Roger Federer will face Rafael Nadal in Miami Open final

 

The polished diamond that is Roger Federer thrillingly saw off the gloriously unvarnished, unorthodox talent of Nick Kyrgios to make the final of the Miami Open.

After more than three hours of wonderfully varied combat that exceeded already heady expectations, he edged out the 21-year-old Australian

7-6, 6-7, 7-6 in more than three hours.
Aside from anything, it was another remarkable feat of endurance from the 35-year-old Swiss.

The match ended on a note of controversy when, with Kyrgios serving at 5-4 in the sudden death tiebreak, the Australian missed a forehand when someone in the partisan crowd shouted out mid-point.

He then double faulted and lost he tiebreak 7-5 when Federer slammed down a final service winner to finish a match that may barely be bettered all season.

He now has another meeting with Rafael Nadal, a comfortable winner over Fabio Fognini, it will be the Spaniard who is far fresher for a repeat of their memorable Australian Open final.

The deciding set became a test of stamina as well as skill, with Kyrgios – playing at a surprisingly measured pace that gained him a time violation - floating in two almost softball serves to try and bamboozle his opponent in the eighth game as the match reached its climax.

So often his usually flamethrower serve had got him out of trouble and he was never intimidated by the aura on the other side of the net.

Federer had come in seeking, remarkably, a third successive final in the three biggest tournaments of the season to date while Kyrgios was trying to back up his quarter final win against Alex Zverev, surely a long term rival, to make a first Masters final.  

The only time they met before was two years ago in the very different environment of Madrid's clay courts, which also went down to three tiebreaks. Kyrgios edged that one and Federer did not enjoy it, muttering that the match was a 'circus'.

But this crackled with intensity from the start with not a tweener in sight as the sun started to dip in Florida. Federer was aggressive on his returns, even when faced with the power of the Australian, who threw in an early 126mph second serve.

Kyrgios only held serve comfortably in the sixth game and that seemed to settle him as he went on to break for 4-3 on his second break point, but only after a vaguely comical first attempt when he attempted a chip and charge return that went hopelessly awry.

Federer started to show signs of exasperation but that quickly switched when he broke back at 4-5, with Kyrgios first throwing his racket to the ground – meeting with a cacophony of boos - and then double faulting as he attempted a 127mph second serve.

The crowd were howling their approval for the 18-times Grand Slam champion as it headed into an epic tiebreak, but only after the Australian had again relied on his serve to get him out of trouble when he faced a first set point at 5-6.  

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Kyrgios became irritated with noise from the crowd during the decisive tiebreak

Federer edged to 6-5 and then 7-6 before having to save two set points of his own, the second when he drove an imperious forehand home after opening up the court.

Kyrgios only cracked when he double faulted at 9-9, and then sent a backhand wide, completing 72 minutes of compelling combat.

You cannot take your eyes off the Australian and he pulled out a wonderful between-the-legs half volley in the second game of the second set as he moved to 3-3, before needing to save two break points.

Buffeted by the crowed – even Mirka Federer appeared to whistle his racket change at one point – Kyrgios held on for the tiebreak.

Federer leaps in the air to deliver a forehand return during the fascinating encounter

Federer got his first match point at 6-5 but floated a backhand return long and a second a 8-7, saving a set point along the way with a one-two combination that saw an inside out forehand driven into the corner.

His inside out forehand saved him again at 8-9 but two points later at 10-9 a cross court forehand accompanied by a rebel yell was enough for Kyrgios to level with nearly two and a quarter hours on the clock.

By now, regardless of the result, it was already clear that this was going to be another building block in the process of Kyrgios becoming a truly elite player.  

(Daily Sports)