Day 9 Australian Open Tennis

Hello and welcome to our coverage of what are now the closing stages of

the Australian Open. The stakes are getting higher as the days tick by.

We still have a Brit in the mix, Johanna Konta is through to the

quarterfinals after a brilliant performance yesterday. She faces the

great Serena Williams for the first time next. That is tomorrow's story

and today's has the making of a fairy tale. Mischa Zverev took down

the world number one Andy Murray and up next to him, another giant to

slave. COMMENTATOR: The incomparable Roger Federer. True tennis

greatness. Today we have seen talent unlimited. The greatest of all time.

Mischa Zverev. This is going to be quite the watch. This is not his

normal standard, he is exceeding it. A wall of defiance. The best

performance Mischa Zverev has ever produced in his career. I don't know

how I want certain points. It means the most to me to have my family

have. So, if he triumphed over Mischa Zverev today, Roger Federer

knew it would be an all Swiss semifinal of the hen pikas Stan

Wawrinka is already three. He beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets.

He is still on for a fourth Grand Slam title in four years. That is

the first quarterfinal to be decided. Rafael Nadal and Milos

Raonic play there is tomorrow. There was one more piece of the puzzle to

complete today. Let's turn our attention to the action. Mischa

Zverev will rise to a career-high world ranking after this tournament,

a round number 34, we think. The crowd only really know him for his

shock victory over Andy Murray. Listen to the reaction for Roger

Federer. CHEERING And four-time champion in Melbourne,

the last of those wins was back in 2010. He looks to have rekindled a

little of the old magic. So, let's see if the great champion has it in

him to reach a 41st Grand Slam semifinal. Let's get into the first

set of 1-0 with Mischa Zverev to serve.

COMMENTATOR: Roger will be playing around the baseline. He will not

like to be further away than maybe an meter, maximum. The Bulls were

becoming much quicker at Zverev. He's missed the last two but did you

see what happened right after that return, he's already moved inside

the court. That will mean the between Roger Federer playing Zverev

and Andy Murray. I looked at some of the Hawk eye

graphics today, in terms of that point. The first serve return, Roger

is inside the baseline a lot of the time. Cutting the ball down, and he

didn't hit one inside the baseline off the first serve. That said, this

was at 190. Roger is going to be staying there on the return but not

only on the return. If he makes the return, still the baseline. Same

thing again. This guy has done his homework so well. He knows this is

what you have to do against a serve and volley player. Look at where

Zverev is sending his first volley tonight. He's behind the service

line. It's perfect, eggs exactly what we

thought might happen. But as the one thing that when Andy looks back at

that match against Zverev, he will feel as though he could have done

differently. He has that deep stance and has done it ever since Brad

Gilbert brought it in against Lopez when they were working together. He

doesn't really ever change that. I think that was the one trick that he

missed. First blemish at the start of this

much from Federer. -- this match. This is what Zverev did well, he was

3-1 down in the first set, down on Andy's serve, he stayed with him and

never gave him room to totally settled.

Good eye. Roger has such a good feel for where he is around the court. It

was a definite let go. If it's going to be near the line he usually takes

it, just to be sure he can put the volley away.

For all the stylish tennis, this is as clinical as I've ever seen him

out here. It's been perfect. It's been a bit measured, no luck so far

for Zverev to settle. -- no look. A terrific start from Federer.

Wanting to stamp his authority on this, and he has. Federer coming

through that first set unruffled. Let's join the second at 2-1 to

Zverev, with Federer to serve. COMMENTATOR: He just missed that

one. Roger just trying to make several rackets. Looking for his

13th possible Australian Open semifinals.

Federer is right back at the level where he played against Andy Murray.

Just a one serve and volley for Federer, so far.

He reacted well, but he couldn't do anything with it. A bit of good

fortune opens the door here for the German.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. He just kept on thinking, he stuck to

his game plan, tried to improve his own execution. Obviously settling a

bit under these circumstances. He is up 3-1, eight straight points.

In just the last two macro games. -- the last two games. I wonder what

Roger is thinking at the moment. Did I do something wrong besides maybe

hitting enough aces or winner serves? There was a point in the

last game he probably should have made. CHEERING

He was unlucky with that, he should have done well with that forehand.

This is reminiscent of where Zverev was behind the service line, having

to play the half-volley. A good serve. He's having a much better

time of things in the second here with eight out of ten points one to

the German when he's made his first serve. -- won for the German when

he's made his first serve. He's serving smartly. It's only his third

time this game that he serves to Roger's body forehand. Trying to use

the left spin. I think Roger should just keep on

trying to pass. It's a very legitimate shot. I

thought he'd go straight at Zverev, then tried to find a way round him.

Roger is in no mood to take the scenic route. An exchange of breaks,

we rejoin the second set at 5-5. What a great return. Very deep and

good serve of the German. This time he decided not to hit it. Was a

little late and then a slice. Two goods. Kept his composure and

found the target. -- too good. His eyes firmly fixated

on the ball, but now on the prize. Crucial break looms for him.

There it is. It's a process of perfection. An opportunity to get

the break as well. 6-5, Federer. Second set. Smiles in the box. Ivan

Ljubicic, the man with the plan, but it's the man executing the plan who

is looking good right now. And also those balls against Zverev tonight,

he's thinking about that coming at him and Roger found the way through

him. He opened up space by trying to hit Zverev early on.

Roger has to think about closing the set as quickly as he can. It's on

the board, nobody can take it away from him.

He's going to challenge it, for sure. Whether in or out, he just

wants to see. And feel on what he has done with his record, knowing he

did well. Of course, it's in! He knows that when it comes from his

racket. Just the wave Zverev started with

eight points in a row on service games, Roger might do the same here

at the end of the second set -- just the way. Miracle shots in this game

from both men off their forehands. Yes. Zverev fighting hard to find a

way back into this second set. Some quality tennis, he did well to stand

his ground after the return. He's got to be there.

Two gems from Zverev. One myth allows Federer to go up 2- 0- -- one

miss. Into the third set we go at 2-2, no breaks so far and Zverev to

serve. You may wonder why it didn't go

straight through him to start with, he keeps giving Zverev more options

to try to compute to defend the network. -- the net with. Roger

knows the spot, he knows where to hit it. He keeps his focus on the

one and only thing which is looking at the ball. Most of his returns

have been really good. Even write -- even write her. He doesn't have to

look to Zverev, or the court, all he has to do is look to the ball.

Zverev not looking very happy right now. The pace is dropping out of his

serve, he's got to find a big one here, surely. He tried. Changing his

stance a bit, going a bit more to the alley. That first return was too

high. Roger practising his backhand return, it was all about the return

being a bit too high. He swung a little early, that was

considerably slower than his average. It was a very slow serve.

He couldn't speak that one up. -- speed that one up.

He might as well challenge. He's laughing. Did you see that reaction?

He was looking at the Zverev camp. One great way of reacting, actually.

There you go. Come on! Can you believe it?!

CHEERING On the one hand, you've got to give

so much credit to Mischa Zverev for creating a moment of absolute magic.

He doesn't give much, Roger, does he? He's already standing there to

serve again, after the greatest rally of the match! Every single

time, the same pattern. Returned on the middle, depends how deep the

volley is, just a little too short, go straight at him or down the line.

If it's a bit more difficult you go across. Such an instinctive player,

showing much restraint tonight, great discipline. There it is.

Absolutely world-class. It's a clinic out here, how to take care of

a serve and volley in the modern game. Even that returned there was

just, again as you've been saying, just the fact that he knows where

he's trying to hit the ball allows him to make the improvisation and

knock it there. There was no other thought on mind. Confidence, and how

comforting it is that you know where you have to hit it and you don't

have to worry about it. It's all looking at the ball. Not go for it

too much, set yourself up for a passing shot. Knowing is one thing,

but actually executing is another. These balls are still coming at you

like this last one, 169, anywhere between 130 and 197 kilometres per

hour. He didn't apologise. We see the end result is all the time out

here, Roger playing like this. He does just have that mystifying way

of making tennis look ridiculously easy. I was at the hock cup where he

started his year on rehab and he was on the Centre Court to four hours

straight with Sasha one day. Clearly, even for someone like Roger

selling that arena out, that is a long period to tie up Centre Court.

They gave it to him for three. That's his level of intensity and

workrate, still, away from the cameras.

It's a really important game. You have to win it, you have to put it

on the scoreboard. You're never sure against the sky. -- this guy. But, I

think he's a little mentally tired at the moment, the way he goes about

his preparation before the point. He's looking demoralised and

understandably so. He has over 1084 wins, Federer, in his illustrious

career. There have been many who have been in Mischa's situation. To

be here in the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam with the wind he's had to

get through to get here as well is a fantastic effort -- with the wins.

His family are here, what a family, a great story and beautiful people

but it's looking as though it is coming fairly rapidly to an end.

Tell me again why we slowed courts down? I mean, how much fun has this

been to watch between these two? He'd have loved to make that one.

Great volley. What I love to see is Roger's discipline. Especially the

discipline on the return. Why would you do anything else if

that's the play that works for you? Why even bother?

Look where he was. He just sneaked in there. There was a name for this

special return when he takes it so early. Sneak attack by Roger. That's

it. It's like John McEnroe at his

absolute pomp. Take the server early, come in...

He has not deviated from the plan for one second on return. If he is

able to win the next point, I think Zverev is going home. That's how

much it costs if you get a tennis lesson for an hour and a half.

There's no way he'd give you an hour and a half for $100! I'd take $100

on that! Roger, again, it's a wireless net

cord machine that we have now. The players look perplexed about

what is going on. It is not anywhere near. Experienced that today, you

just continue, whether it is let service or not, you just have to

continue playing. He is going to go across. In Singles as well, you have

to continue on a net server. I'm not a big fan of the players also

instinctive and based stop playing a lot of the time. I guess they will

learn relatively quickly to keep playing.

He just keeps on doing it. Brilliant. He has to go for that

double break. I repeat myself, you never know what is going to happen

with Zverev, he could have another great game like at the beginning of

the second, winning eight straight points. It can happen at any time.

That is about the first time that he has tried to widen the return width,

rather than going straight back at the shoelaces of Zverev.

This is just cumulative pressure, he is just desperate to get through it,

but it is just such hard work. Both players, only 11 unforced errors

throughout the match. Good statistics for both players.

Roger with double the winners. That is another one to add to the

collection. And amongst the 57 winners he has hit, just four have

been outright return winners as well, just to highlight the

discipline that he has made Zverev play with. Out of the 57, there were

only six aces. He just missed. It is very clean.

That was a great volley. But in this case, the Doubles.

He continues to fire and to drive to get another game on the board, as

you say, you never know what is round the corner. Yes, he knows

every point is actually match point setback he has to fight. -- and he

has to fight. And he does! It doesn't matter how you do it, as

long as you get it done. We mentioned this volley, 29 out of 70

points won by Zverev. He's got to be tired, looking at his shoelaces!

That is not a winning percentage. He is trying to mix up his serve, we

have seen him down the tea and going out wired. With Roger, whether it

is... That is just on his feet. You also see if the return is just not

low enough, Zverev plays a good volley and the passing becomes more

difficult. He has had to change up in serving,

he did not get a lot of success into the body after Federer was picking

it. He has gone wider and he is salvaging the situation.

He is just feeling the pressure, this is not a difficult volley. He

sees Roger coming in at the same time and he just takes as I off the

ball for a second and he doesn't stick it. -- takes his eye. Just a

metre behind the service line. Is he trying to send out a message for

next time they play? It looked an awful lot like the backhand return

of the first game. When Zverev went up quickly 3-0 and he repeated the

feat towards the end of the match, 5-2 Federer, third set.

Roger Federer finding sensational tennis to work his way to a double

break and a couple of moments later, he's got himself match point.

What a classy performance from Federer, it was absolutely fabulous.

He overwhelms the giant killer who has had such a sensational run at

this year's Australian Open. Mischa Zverev reaching the quarterfinals,

but who better to stop the than Roger Federer?

He played an incredible tournament and he had a great match which is

never easy and he went the distance and on an outside court with those

kind of conditions against John is tough and he backed it up beating

Andy and other great players and I was so happy for him. He has gone

through tough times recently with injuries and it is nice in guys like

this back on the court enjoying themselves and getting a second or

maybe the chance, so it is nice for him and I was really happy he came

out and played such a good match. He gets his career-best ranking now and

he can build on that for the season and they can do it as brothers,

which is cool. What were your expectations coming

here to Australia for the level you were going to play? Not to play

starred in the semifinals! I thought I would maybe win a couple of rounds

depending on the draw, get to a fourth-round quarterfinals, that was

with the swift -- Swiss press, that was my expectation. Was that before

you saw the crazy difficult to draw? This was before I saw the draw and

when I saw the draw and people were talking about the dream draw, I

thought, what is missing, I'm not seeing a dream draw! The press is

there to debate, I'm happy and I never thought it would be this good.

Here I'm still standing against Stan for the semis, it could be good for

both of us. A wonderful day. Sun, both of you guys getting through to

the semifinals and you will play for the 20 seconds time you have played

a lot. What is critical for you in that match to succeed against Stan?

He is a top player, he has turned it around, the US Open, winning the

Grand Slam the last three years. The Davis Cup when it was important, he

was right there for me and forced to learn the. So I saw it close up and

it was cool sharing the court with him and Doubles, he played

unbelievable. To play against Stan, I have to stay aggressive and the

more time I get in, the better he is like most of the big hitters and he

is the biggest we have maybe in the game now. I'm happy for him he's got

this far, but he just needs to go one step further! That is enough

right now. Looking forward to the match and Stan knows I'm joking,

somewhat! Federer happy to stick around for a

long chat with Jim Coria, looking relaxed after such a great

performance. Another Australian Open title potentially seven years after

his last. The top half of the draw is decided, Swiss versus Swiss is

Federer takes on Stan Wawrinka. In the bottom half, Dimitrov against

Goffin and it big test for Rafael Nadal on the comeback trail against

Canada's Milos Raonic, the number three seed. Raonic is back in action

next week when Canada take on Great Britain in the first-round of the

Davis Cup. Teams get picked ten days in advance solely on Smith has made

his choices for the British team. And big news is, there is no Andy

Murray, he has apparently not been completely rolled out and if he

changes his mind, the team may change. For now, it is Kyle Edmund

who lost in the second round in Melbourne and he will play the

Singles with Dan Evans who will not be short of his confidence after his

remarkable move to the fourth round. And Jamie Murray and Inglot travel

to Canada to play the Doubles set backhand you can watch the Davis Cup

first-round tie live from Ottawa from Friday from eight p.m.. And

coverage begins on BBC Two. Before that, all the latest from the

Australian Open and the women's semifinal draw is beginning to take

shape. Angelique Kerber was knocked out in the quarterfinals and the

French Open champion was taking care of. So she goes into her first Grand

Slam semifinal. And how about a revival of Venus Williams? She goes

to the her first Australian Open semifinal in 14 years and she has

done it without dropping a set, so Venus already through, who is going

to join her? Karolina Pliskova and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni play first

tomorrow and the one we have been waiting for, Johanna Konta against

Serena Williams, and we caught up with the code Konta.

She has a lot of respect for Serena but I do believe she can believe she

can win that match. I know it is tough, she never played Serena

before. I'm here to use my experience of my previous matches

against Serena. I will try to prepare her as good as possible for

Serena's game and her mental games. So I believe Johanna will play a

great match and for the result, we are also dependent on the level of

Serena. Konta say she is looking forward to

taking on her childhood hero for the first time and we can't wait. Live

commentary from 2am and live text commentary online.

And you can wake up to the result is not like I will be back with

highlights tomorrow. And there will be live coverage of the world indoor

Bowls Championships from 10am on the red button and on BBC Two from ten

past one. But such your alarm clocks for the biggest test Konta's nerve

and determination, the story of tomorrow. Today's fairy tale was not

to be for 91 and Roger Federer is still writing his own legend. Some

said he was a spent force but today, he proved he could still be the

master of Melbourne once again, thank you for watching, goodbye.

To break someone physically... Agh! ..is not a problem.