MELBOURNE, Kompas.com - Juara bertahan Roger Federer lolos ke semi final Australian Open setelah menang straight set atas Tomas Berdych, Rabu (24/01/2018). Federer yang diunggulkan di tempat kedua lolos dengan mencatat kemenangan 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4 dalam pertandingan selama 2 jam 14 menit di Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. Di babak semi final, ia akan menghadapi petenis sensasional asal Korea, Chung Hyeon. Ini merupakan semifinal tunamen grand slam ke 43 buat Federer, rekor dalam tenis era terbuka yang dimulai pada 1968. Federer belum pernah bertemu Chung, yang lolos ke semi final dengan menyingkirkan pemain-pemain unggulan seperti Alexander Zverev dan enam kali juara Australian Open, Novak Djokovic. Kemenangan Federer atas Berdych juga menjadi kemenangan ke 92 dalam 105 pertandingan yang dijalaninya di Melbourne. Itu sebabnya, Federer mencatat rekor sukses di Australian Open sepanjang karirnya. "Saya senang dapat lolos di set pertama. Ini yang menjadi kunci kemenangan saya," kata Federer.
Roger Federer will face Hyeon Chung for a place in the Australian Open final after overcoming an early wobble to beat Tomas Berdych 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-4
THERE were a few early bumps in the road, but raging tournament favourite Roger Federer eventually stormed into the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
The 7-6(1) 6-3 6-4 win over 19th seed Tomas Berdych sets up a fascinating contest with 21-year-old South Korean sensation Hyeon Chung for a spot in the final.
Chung and Federer have never played each other. It will be Federer’s 14th semi-finals appearance at the Australian Open, while Chung is South Korea’s first grand slam semi-finalist.
Federer had a few early struggles against Berdych, being broken in his first service game and trailing 5-2 in the opening set.
Quarter Finals Complete B. Bryan (6) M. Bryan (6) 6 6 M. Matkowski (15) A. Qureshi (15) 1 4 Visit Match Centre Complete L. Chan (1) A. Sestini-Hlavackova (1) 4 6 6 6 T. Babos (5) K. Mladenovic (5) 6 0 7 8 Visit Match Centre Complete E. Svitolina (4) 4 0 E. Mertens 6 6 Visit Match Centre Complete L. Kubot (1) M. Melo (1) 4 7 7 6 5 B. McLachlan J. Struff 6 6 4 7 7 Visit Match Centre Complete I. Begu (10) M. Niculescu (10) 4 6 6 J. Brady V. King 6 2 0 Visit Match Centre Complete G. Dimitrov (3) 4 6 3 4 K. Edmund 6 3 6 6 Visit Match Centre Complete E. Makarova (2) E. Vesnina (2) 0 6 7 7 G. Dabrowski (6) Y. Xu (6) 6 1 6 2 Visit Match Centre Complete L. Safarova (4) B. Strycova (4) 1 4 S. Hsieh (8) S. Peng (8) 6 6 Visit Match Centre Complete R. Nadal (1) 6 3 7 7 2 0 M. Cilic (6) 3 6 6 5 6 2 Visit Match Centre Complete C. Wozniacki (2) 6 6 3 6 C. Suarez Navarro 0 7 7 2 Visit Match Centre Complete M. Keys (17) 1 2 A. Kerber (21) 6 6 Visit Match Centre Complete T. Sandgren 4 6 5 3 H. Chung 6 7 7 6 Visit Match Centre Complete O. Marach (7) M. Pavic (7) 6 6 10 7 7 M. Daniell D. Inglot 4 7 12 6 5 Visit Match Centre Complete S. Halep (1) 6 6 K. Pliskova (6) 3 2 Visit Match Centre Complete J. Cabal (11) R. Farah (11) 6 7 S. Groth L. Hewitt 4 5 Visit Match Centre Complete T. Babos (5) R. Bopanna (5) 6 7 7 A. Spears J. Cabal 4 6 5 Visit Match Centre Complete R. Federer (2) 7 7 6 6 T. Berdych (19) 6 1 3 4 Visit Match Centre S. Sanders M. Polmans M. Martinez Sanchez M. Demoliner Visit Match Centre E. Makarova (3) B. Soares (3) A. Sestini-Hlavackova (6) E. Roger-Vasselin (6) Visit Match Centre G. Dabrowski (8) M. Pavic (8) J. Larsson M. Middelkoop Visit Match Centre
Federer's challenge drama 1:01
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Berdych served for the first set at 5-3 and then on his fourth break point, Federer broke back. However he was left frustrated during the game by a failed challenge.
Hawkeye was down, meaning the moment could not be shown, and instead chair umpire Fergus Murphy simply informed Federer he was wrong.
Federer then went up to Murphy questioning whether he should lose a challenge and asking, “are you OK with this?”
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The second and third sets proved much simpler, with Berdych requiring off-court medical examination in between them and never looking like getting back into the match.
Chung made his way through to the semi-finals after downing fellow tournament surprise packet Tennys Sandgren 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in the quarter-finals earlier in the day.
At 21 years 254 days, Hyeon Chung becomes the youngest man to reach the semi-finals at a Grand
Slam since Marin Cilic (21 years 125 days) reached the last-four at #AusOpen in 2010. — Nikhila (@kokudum) January 24, 2018
Hyeon Chung is the lowest ranked #AusOpen semifinalist since Marat Safin, in 2004.
Chung is 58th, Marat was 86th. — José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 24, 2018
The 58th-ranked Chung and American No.97 Sandgren had exceeded all expectations with their runs to the quarters, knocking out top names along the way, including Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic.
The pair endured a nervy start to the biggest match of their lives when an evacuation alarm sounded around Rod Laver Arena just as play was about to begin (watch in the video player below).
False alarm evacuates Open 0:59
Players, fans and officials stood confused for several minutes before it was confirmed the siren had sounded mistakenly.
Evacuation alarm on Rod Laver Arena at the Chung-Sandgren QF was about to start.
Thankfully, like other matters involving Americans and Koreans of late, a false alarm. And long may they continue to be so. — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) January 24, 2018
There was more drama right as play began with American superstar Serena Williams launching a sensational public snub of her countryman Sandgren.
Sandgren’s political views have come under scrutiny during his unlikely run to the finals and Williams clearly isn’t a fan. READ MORE HERE.
Turns channel — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 24, 2018
In a tense 11-minute final game Chung claimed victory on his sixth match point after Sandgren threw everything at the South Korean in a bid to stay in the match.
“In the last game at 40-0 up I was thinking what I had to do at the ceremony, something like that, and after the break points I was like, nothing to do with ceremony, but just keep playing, stay focused,” Chung said on court in his limited English.
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In the women’s draw, former champion Angelique Kerber blasted her way into the Australian Open semi-finals with a straight sets demolition of American Madison Keys.
German 21st seed Kerber needed just 51 minutes to win 6-1 6-2 and move a step closer to adding a second title to her 2016 triumph in Melbourne.
She’ll next play world No.1 Simona Halep who downed Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-2. Romanian Halep is chasing a first major title.
Meanwhile, the dream run through the doubles of Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth has ended in the quarter-finals.
The Aussie pair, in their final Australian Open, fell to 11th-seeded Colombian pair Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-4 6-4.
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Clinical Kerber crushes Keys 0:53
ORDER OF PLAY
Rod Laver Arena (from 11am AEDT)
21-Angelique Kerber (GER) def 17-Madison Keys (USA) 6-1 6-2
Hyeon Chung (KOR) def Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3
1-Simona Halep (ROU) def 6-Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6-3 6-2
2-Roger Federer (SUI) def 19-Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-6(1) 6-3 6-4
Margaret Court Arena (from 1pm AEDT)
5-Timea Babos (HUN)/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) def 8-Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)/Shuai Peng (CHN) 6-4 6-2
7-Oliver Marach (AUT)/Mate Pavic (CRO) def Marcus Daniell (NZL)/Dominic Inglot (GBR) 6-4 6-7(10) 7-6(5)
11-Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)/Robert Farah (COL) def Sam Groth (AUS)/Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-4 6-4
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