Roger Federer serves during his round of 16 match against Britain's Dan Evans at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday.
It was worth waiting for 405 days to see the Swiss maestro in action again.
In his return since the Australian Open 2020 after undergoing two knee surgeries last year, Roger Federer showed the synopsis of his illustrious career spanning over two decades in his first match at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open since 2012.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion showed fighting spirit and exquisite winners from both the ends of the baseline as he overcame British training partner Daniel Evans 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-5 in a thrilling battle that lasted for two hours and 25 minutes.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a limited number of spectators watched the match but the iconic Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex seemed a packed venue every time the 39-year-old struck a winner, with fans celebrating the emphatic return of the superstar.
It was like he was never away.
“It feels good to be back,” said Federer after reaching the quarter-finals in an on-court interview last night.
“I am happy to be standing here regardless of if I won or lost, but obviously winning feels better. It was a good match. Dan played a good match too. He has been a wonderful training partner as well.
“Over the past two weeks, we played over 20 sets and it went on (tonight).”
Federer, the most successful player in Doha with three titles, saved a set point at 5-6 in the first-set tie-break to go into the second set with a perfect cross-court backhand winner.
The Briton bounced back in the second set, testing Federer’s backhand and saved a break point in the first game. He maintained his lead to serve for the set at 5-3, leveling the match with four consecutive points.
In the decisive set, the former World No.1 survived two break points at 3-3, and after failing to convert a match point at 5-4, he struck a beautiful backhand down the line in his second match point to complete winning return.
Federer went 4-0 ahead in head-to-head count against Evans, with whom he is practising since 2019.
“Dan had more energy left at the end, but I was serving well and I thought I actually played a really, really good match. I’m incredibly happy about my performance… It was nice to finish off with a backhand down the line,” said Federer, who will play against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili in the last-8 stage.
Basilashvili, yesterday, broke Malek Jaziri six times to beat the Tunisian 6-2, 6-2 in 76 minutes.
Thiem advances; Fritz stuns Goffin
Earlier, top seed Dominic Thiem rallied from a set down to overcome a tough challenge from Aslan Karatsev, defeating the in-form Russian wild card in 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 56 minutes.
Karatsev, who had a historic run at Australian Open last month reaching the semi-final, troubled the Austrian with his powerful serves. Thiem, however took a 5-2 lead in tie-break but the Russian managed to win the next five points to take lead after 52 minutes of top notch action.
The World No.4, returning to action following fourth round exit at Australian Open, came back strongly in the second set and maintained the rhythm in the final set to win his first match in the tournament.
“We played in juniors 10 or 11 years ago, and we also practised in Vienna, so he wasn’t completely new to me. But he has raised his level so much in the past six months, especially last month in Australia,” Thiem said of Karatsev.
“I was up in the tie-break and then I lost it, which was not nice, but he helped me a little bit in that first game (of the second set). I think he hit two double faults.
After you lose a close set, it’s super important to have a good start in the next one. And that’s what I had. It was pretty fast, 3-0, and so I was positive again in my mind. I also loosened up a little bit and started to play better, he added.
The Austrian faces another tough test in the quarter-final, as he will meet fifth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut – the Doha winner in 2019.
The World No.13 Spaniard defeated Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-3 in 70 minutes, winning 32 of 37 first-service points to progress into the last-8 stage.
Meanwhile, American qualifier Taylor Fritz stunned sixth-seeded David Goffin 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (9) after a marathon 2 hours 35 minutes battle.
Fritz will face fourth seeded Denis Shapovalov, as the Canadian defeated compatriot Vasek Pospisil in straight sets.
Also yesterday, defending champion Andrey Rublev received a walkover in his second round match, with 2013 Doha champion Richard Gasquet, withdrawing from the match due to a leg injury.
The third-seeded Russian will next face Marton Fucsovics. The Hungarian came back from behind to beat South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 in 1 hour and 43 minutes.
