the first half of the fourth set, Roger dug deep to fend off three match points in the tenth game, trailing 6-3 in the tie break before another miraculous escape that somehow brought him the set and made him the favorite ahead of the decider. There, Federer used the momentum to cross the finish line first and celebrate only the second victory of his career after saving seven match points, the first in 16 and a half years! 

"I got to get lucky sometimes, I have to tell you that. You can't control things on the court when you facing seven match points but I was hoping that maybe he is not going to smash a winner, keeping the ball in play and looking for a miss or two from his side. I got incredibly lucky today as he played a great match; as the encounter went on, I started to feel better and all the pressure went away and I just tried to play. I got some luck to get the break in the fifth and served well in the rest of the clash to emerge at the top. I don't deserve this one but I'm standing here and I'm obviously thrilled."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3b3uRFM