Federer: This is not the end
The Swiss was beaten 7-6 (7/3) 7-5 6-4 by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and is now without one of the game’s four major trophies for the first time since 2003.
Federer admitted he was beaten by the better man as Djokovic moved on to a final against either Andy Murray or David Ferrer but scoffed at suggestions he was finished.
He said: “It’s not the end in any way. It’s a start for many other tournaments after this. Sure it is disappointing and it hurts at this moment. I wish I could have won here for a fifth time but it wasn’t possible tonight.”
When it was put to him that his and Rafael Nadal’s failure to reach the final was the first time that has happened at a major since here in 2008, Federer snapped: “They say that very quickly. Let’s talk again in six months’ time.”
The world number two played well but he simply ran into a Djokovic who was on top of his game.
A first set dominated by serve went the way of Djokovic on the tie-break before Federer hit back to move 5-2 ahead in the second.
But Djokovic hit back to level it at 5-5 and broke when Federer dumped a weary-looking backhand into the net.
He served it out and looked to have the match in the bag when he surged into a 3-1 lead.
Federer was not done, though, and he levelled it at 4-4 only to drop his serve as Djokovic edged back ahead and held on.
“Tonight I think I played a better match but Roger’s still up there and in extraordinary form. And then you have Nadal who has been a very, very dominant player. We are still behind them and you can’t say there is a new era coming up. But there are more players who are able to win majors which is good.”
Meanwhile in the women’s semis, Li Na hopes her success in reaching the Australian Open final will inspire more Chinese people to pick up a tennis racket.
Li became the first player from China to reach a final of a grand slam singles event yesterday, saving a match point on her way to ousting world number one Caroline Wozniacki in a titanic three-set encounter.
The ninth seed looked down and out when Wozniacki served a set, 5-4 and 40-30 up but she escaped the danger with a booming forehand down the line before going on to break and eventually claim the second set.
A topsy-turvy deciding set could have gone either way but Li prevailed 3-6 7-5 6-3 and will now play Kim Clijsters in Saturday’s final.
Clijsters proved too strong for Vera Zvonareva, beating the Russian 6-3 6-3.
Clijsters’ success over the past decade — and that of countrywoman Justine Henin, who announced her retirement due to a persistent elbow injury — means her achievement in reaching the last two in Melbourne is unlikely to spark a sudden surge of interest in tennis in Belgium but the same cannot be said for China, which has yet to produce a steady stream of top players.
Li said: “I think possibly because I have got to the final, maybe young children will see that and think ‘maybe one day I can do the same or even better than her’.
“Perhaps also the authorities will start to look more at tennis.
“I know Chinese tennis is just starting but I hope that maybe after three or five years China, a bit like Russia, will have many players coming through.”
Anyone watching her performance today would certainly have been inspired. Seemingly on her way out as she fell a set and a break down after an error-strewn opening, she altered her tactics and came through.
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