Roger Federer’s great escape!

Swiss legend survives SEVEN match points to reach Australian Open semis with thrilling five-set win over World No 100 Sandgren

MELBOURNE: Roger Federer was not going to go gently, of course, no matter how daunting the number of match points -- his opponent accumulated seven! -- no matter how achy his 38-year-old legs, no matter how slow his serves, no matter how off-target his groundstrokes.

Federer still plays for the love of these stages and circumstances. Still yearns for more trophies, too. Down to his very last gasp, time and again, against someone a decade younger, 100th-ranked Tennys Sandgren of the United States, Federer somehow pulled off a memorable comeback to reach the Australian Open semifinals for the 15th time.

Despite all sorts of signs he was not quite himself for much of the match, Federer beat the biceps-bearing, hard-hitting, court-covering Sandgren 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3 on Tuesday in a rollicking quarterfinal that appeared to be over long before it truly was.

“As the match went on, I started to feel better again and all the pressure went away,” 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer said afterward.

“I don’t deserve this one, but I’m standing here and I’m obviously very, very happy.”

Federer was involved in a dispute with the chair umpire over cursing. Left the court for a medical timeout early in the third set, then was visited by a trainer later for a right leg massage.

And, above all, found himself in a tense tussle with Sandgren, a 28-year-old from Tennessee who’s never been a major semifinalist and was trying to become the lowest-ranked man in the Australian Open’s final four since Patrick McEnroe -- John’s younger brother -- was No. 114 in 1991.

After rolling through the second and third sets as Federer’s serves dropped from an average of 112 mph to 105 mph and his unforced errors totaled 30, Sandgren led 5-4 in the fourth set. With Federer serving, Sandgren had a trio of opportunities to end things and complete a career-defining victory. On the first, Sandgren dumped a backhand into the net. On the second, he pushed a forehand wide. On the third, another forehand found the net.

On they went to a tiebreaker, which included the bizarre sight of a ballkid running into Sandgren’s right calf at the 3-all changeover. Didn’t seem to bother the guy, though, because he grabbed the next three points to put himself a single point from winning.

But Sandgren failed to close the deal at 6-3 ... or at 6-4 ... or at 6-5 ... or at 7-6.

“Got to get lucky sometimes, I’ll tell you that,” Federer said.

“Because in those seven match points, you’re not under control.” On Federer’s own second chance to take that set and force a fifth, Sandgren hit a ball that landed near the baseline. Federer thought it might be out -- he turned to look at a line judge for a call that never came -- yet barely flicked it back in a defensive manner, and Sandgren’s overhead smash went long.

Federer wagged his right index finger overhead -- the universal sign for “I’m No. 1!” -- and was on the right path. He ended the victory with a service winner at 119 mph, a little more than an hour after first staring down defeat. Agencies

The seven match points Federer saved

aFirst match point: Federer serving at 4-5, 40-AD in fourth set :

With a second serve to play with, Sandgren gets into the point and a deep backhand is returned by Federer. But the American pulls the trigger too early with his next chance, sending a backhand into the net as he tries to go down the line.

aSecond match point: Federer serving at 4-5, 40-AD in fourth set :

Another second serve to aim at, Sandgren gets into the point, but it is Federer dictating before the American sends a tame forehand wide.

aThird match point: Federer serving at 4-5, 40-AD in fourth set :

Sandgren manages to get into the point despite a good Federer serve down the middle before hitting the tape with a forehand from behind the baseline.

aFourth match point: Federer serving at 3-6 in fourth-set tie-break :

Another Federer second serve, Sandgren controls the first part of the point from the baseline. However, he allows the Swiss great to work his way back into it before putting a backhand into the net as he tried to change direction by going down the line.

aFifth match point: Federer serving at 4-6 in fourth-set tie-break :

Federer lands an excellent serve that Sandgren cannot return.

aSixth match point: Sandgren serving at 6-5 in fourth-set tie-break :

Finally an opportunity on serve, Sandgren attacks but just cannot do enough with a backhand volley. He reaches for a forehand volley but Federer has an open court to play into to level the tie-break.

aSeventh match point: Federer serving at 6-7 in fourth-set tie-break :

Once again, Federer misses a first serve. They rally backhand-to-backhand as Sandgren shows good depth before Federer eventually changes the direction during a 19-shot point. But it is a slice that undoes Sandgren, whose return goes halfway up the net.

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