:00:37. > :00:42.Hello and welcome to our coverage of what are now the closing stages of
:00:43. > :00:47.the Australian Open. The stakes are getting higher as the days tick by.
:00:48. > :00:50.We still have a Brit in the mix, Johanna Konta is through to the
:00:51. > :00:56.quarterfinals after a brilliant performance yesterday. She faces the
:00:57. > :01:01.great Serena Williams for the first time next. That is tomorrow's story
:01:02. > :01:06.and today's has the making of a fairy tale. Mischa Zverev took down
:01:07. > :01:12.the world number one Andy Murray and up next to him, another giant to
:01:13. > :01:22.slave. COMMENTATOR: The incomparable Roger Federer. True tennis
:01:23. > :01:32.greatness. Today we have seen talent unlimited. The greatest of all time.
:01:33. > :01:40.Mischa Zverev. This is going to be quite the watch. This is not his
:01:41. > :01:46.normal standard, he is exceeding it. A wall of defiance. The best
:01:47. > :01:51.performance Mischa Zverev has ever produced in his career. I don't know
:01:52. > :01:59.how I want certain points. It means the most to me to have my family
:02:00. > :02:04.have. So, if he triumphed over Mischa Zverev today, Roger Federer
:02:05. > :02:06.knew it would be an all Swiss semifinal of the hen pikas Stan
:02:07. > :02:13.Wawrinka is already three. He beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets.
:02:14. > :02:18.He is still on for a fourth Grand Slam title in four years. That is
:02:19. > :02:23.the first quarterfinal to be decided. Rafael Nadal and Milos
:02:24. > :02:27.Raonic play there is tomorrow. There was one more piece of the puzzle to
:02:28. > :02:34.complete today. Let's turn our attention to the action. Mischa
:02:35. > :02:39.Zverev will rise to a career-high world ranking after this tournament,
:02:40. > :02:43.a round number 34, we think. The crowd only really know him for his
:02:44. > :02:49.shock victory over Andy Murray. Listen to the reaction for Roger
:02:50. > :02:54.Federer. CHEERING And four-time champion in Melbourne,
:02:55. > :02:59.the last of those wins was back in 2010. He looks to have rekindled a
:03:00. > :03:04.little of the old magic. So, let's see if the great champion has it in
:03:05. > :03:08.him to reach a 41st Grand Slam semifinal. Let's get into the first
:03:09. > :03:28.set of 1-0 with Mischa Zverev to serve.
:03:29. > :03:35.COMMENTATOR: Roger will be playing around the baseline. He will not
:03:36. > :03:42.like to be further away than maybe an meter, maximum. The Bulls were
:03:43. > :03:46.becoming much quicker at Zverev. He's missed the last two but did you
:03:47. > :03:50.see what happened right after that return, he's already moved inside
:03:51. > :03:53.the court. That will mean the between Roger Federer playing Zverev
:03:54. > :04:11.and Andy Murray. I looked at some of the Hawk eye
:04:12. > :04:15.graphics today, in terms of that point. The first serve return, Roger
:04:16. > :04:21.is inside the baseline a lot of the time. Cutting the ball down, and he
:04:22. > :04:32.didn't hit one inside the baseline off the first serve. That said, this
:04:33. > :04:40.was at 190. Roger is going to be staying there on the return but not
:04:41. > :04:50.only on the return. If he makes the return, still the baseline. Same
:04:51. > :04:55.thing again. This guy has done his homework so well. He knows this is
:04:56. > :04:59.what you have to do against a serve and volley player. Look at where
:05:00. > :05:01.Zverev is sending his first volley tonight. He's behind the service
:05:02. > :05:18.line. It's perfect, eggs exactly what we
:05:19. > :05:22.thought might happen. But as the one thing that when Andy looks back at
:05:23. > :05:26.that match against Zverev, he will feel as though he could have done
:05:27. > :05:30.differently. He has that deep stance and has done it ever since Brad
:05:31. > :05:34.Gilbert brought it in against Lopez when they were working together. He
:05:35. > :05:38.doesn't really ever change that. I think that was the one trick that he
:05:39. > :05:55.missed. First blemish at the start of this
:05:56. > :06:48.much from Federer. -- this match. This is what Zverev did well, he was
:06:49. > :06:51.3-1 down in the first set, down on Andy's serve, he stayed with him and
:06:52. > :07:14.never gave him room to totally settled.
:07:15. > :07:24.Good eye. Roger has such a good feel for where he is around the court. It
:07:25. > :07:29.was a definite let go. If it's going to be near the line he usually takes
:07:30. > :07:51.it, just to be sure he can put the volley away.
:07:52. > :07:58.For all the stylish tennis, this is as clinical as I've ever seen him
:07:59. > :08:02.out here. It's been perfect. It's been a bit measured, no luck so far
:08:03. > :08:25.for Zverev to settle. -- no look. A terrific start from Federer.
:08:26. > :08:33.Wanting to stamp his authority on this, and he has. Federer coming
:08:34. > :08:36.through that first set unruffled. Let's join the second at 2-1 to
:08:37. > :08:54.Zverev, with Federer to serve. COMMENTATOR: He just missed that
:08:55. > :09:03.one. Roger just trying to make several rackets. Looking for his
:09:04. > :09:24.13th possible Australian Open semifinals.
:09:25. > :09:41.Federer is right back at the level where he played against Andy Murray.
:09:42. > :09:53.Just a one serve and volley for Federer, so far.
:09:54. > :10:03.He reacted well, but he couldn't do anything with it. A bit of good
:10:04. > :10:16.fortune opens the door here for the German.
:10:17. > :10:32.Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. He just kept on thinking, he stuck to
:10:33. > :10:40.his game plan, tried to improve his own execution. Obviously settling a
:10:41. > :10:51.bit under these circumstances. He is up 3-1, eight straight points.
:10:52. > :11:05.In just the last two macro games. -- the last two games. I wonder what
:11:06. > :11:11.Roger is thinking at the moment. Did I do something wrong besides maybe
:11:12. > :11:20.hitting enough aces or winner serves? There was a point in the
:11:21. > :11:27.last game he probably should have made. CHEERING
:11:28. > :11:35.He was unlucky with that, he should have done well with that forehand.
:11:36. > :11:44.This is reminiscent of where Zverev was behind the service line, having
:11:45. > :11:55.to play the half-volley. A good serve. He's having a much better
:11:56. > :11:58.time of things in the second here with eight out of ten points one to
:11:59. > :12:05.the German when he's made his first serve. -- won for the German when
:12:06. > :12:14.he's made his first serve. He's serving smartly. It's only his third
:12:15. > :12:16.time this game that he serves to Roger's body forehand. Trying to use
:12:17. > :12:47.the left spin. I think Roger should just keep on
:12:48. > :13:07.trying to pass. It's a very legitimate shot. I
:13:08. > :13:12.thought he'd go straight at Zverev, then tried to find a way round him.
:13:13. > :13:15.Roger is in no mood to take the scenic route. An exchange of breaks,
:13:16. > :14:07.we rejoin the second set at 5-5. What a great return. Very deep and
:14:08. > :14:09.good serve of the German. This time he decided not to hit it. Was a
:14:10. > :14:29.little late and then a slice. Two goods. Kept his composure and
:14:30. > :14:51.found the target. -- too good. His eyes firmly fixated
:14:52. > :15:04.on the ball, but now on the prize. Crucial break looms for him.
:15:05. > :15:22.There it is. It's a process of perfection. An opportunity to get
:15:23. > :15:30.the break as well. 6-5, Federer. Second set. Smiles in the box. Ivan
:15:31. > :15:35.Ljubicic, the man with the plan, but it's the man executing the plan who
:15:36. > :15:42.is looking good right now. And also those balls against Zverev tonight,
:15:43. > :15:46.he's thinking about that coming at him and Roger found the way through
:15:47. > :15:58.him. He opened up space by trying to hit Zverev early on.
:15:59. > :16:04.Roger has to think about closing the set as quickly as he can. It's on
:16:05. > :16:16.the board, nobody can take it away from him.
:16:17. > :16:24.He's going to challenge it, for sure. Whether in or out, he just
:16:25. > :16:39.wants to see. And feel on what he has done with his record, knowing he
:16:40. > :16:42.did well. Of course, it's in! He knows that when it comes from his
:16:43. > :16:55.racket. Just the wave Zverev started with
:16:56. > :17:00.eight points in a row on service games, Roger might do the same here
:17:01. > :17:06.at the end of the second set -- just the way. Miracle shots in this game
:17:07. > :17:32.from both men off their forehands. Yes. Zverev fighting hard to find a
:17:33. > :17:36.way back into this second set. Some quality tennis, he did well to stand
:17:37. > :17:57.his ground after the return. He's got to be there.
:17:58. > :18:11.Two gems from Zverev. One myth allows Federer to go up 2- 0- -- one
:18:12. > :18:12.miss. Into the third set we go at 2-2, no breaks so far and Zverev to
:18:13. > :19:15.serve. You may wonder why it didn't go
:19:16. > :19:18.straight through him to start with, he keeps giving Zverev more options
:19:19. > :19:30.to try to compute to defend the network. -- the net with. Roger
:19:31. > :19:36.knows the spot, he knows where to hit it. He keeps his focus on the
:19:37. > :19:51.one and only thing which is looking at the ball. Most of his returns
:19:52. > :19:56.have been really good. Even write -- even write her. He doesn't have to
:19:57. > :20:04.look to Zverev, or the court, all he has to do is look to the ball.
:20:05. > :20:09.Zverev not looking very happy right now. The pace is dropping out of his
:20:10. > :20:18.serve, he's got to find a big one here, surely. He tried. Changing his
:20:19. > :20:30.stance a bit, going a bit more to the alley. That first return was too
:20:31. > :20:33.high. Roger practising his backhand return, it was all about the return
:20:34. > :20:48.being a bit too high. He swung a little early, that was
:20:49. > :20:56.considerably slower than his average. It was a very slow serve.
:20:57. > :21:16.He couldn't speak that one up. -- speed that one up.
:21:17. > :21:27.He might as well challenge. He's laughing. Did you see that reaction?
:21:28. > :21:36.He was looking at the Zverev camp. One great way of reacting, actually.
:21:37. > :22:07.There you go. Come on! Can you believe it?!
:22:08. > :22:13.CHEERING On the one hand, you've got to give
:22:14. > :22:20.so much credit to Mischa Zverev for creating a moment of absolute magic.
:22:21. > :22:24.He doesn't give much, Roger, does he? He's already standing there to
:22:25. > :22:39.serve again, after the greatest rally of the match! Every single
:22:40. > :22:44.time, the same pattern. Returned on the middle, depends how deep the
:22:45. > :22:50.volley is, just a little too short, go straight at him or down the line.
:22:51. > :22:54.If it's a bit more difficult you go across. Such an instinctive player,
:22:55. > :23:05.showing much restraint tonight, great discipline. There it is.
:23:06. > :23:10.Absolutely world-class. It's a clinic out here, how to take care of
:23:11. > :23:22.a serve and volley in the modern game. Even that returned there was
:23:23. > :23:25.just, again as you've been saying, just the fact that he knows where
:23:26. > :23:29.he's trying to hit the ball allows him to make the improvisation and
:23:30. > :23:37.knock it there. There was no other thought on mind. Confidence, and how
:23:38. > :23:40.comforting it is that you know where you have to hit it and you don't
:23:41. > :23:47.have to worry about it. It's all looking at the ball. Not go for it
:23:48. > :23:57.too much, set yourself up for a passing shot. Knowing is one thing,
:23:58. > :24:02.but actually executing is another. These balls are still coming at you
:24:03. > :24:14.like this last one, 169, anywhere between 130 and 197 kilometres per
:24:15. > :24:18.hour. He didn't apologise. We see the end result is all the time out
:24:19. > :24:22.here, Roger playing like this. He does just have that mystifying way
:24:23. > :24:31.of making tennis look ridiculously easy. I was at the hock cup where he
:24:32. > :24:41.started his year on rehab and he was on the Centre Court to four hours
:24:42. > :24:47.straight with Sasha one day. Clearly, even for someone like Roger
:24:48. > :24:52.selling that arena out, that is a long period to tie up Centre Court.
:24:53. > :24:57.They gave it to him for three. That's his level of intensity and
:24:58. > :25:23.workrate, still, away from the cameras.
:25:24. > :25:36.It's a really important game. You have to win it, you have to put it
:25:37. > :25:51.on the scoreboard. You're never sure against the sky. -- this guy. But, I
:25:52. > :25:55.think he's a little mentally tired at the moment, the way he goes about
:25:56. > :26:13.his preparation before the point. He's looking demoralised and
:26:14. > :26:18.understandably so. He has over 1084 wins, Federer, in his illustrious
:26:19. > :26:22.career. There have been many who have been in Mischa's situation. To
:26:23. > :26:28.be here in the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam with the wind he's had to
:26:29. > :26:36.get through to get here as well is a fantastic effort -- with the wins.
:26:37. > :26:39.His family are here, what a family, a great story and beautiful people
:26:40. > :27:18.but it's looking as though it is coming fairly rapidly to an end.
:27:19. > :27:36.Tell me again why we slowed courts down? I mean, how much fun has this
:27:37. > :27:42.been to watch between these two? He'd have loved to make that one.
:27:43. > :27:45.Great volley. What I love to see is Roger's discipline. Especially the
:27:46. > :28:01.discipline on the return. Why would you do anything else if
:28:02. > :28:31.that's the play that works for you? Why even bother?
:28:32. > :28:42.Look where he was. He just sneaked in there. There was a name for this
:28:43. > :28:45.special return when he takes it so early. Sneak attack by Roger. That's
:28:46. > :28:59.it. It's like John McEnroe at his
:29:00. > :29:11.absolute pomp. Take the server early, come in...
:29:12. > :29:26.He has not deviated from the plan for one second on return. If he is
:29:27. > :29:30.able to win the next point, I think Zverev is going home. That's how
:29:31. > :29:42.much it costs if you get a tennis lesson for an hour and a half.
:29:43. > :29:46.There's no way he'd give you an hour and a half for $100! I'd take $100
:29:47. > :29:58.on that! Roger, again, it's a wireless net
:29:59. > :30:27.cord machine that we have now. The players look perplexed about
:30:28. > :30:38.what is going on. It is not anywhere near. Experienced that today, you
:30:39. > :30:49.just continue, whether it is let service or not, you just have to
:30:50. > :30:56.continue playing. He is going to go across. In Singles as well, you have
:30:57. > :31:01.to continue on a net server. I'm not a big fan of the players also
:31:02. > :31:04.instinctive and based stop playing a lot of the time. I guess they will
:31:05. > :31:24.learn relatively quickly to keep playing.
:31:25. > :31:37.He just keeps on doing it. Brilliant. He has to go for that
:31:38. > :31:41.double break. I repeat myself, you never know what is going to happen
:31:42. > :31:44.with Zverev, he could have another great game like at the beginning of
:31:45. > :32:08.the second, winning eight straight points. It can happen at any time.
:32:09. > :32:18.That is about the first time that he has tried to widen the return width,
:32:19. > :32:38.rather than going straight back at the shoelaces of Zverev.
:32:39. > :32:52.This is just cumulative pressure, he is just desperate to get through it,
:32:53. > :32:57.but it is just such hard work. Both players, only 11 unforced errors
:32:58. > :33:09.throughout the match. Good statistics for both players.
:33:10. > :33:17.Roger with double the winners. That is another one to add to the
:33:18. > :33:22.collection. And amongst the 57 winners he has hit, just four have
:33:23. > :33:25.been outright return winners as well, just to highlight the
:33:26. > :33:29.discipline that he has made Zverev play with. Out of the 57, there were
:33:30. > :33:54.only six aces. He just missed. It is very clean.
:33:55. > :34:06.That was a great volley. But in this case, the Doubles.
:34:07. > :34:14.He continues to fire and to drive to get another game on the board, as
:34:15. > :34:19.you say, you never know what is round the corner. Yes, he knows
:34:20. > :34:28.every point is actually match point setback he has to fight. -- and he
:34:29. > :34:35.has to fight. And he does! It doesn't matter how you do it, as
:34:36. > :34:49.long as you get it done. We mentioned this volley, 29 out of 70
:34:50. > :34:54.points won by Zverev. He's got to be tired, looking at his shoelaces!
:34:55. > :35:19.That is not a winning percentage. He is trying to mix up his serve, we
:35:20. > :35:33.have seen him down the tea and going out wired. With Roger, whether it
:35:34. > :35:39.is... That is just on his feet. You also see if the return is just not
:35:40. > :35:40.low enough, Zverev plays a good volley and the passing becomes more
:35:41. > :36:31.difficult. He has had to change up in serving,
:36:32. > :36:35.he did not get a lot of success into the body after Federer was picking
:36:36. > :36:47.it. He has gone wider and he is salvaging the situation.
:36:48. > :36:55.He is just feeling the pressure, this is not a difficult volley. He
:36:56. > :36:59.sees Roger coming in at the same time and he just takes as I off the
:37:00. > :37:09.ball for a second and he doesn't stick it. -- takes his eye. Just a
:37:10. > :37:17.metre behind the service line. Is he trying to send out a message for
:37:18. > :37:25.next time they play? It looked an awful lot like the backhand return
:37:26. > :37:29.of the first game. When Zverev went up quickly 3-0 and he repeated the
:37:30. > :37:37.feat towards the end of the match, 5-2 Federer, third set.
:37:38. > :37:42.Roger Federer finding sensational tennis to work his way to a double
:37:43. > :37:54.break and a couple of moments later, he's got himself match point.
:37:55. > :37:57.What a classy performance from Federer, it was absolutely fabulous.
:37:58. > :38:08.He overwhelms the giant killer who has had such a sensational run at
:38:09. > :38:11.this year's Australian Open. Mischa Zverev reaching the quarterfinals,
:38:12. > :38:16.but who better to stop the than Roger Federer?
:38:17. > :38:22.He played an incredible tournament and he had a great match which is
:38:23. > :38:26.never easy and he went the distance and on an outside court with those
:38:27. > :38:30.kind of conditions against John is tough and he backed it up beating
:38:31. > :38:34.Andy and other great players and I was so happy for him. He has gone
:38:35. > :38:38.through tough times recently with injuries and it is nice in guys like
:38:39. > :38:41.this back on the court enjoying themselves and getting a second or
:38:42. > :38:50.maybe the chance, so it is nice for him and I was really happy he came
:38:51. > :38:52.out and played such a good match. He gets his career-best ranking now and
:38:53. > :38:57.he can build on that for the season and they can do it as brothers,
:38:58. > :39:00.which is cool. What were your expectations coming
:39:01. > :39:06.here to Australia for the level you were going to play? Not to play
:39:07. > :39:12.starred in the semifinals! I thought I would maybe win a couple of rounds
:39:13. > :39:17.depending on the draw, get to a fourth-round quarterfinals, that was
:39:18. > :39:21.with the swift -- Swiss press, that was my expectation. Was that before
:39:22. > :39:25.you saw the crazy difficult to draw? This was before I saw the draw and
:39:26. > :39:30.when I saw the draw and people were talking about the dream draw, I
:39:31. > :39:35.thought, what is missing, I'm not seeing a dream draw! The press is
:39:36. > :39:43.there to debate, I'm happy and I never thought it would be this good.
:39:44. > :39:47.Here I'm still standing against Stan for the semis, it could be good for
:39:48. > :39:51.both of us. A wonderful day. Sun, both of you guys getting through to
:39:52. > :39:56.the semifinals and you will play for the 20 seconds time you have played
:39:57. > :40:04.a lot. What is critical for you in that match to succeed against Stan?
:40:05. > :40:07.He is a top player, he has turned it around, the US Open, winning the
:40:08. > :40:11.Grand Slam the last three years. The Davis Cup when it was important, he
:40:12. > :40:15.was right there for me and forced to learn the. So I saw it close up and
:40:16. > :40:19.it was cool sharing the court with him and Doubles, he played
:40:20. > :40:23.unbelievable. To play against Stan, I have to stay aggressive and the
:40:24. > :40:32.more time I get in, the better he is like most of the big hitters and he
:40:33. > :40:35.is the biggest we have maybe in the game now. I'm happy for him he's got
:40:36. > :40:37.this far, but he just needs to go one step further! That is enough
:40:38. > :40:39.right now. Looking forward to the match and Stan knows I'm joking,
:40:40. > :40:43.somewhat! Federer happy to stick around for a
:40:44. > :40:49.long chat with Jim Coria, looking relaxed after such a great
:40:50. > :40:54.performance. Another Australian Open title potentially seven years after
:40:55. > :41:00.his last. The top half of the draw is decided, Swiss versus Swiss is
:41:01. > :41:04.Federer takes on Stan Wawrinka. In the bottom half, Dimitrov against
:41:05. > :41:09.Goffin and it big test for Rafael Nadal on the comeback trail against
:41:10. > :41:12.Canada's Milos Raonic, the number three seed. Raonic is back in action
:41:13. > :41:17.next week when Canada take on Great Britain in the first-round of the
:41:18. > :41:21.Davis Cup. Teams get picked ten days in advance solely on Smith has made
:41:22. > :41:25.his choices for the British team. And big news is, there is no Andy
:41:26. > :41:30.Murray, he has apparently not been completely rolled out and if he
:41:31. > :41:34.changes his mind, the team may change. For now, it is Kyle Edmund
:41:35. > :41:37.who lost in the second round in Melbourne and he will play the
:41:38. > :41:41.Singles with Dan Evans who will not be short of his confidence after his
:41:42. > :41:46.remarkable move to the fourth round. And Jamie Murray and Inglot travel
:41:47. > :41:52.to Canada to play the Doubles set backhand you can watch the Davis Cup
:41:53. > :41:57.first-round tie live from Ottawa from Friday from eight p.m.. And
:41:58. > :42:01.coverage begins on BBC Two. Before that, all the latest from the
:42:02. > :42:07.Australian Open and the women's semifinal draw is beginning to take
:42:08. > :42:12.shape. Angelique Kerber was knocked out in the quarterfinals and the
:42:13. > :42:22.French Open champion was taking care of. So she goes into her first Grand
:42:23. > :42:26.Slam semifinal. And how about a revival of Venus Williams? She goes
:42:27. > :42:34.to the her first Australian Open semifinal in 14 years and she has
:42:35. > :42:41.done it without dropping a set, so Venus already through, who is going
:42:42. > :42:45.to join her? Karolina Pliskova and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni play first
:42:46. > :42:48.tomorrow and the one we have been waiting for, Johanna Konta against
:42:49. > :42:52.Serena Williams, and we caught up with the code Konta.
:42:53. > :42:57.She has a lot of respect for Serena but I do believe she can believe she
:42:58. > :43:02.can win that match. I know it is tough, she never played Serena
:43:03. > :43:09.before. I'm here to use my experience of my previous matches
:43:10. > :43:14.against Serena. I will try to prepare her as good as possible for
:43:15. > :43:23.Serena's game and her mental games. So I believe Johanna will play a
:43:24. > :43:27.great match and for the result, we are also dependent on the level of
:43:28. > :43:31.Serena. Konta say she is looking forward to
:43:32. > :43:36.taking on her childhood hero for the first time and we can't wait. Live
:43:37. > :43:42.commentary from 2am and live text commentary online.
:43:43. > :43:49.And you can wake up to the result is not like I will be back with
:43:50. > :43:54.highlights tomorrow. And there will be live coverage of the world indoor
:43:55. > :44:03.Bowls Championships from 10am on the red button and on BBC Two from ten
:44:04. > :44:08.past one. But such your alarm clocks for the biggest test Konta's nerve
:44:09. > :44:13.and determination, the story of tomorrow. Today's fairy tale was not
:44:14. > :44:17.to be for 91 and Roger Federer is still writing his own legend. Some
:44:18. > :44:21.said he was a spent force but today, he proved he could still be the
:44:22. > :44:34.master of Melbourne once again, thank you for watching, goodbye.
:44:35. > :44:38.To break someone physically... Agh! ..is not a problem.