Nikoloz Basilashvili came back from a set down and even saved a match point along the way to end Roger Federer’s short run at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 on Thursday.
The Swiss superstar was playing his first tournament since a semifinal loss at the 2020 Australian Open to Novak Djokovic, having undergone a double knee surgery post that.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion had clinched a three-set second round 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-5 win in his return match against frequent practice partner Daniel Evans on Wednesday.
On Thursday, his Georgian opponent forced a breakpoint in the first game of the match itself but squandered it, and then two more in the fifth game. By then Federer had already converted the only break point opportunity he received in the fourth, and eventually closed the set out in 37 minutes.
The world No. 42 then broke Federer early in the second set, saved three break points on the back of some booming serves, before breaking the second seed and three-time champion in Qatar again in the sixth game to level the match up.
Basilashvili, who had lost their only encounter coming into the match at the 2016 Australian Open, continued with his impressive groundstrokes in the decider as Federer fought hard to save break points at 3-3.
Federer couldn’t get his hold on Basilashvili’s powerful forehand from closer to the net as the Georgian successfully saved a match point at 4-5, before winning seven of the next eight points for a 6-5 lead.
It was then only matter of minutes before the 29-year-old served for the match, finishing the formalities with a backhand winner.
“It feels really good, obviously. He was my idol. And just to play against him, even in match, practice, whatever it is, I'm happy. He's for me one of the greatest of all time,” Basilashvili said after winning the 1 hour 50 minute match.
“To win means a lot. I'm happy to be in the semifinal. I had terrible last eight months, so I'm happy to win match-by-match and point-by-point and I'm really happy that I managed somehow to be in this semifinal here. It was a good tournament so far,” added the Georgian, who had come into the ATP 250 tournament in Doha on the back of a five-match losing streak.
For Federer, the comeback ties gave him an insight into how his match fitness was and more importantly how his knees handled a match environment, with a 100 percent fitness for Wimbledon still the 39-year-old’s top priority.
“Look, I have come from so far away that I'm actually happy that I was able to play back-to-back three-set matches against top players. That's an important step forward to me,” Federer said.
“Like I said, I'm not 100% yet. I can feel it. I can see it, you know. From that standpoint, important is to be 100% by the grass court season. I know that. I'm still building up.
“So this is a stepping-stone. I'm actually happy how I felt today on court overall. I felt better against Dan, you know, physically I would think naturally, but I think Basilashvili plays a totally different game to Dan.”
Given the clarity of his long-term goals and his intentions behind assessing his own form and fitness, Federer did not read too much into the loss.
“I'm already over it (the loss). I mean, I would have loved to play tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, you know. But at the same time I'm also happy to get a rest. I'm happy how I played today. I'm happy how I did yesterday.”
Federer’s loss means that American 23-year-old Taylor Fritz will not get his crack at the former champion. The world No. 33 too came back from a set down against Canadian Denis Shapovalov to win 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.
“I didn't practice — I didn't have a lefty to hit with before the match or anything. I knew it was going to take me a little bit of time to kind of get used to the serve,” Fritz said.
One player who will have no fatigue issues when he takes to the centre court tomorrow will be Rotterdam winner Andrey Rublev of Russia, who received his second walkover of the tournament after the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics withdrew from their quarterfinal.
The Swiss superstar was playing his first tournament since a semifinal loss at the 2020 Australian Open to Novak Djokovic, having undergone a double knee surgery post that.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion had clinched a three-set second round 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-5 win in his return match against frequent practice partner Daniel Evans on Wednesday.
On Thursday, his Georgian opponent forced a breakpoint in the first game of the match itself but squandered it, and then two more in the fifth game. By then Federer had already converted the only break point opportunity he received in the fourth, and eventually closed the set out in 37 minutes.
The world No. 42 then broke Federer early in the second set, saved three break points on the back of some booming serves, before breaking the second seed and three-time champion in Qatar again in the sixth game to level the match up.
Basilashvili, who had lost their only encounter coming into the match at the 2016 Australian Open, continued with his impressive groundstrokes in the decider as Federer fought hard to save break points at 3-3.
Federer couldn’t get his hold on Basilashvili’s powerful forehand from closer to the net as the Georgian successfully saved a match point at 4-5, before winning seven of the next eight points for a 6-5 lead.
It was then only matter of minutes before the 29-year-old served for the match, finishing the formalities with a backhand winner.
“It feels really good, obviously. He was my idol. And just to play against him, even in match, practice, whatever it is, I'm happy. He's for me one of the greatest of all time,” Basilashvili said after winning the 1 hour 50 minute match.
“To win means a lot. I'm happy to be in the semifinal. I had terrible last eight months, so I'm happy to win match-by-match and point-by-point and I'm really happy that I managed somehow to be in this semifinal here. It was a good tournament so far,” added the Georgian, who had come into the ATP 250 tournament in Doha on the back of a five-match losing streak.
For Federer, the comeback ties gave him an insight into how his match fitness was and more importantly how his knees handled a match environment, with a 100 percent fitness for Wimbledon still the 39-year-old’s top priority.
“Look, I have come from so far away that I'm actually happy that I was able to play back-to-back three-set matches against top players. That's an important step forward to me,” Federer said.
“Like I said, I'm not 100% yet. I can feel it. I can see it, you know. From that standpoint, important is to be 100% by the grass court season. I know that. I'm still building up.
“So this is a stepping-stone. I'm actually happy how I felt today on court overall. I felt better against Dan, you know, physically I would think naturally, but I think Basilashvili plays a totally different game to Dan.”
Given the clarity of his long-term goals and his intentions behind assessing his own form and fitness, Federer did not read too much into the loss.
“I'm already over it (the loss). I mean, I would have loved to play tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, you know. But at the same time I'm also happy to get a rest. I'm happy how I played today. I'm happy how I did yesterday.”
Federer’s loss means that American 23-year-old Taylor Fritz will not get his crack at the former champion. The world No. 33 too came back from a set down against Canadian Denis Shapovalov to win 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.
“I didn't practice — I didn't have a lefty to hit with before the match or anything. I knew it was going to take me a little bit of time to kind of get used to the serve,” Fritz said.
One player who will have no fatigue issues when he takes to the centre court tomorrow will be Rotterdam winner Andrey Rublev of Russia, who received his second walkover of the tournament after the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics withdrew from their quarterfinal.