Day 5: Federer v Fish Tennis: World Tour Finals

Roger Federer done it all before. Federer has the bit between his

teeth. Five times champion of this season in the event. Federer is up

Federer finding a way to gain the victory. Federer is in good shape.

Good afternoon. Roger Federer has proved he is very much back to his

unbeatable best. He has enjoyed remarkable matches during his

career but that 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Rafael Nadal he rates as one of

his very best. It was a clear answer to those who had consigned

the 30-year-old to the history books. Tim and and drew are with me.

Let us you'll jis about the man and the form he has been in. He hasn't

lost since the second semifinal against Djokovic. He has won Paris,

it is just, the whole place is just, drips with love when he takes to

the court. This was in, you know, this was in the final. Look at the

footwork here, look at the footwork here, look at the

adjustment there.. When he starts playing with real focus, as he is

at the moment, I just can't get enough of it. It is manner in which

he goes about his business. He has the ball on a string and he can do

what he likes. That is what Nadal found out the other day. Tim, he

seems to get better and better. When you think is he on the Wayne,

he reinvents himself. Gl that was as good tennis as I have ever seen.

I still think in the right condition, Roger's best is everyone

than everyone else's. When you reflect on a years it is about your

average. I think Djokovic's average has been better than Roger's hence

the ranking. When you see the shots he hit. It was 21 winner, it was

amazing he could play that aggressively, that consistently.

has only lost 14 points on serve. So you can look at the numbers all

you want. Look at the pretty pictures he paints. To Rafa's

credit at the end of the match he said "I wasn't injured, there is no

problem. This isn't the most important event in my life, it is

not one of the slams but congratulations to Roger, when he

plays well, there is nothing I can do." On another surface on another

day like on the French, Rafa will do the same thing to him. That

reaccuse haun -- reaction at the end. It was an easy victory, it was

almost like, "I'm back." He will take a massive amount of confidence.

In his first match against Tsonga, he came through and he will be

looking to finish off the group. didn't celebrate in style. He has

huge respect for Rafa. Other players when they beat Rafa would

be jumping round and shouting, but there is respect between the two.

There was very little reaction. Here is the man waudge Waughing

into the Lion's den. -- walking. He is about to be introduced to the

Calling Ladies and gentlemener -- ladies and gentlemen, the hoefrld

16 Grand Slam finals. The number win, the Barclays ATP world finals

defending champion, from Ladies and gentlemen. He is so cool.

So relaxed. So he looks like he is walking on for a practise session.

There is not a lot at stake for him. He is through to the semifinals. It

is pride and prize money. There is momentum on the back of his

performance against Rafa. He will want to maintain that form. I will

be surprised if he can reach the same levels. He don't want to drop

his serve or being loose mentally. He doesn't want to be out there for

two-and-a-half, three hour, he will look to dominate in match and win

as quickly as he can. We should give the daily medical report.

There is a hamstring injury Fish came in with. He felt that in the

second match. There was talk of a Spanish player coming in from the

altern naits list. They will stroke the ball round here, and, look, he

will, if he has to be at 85% he If you want to challenge, please

try to do it in a timely manner, we have television change over, so

please try to sit down the whole time. Any questions? Heads is

called. It is heads. You choose So, the coin toss completed. And

the match will get under way in just a moment. So a reminder of the

group stage, as we mention Roger Federer booked his place in the

semifinal, but a real shoot out tonight between Rafael Nadal and

Tsonga as to who will go through alongside him. While Roger Federer

has December patched his first two opponents with ease, in Group A

jock has had a torrid time, I think, came through in three sets against

Thomas Berdych and last night, well, he was outplayed by this man, who

was known before in as a clay court specialist, but he has booked his

place through in the semifinals. Juan Carlos Ferrero -- David Ferrer.

Novak Djokovic is fighting survival in that group. A very gracious in

defeat. The world number one, so Ferrer is already through in Group

A, but Novak Djokovic will be on court tomorrow, that is the match

we have got live for you, against Janko Tipsarevic who came in for

Andy Murray and Ferrer-Berdych in the evening. We may have to get

theical kulaitors out tomorrow, but it is straightforward today.

Tonight will be a real shoot out. Tonight, we will find out a lot

about Nadal tonight. And, he has already said he can't afford to

drop the ball short. He will try and maintain a good lence oo length

to keep Tsonga back. He can hit people off the court so it will be

interesting. Nadal is not on his best form, but stranger things have

happened than him winning big tournaments while not on good form.

This one, it is an exhibition, a Federer exhibition and I am looking

forward to it for that. You have to say what can Mardy Fish do? He

hasn't looked at his best. He has had a difficult preparation. He has

the hamstring problem. Fish to qualify next year for the year end

championship woubs an unbelievable achievement. It is fantastic he has

made the top eight at the age of 29. I don't think this will be an

exhibition for him. I think this is his one opportunity to try and win

a match in the tour finals. He is playing against the best player

that has ever lived. $120,000 for winning just before Christmas would

probably be a nice added bonus. a few nice Christmas presents. He

has had a tremendous year. A couple of years ago we had written him off.

He has always had the ability to, with a ball. Unbelievable hands and

everybody knew that, but it quite simply came down to this. Loose

weight. Get fitter and before you quit, give everything, and the

great credit belongs to his wife. Him for doing it but his wife for

saying that is the way you will get better. By exhibition I don't mean

disrespect to Mardy. You can imagine Federer carving through

this one fairly comfortably. We will see. I was looking at the odds

and Federer is 10-1 on to win this match. He looks in a different

class. This environment when we talk about you know, his best and

this surface, indoor court, no element, no sun, no wind. I think

he is the man to beat. emphasised in that in his matches.

He is guaranteed through to the semifinal, he will be the player to

beat. He has had eight years in the top two This is the first year that

won't happen. Now little things like that you may not think matter

when you have won 16 slam, you have made 30 quarterfinal slams,

quarterfinal at the Grand Slams in a row, but I think he is such a

proud competitor, I think it is possible he could get the world's

number one back and that would be thrilling to watch. He is certainly

the man in form and has been over the last week. Let us take you back.

You mentioned about the eight year, do you think he is a better player

than what we considered his peak a few years ago? Tim faced sort of

Sampras and Federer, I think he probably S it is just that, he may

be a quarter of a step slow e and the concentration may not always be

absolutely perfect. It may take more to get him up and get his

blood flowing, but if you go back to the semifinal of the French,

which he played with Djokovic this is tennis the like of which we have

rarely seen ever. But you go back to Federer Sampras in Wimbledon in

2001, and he was awesome then, he is a complete player, but he is a

mature man and a dad. He can't get up 35 weeks of the year but his

highs are still very high. It is interesting, he is different from

many of the other player, who are all the aches and pain, he is a

very private person. You don't know if he is injured. He wants to keep

that to himself, if he has a bit of a niggle he doesn't want to give

his opponent any advantage and, but also as well with the team round

him, the schedule he has rbgsz he manages his body as well as anyone.

So I think he appreciates it is rare he will have to play with an

injury. If it is too bad he won't play. If he does have a niggle and

he wants to play, he is going to get on court and get on with it.

There is your old buddy, your old coach. That is a nice job V He said

a couple of times, not with me, when you are working with a Ferrari

you don't have to do much. That was the case with Sam us pras and

Federer. It is not about teaching him to hit forehands and back hands,

it is about trying to emphasise which parts of the game the use,

and his game plan is match up against these different opponents.

Also, there was a bit of a veiled swipe by Roger that we were reading

about Andy Murray and the injuries we know there is a bit, they have a

bit of a dig at each other all the time about how hi manages to play

through the injury, even at these big events. That is right. There

seems like there is an undercurrent sometimes, but I think from you

know from Roger's point of view, when he has had nibbles he has

managed them. He hasn't always benefit. He has had problems with

his back and his shoulder gets sore from time to time. He is a guy who

likes to get on and let his tennis do the talking. So Rafa got three

games. How are we hoping for today? Thank you Tim. Andy is in the

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So just 14 points lost on serve in three sets against Tsonga, the

final set he won 6-4 against Nadal. Match he won and this opening

service game against Fish. To say he feels comfortable in this

environment is a bit of an understatement really. As you can

see, family and friend over there, his wife. Dad, this morning, was

saying just how proud he was every time his son, Roger, comes to the

arena and it is the reception he Stacey Gardner there just in the

middle of the shot. At his Mardy They have come to see their son

play. It is a great honour to be in The elevation from his ranking in

March last year up into the top 10 is amazing. He was 100 m in the

They say you reap what you say and he is a classic example. He has

lost a lot of weight and is making better around the court. He has had

a big impact on his game. His ability has not been in question.

This could be a poor start. His game is built around his first

serve and a heavily kicking second serve as well with a lot of

variation. He lost his first game in his previous two matches. Roger

Federer in this type of form, that is the daft thing that he wants to

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Two break points saved with That is definitely the strategy for

Fish. Looking to finish the point at the neck and tried to take Roger

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The longest rally and it goes to Roger Federer. The American No. 1

will face a third break point. We can hear the chatelaine of the feet

of both men. -- shuffling. Some heavy hitting from Roger Federer

but much of the time he will fit into the big spaces and wait before

The first serves in on the big UMPIRE: Roger Federer is

It is very early to look at the statistics but on first serve,

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The three break points sake with first serves. The moment he serves

a second serve he is in trouble because you cannot stay at the back

of the court with Roger Federer and Did you ever get intimidated

playing against him, Roger? There was a me one way for me to play and

that was getting into the net quickly. -- only one. He did not

like it when he was being rushed and his timing was taken away and

he could not use his great shot. If I was chipping and charging, that

was how early on I was able to have some success. He beat him six times

in your career. When he was under It was 2001 when Pete Sampras had a

wonderful match against Roger Federer. Pete Sampras tied him out.

And then he'd lost to you. A Concentration may be more difficult

for Roger Federer today than the D did well to get back in that

rallied. When you get a break point opportunity, you have to take it.

Welcome, Mardy Fish. Another mistake from Roger Federer and back

on serve. -- well done. That is good news from the neutral

perspective. Keeping the match quite close. We will talk about

rackets for a second. Are these rackets the ones that you can get

at a sport shop? To a certain extent. The rackets these players

will be using will be adapted for them. They have got the weight and

the balance and they have got a tape to alter or the weight of the

frame and distribute the weight from the head or be handled. But

actually boat rackets that they are using are relatively old technology.

Roger Federer's is an adaption of the Pete Sampras racket which was

adapted from Stefan Edberg, going back to the 1980s. I was wondering

if somebody can walk in and buy one because I have flipped them around

a little bit and it feels like, do not tell him, but they feel very

difficult to play with. This particular frame is an expert piece

of kit. Not a lot of help is coming from the racket. But when it comes

out of the middle... It usually does well. But it is the strings I

think which have changed. In the past everybody was using natural

gut but now they are synthetic strings we cannot use and they seem

to give more spin and power and control. They probably last a bit

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The two oldest men in the draw. 30 at the beginning of December. In

fact, Roger Federer is already Both married men as well. Who else

is married? David Ferrer is not. Jack Cade Tipsarevic. -- Janko

If there are any young players wapt watching who want to learn how to

construct a point. He was hitting to the open court, he was hitting

behind him, keeping his guessing, waiting for the ball to pull the

trigger on, and technique wasn't bad either. It is not about belting

a winner. So often the kids like the follow the winner at the end

but you have to lay the foundations. Just punching that forehand back at

the feet. Fish couldn't handle it. Looks like Mardy will have a hard

Federer's tech neat generates so much speed he is able to lay with

an enormous margin of error. The ball is probably going three or

four feet over the net. Henry. He was at the football last

night with Roger. Are they new best Actually they are quite old friends

to be honest. Couple of commercials Oh! I mean, even sorts his hair out

at the eend! That was so sweetly done. It is a good effort from

Mardy Fish to get to the ball in the first place and he made Federer

stretch up, which is all you can do. Watch this. Just a... Pretty win

badminton Al England as well, wouldn't he. UMPIRE: Game Federer P

--. Federer leads four games to one. So four to one but and he backs it

up by holding it. Let us look at his year this year. A year that has

seen him go to number four in the world, but do you know what, talk

about leaving shots on the course. He has left a few wins out there.

Djokovic was fantastic. French Open he beat Djokovic and lost to Nadal.

If he had won one of the first two sets he's will feel he could be in

the match. Didn't happen. Good effort getting to the final.

Wimbledon, two sets up the first time in Grand Slam play he had ever

lost from that position to Tsonga and two match points against

Djokovic at the US Open. One he said stayed with him for a couple

of days, that is the second year in a row in the semifinal he has lost

to Djokovic, so he was gutted. So Grand Slam for the first year in

many for Roger Federer. The man he is playing today. Lost in the

second round of the Australian open to Tommy Robredo in four. Lost to

Simon Gilles in the French Open but Wimbledon quarterfinal, tremendous

effort to get to the quarters and lost to Nadal. Lost to Tsonga in

the US Open on one of the windiest days of the year. Remnants of

hurricane going through. But an ATP ranking of eight. He has a good

summer on the heart courts. aspect he has talked about is his

record in Grand Slams, he has never had a big Grand Slam performance, I

think the qafrts is his best showing. I think, you know, maybe

at Wimbledon, maybe US Open he could have a good run. I think he

would like that, before his career He beat Thomas Berdych at Wimbledon

It is uncomfortable for fish when the serve is the best part of your

game, stepping up to for your third service game and you have yet to

Might get charged for this lesson at the end of it. He has fish on a

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line here, look, just chase that Oh, yes. Sorry but he just love

watching it. The way he comes round the outside of this ball. On the

backhand it looks hard. It is coming in like a forehand. It is

coming in the other way it is just That is the perfect drop shot.

Another 40 something of those and he might win! Top of the net and

then look, it still has the back spin on. Super shot. UMPIRE: Let,

first service. The crowd are giving him a sort of... Little bit of

sympathy. Fish just questioning whether or not that was a let or

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having a go at the machine, but you Federer leads five games to one.

You played Federer, I know you got your wins as well, I am not having

a go. I was commentating with Mr McEnroe. You were playing, second

round, what u year was that? Some year? 2006 maybe? And he was in

sort of form, where every shot was possible. Four, love and two he

beat me. Anything you could do? Could have lost three, love and one.

I don't think I could have got more You have to try and brings it back

to yourself and say I have to do the bassist sick, play the best I

can. If he is going to come up with the answers and he has more than

that, then too good and Fish is in a similar scenario, he hasn't

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played badly. Federer just got all Oh yes. That one's gone up to the

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score board and down through. That He is just trying to put on the

finishing touches to this set but Just beneath the corporate boxes,

in between be lower and upper tear spectators, said. Comes up. -- the

lower and upper level spectators, Band A set it is to Roger Federer.

Very comfortable. It was difficult at times this morning. The stand is

simply dripping with love for Roger Federer. He got a great reception.

Because of the way he has conducted his business and the manner of his

success and is playing. It is certainly elegant. But I was

reflecting on the journey of Mardy Fish. Out of the top 100 in the

world for much of his career. 50, 60, 70 but he has elevated himself

to this end of the season showdown. I am not surprised his mum and dad

are here. It does not just happened. He has had eight huge focus.

qualify for any event like this, it is a great achievement. But will he

be able to qualify again? It is going to be hard as he gets older.

But as he starts next year down in Australia, at the back of his mind,

he will be looking to qualify again. They will probably be 25 or 30

people that have that at the back of their mind. It is the

culmination of a great year of work. And a lifetime. As far as the

parents are concerned. They moved from Minnesota in 1985 down to

Florida. He attended a high school with Andy Roddick and lived with

him in 1999. He lived with his family. They played for the same

football team and tennis team. That is where he developed his tennis.

And perhaps developed his diet. He has changed all of it. He does not

eat anything after the evening meal. He eats a lot of vegetables and

says it is a bit boring. Venus Williams is doing that now. She is

on a vegetable diet. Expect her to be the comeback Player of the next

It hasn't helped serve yet. needs to get a couple of games

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early in this second set to put any That is a Serb. A massive kick

serve. Just 96 mph. This is the eye but he has. -- that is a serve.

He will be thinking, that is great. Just under 40 minutes of play and

finally he has held serve. We can finally he has held serve. We can

have a look at the comparison of. D average speed is changing

dramatically. That is a view of the Roger Federer serve. When it you

can't buy that one, he will clip down the middle. -- and when you

cut up at one, he will slip down cut up at one, he will slip down

the middle. It is all instinct. They have done research on it. You

have got 0.4 of one seconds to see the ball and make the return. --

They have been a pantheon of great surfers over the year. Roger

Federer is not quite talk about enough. -- servers. If you look at

their speed and how fast and how many aces, it is the accuracy of

But accuracy and variation bus-stop Second serve. He saw that and

picked that up early. He took a half swing. Sometimes there are

good ones to miss. That was the right intention. He had the

opportunity up the line but just a fraction loan. -- laid down. --

I am sure Federer thought about challenging on the baseline. He

looks at the lines judge. Perhaps a perfect length and certainly a

perfect drop shot. Perfect tactic to take his time away. Easier said

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UMPIRE: Mardy Fish is challenging Is off! Is just going to walk

straight out. He is coming back. That is good. He got pulled out

wide. He had a chance but then, up and over. A difficult Chase. It is

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a good job it was not the water By UMPIRE: Roger Federer is

What marks him out is that as soon as he has got one chance, it is

like a surgeon's night. He is very clean and you know it is happening

when he is in this kind of form and he has got a chance. His conversion

rate is extraordinary. The very Great tennis from Fish. He was

never really giving him many opportunities to attack him that

rally. Textbook overhead at the end. It is important to get the shoulder

and the right ankle and keep that And that is another game. Be crowd

are happy with that inside the 02 Arena. Coming to the end of the

tennis year. Just the Davis Cup final coming up in Spain in a few

days after this. We can have a quick look at the Grand Slam a year.

quick look at the Grand Slam a year. After all, that is what it is all

about. We must not forget the person that has had to retire from

this tournament this weekend, and the married. He has made -- Andy

Murray. Just the six Wimbledon titles, Roger Federer! 16 is the

Grand Slam record. Rafael Nadal won in Australia. Just once at the

French Open. He has got a couple of Wimbledon titles as well. Three of

Djokovic's victories have come this year. He has not won at the French

but he loves the clay and I bet he can become another player to

capture all of the Grand Slam I have a feeling the sponsor may

have given that one out earlier on. As we look round the crowd here.

There are a few likely rads lads up there. Had a couple of winter

warmers I would think. It's a great arena. There will be a few hundred

short of full capacity here today. To see Federer in action against

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Fish would like that shot again. He got the mishit that set up the easy

ball. You have to take advantage of those opportunities. Opportunity

It will be a nervous line judge because Federer doesn't get these

wrong too often. And he's got that Just, it is a great take isn't it,

into the game. It has really added to the drama. You are more likely

to get the right call, therefore the right outcome. It could have

been second serve. It is the right We say the best bit about it is

Hawk-Eye doesn't know the score and it doesn't know the players --

Well done. A bit of a dip in Federer's farm form. Fish not doing

too much apart from cutting the unforced errors out. Playing a nice

solid game. Not being intimidated. Talk from Oli Holt in the Daily

Mirror about the possible use of technology in football. They are

examining the idea again. It is hard to believe why can't you use

it? You get the right call. Absolutely. We would have beaten

Germany, wouldn't we. Lampard's goal. Absolutely. Four feet over

Played such a positive game to break Federer's serve. A bit of a

lapse in concentration, but Fish got an opportunity in this set. He

has a great serve. He has to make sure he does a great job holding on

UMPIRE: Mr Fish is challenging the serve. The ball was called out.

When they are serving so quickly and the balls are going so close to

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the line. It is a tough job calling Oh yeah, how about that the other

Mishit return, quite nicely controlled by Fish who was

recovering all the time Federer didn't go into the open court. And

that just enabled Mardy, this is fitness work, right there. Stay

UMPIRE: Game Fish P Fish. Fish Had a little bit of a chat with Tim

Henman about the sort of rackets the player use at this level and

all round the world when they are playing professional tennis, can

you walk into a shop and buy them. You can buy the frames but he was

saying the strings are making a huge difference, what stringing

tension are these guys coming on the court with? I think much loser

when you, you know, going back 15 years when everyone was using gut,

they were stringing them tightly because they didn't need the power.

But they wanted the control and now with these synthetic strings you

are able to string them loser, that gives you a bigger sweet spot. That

means you can get more spin and control but maintaining the power.

Federer is stringing at, I think he is about 21, 22 kilo, and that is

sort of high 40, low 50s pound which is pretty loose. What do you

string at, you are playing at the Albert Hall next week? I used to be

fussy. Do you know? As long as it's not broken I'll have a go. A bit

tighter than that but only 23, 24 kilos maybe. Well, that's some

Simon Brook, he is in there watching the tennis, he is not just

working on it, he is watching it. Do you regrip when you play? Not

any more, I probably would have had It is great point from Fish, even

though he loses it. He is take it the Federer, Federer having to come

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up with a great pass, not having Sweetly played. Nice disguise on

this. It had some top spin which Mardy just uses. Another break here

would really, wouldn't stun the crowd but I think they would be

surprised. A that! -- Aha! He was having a bit of a swing and he is

producing dramatic winners and at 4-1 with a break, here is a break

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UMPIRE: Game Federer. Fish lead 4 games to two. He ghost the -- lost

the game. Still with a break up, Fish. Just get the feeling he is

probably going to need another one. Felt like that break point for 5-1

was is set point. Flee points later suddenly the pressure back on Fish.

-- three points later. UMPIRE: Federer challenging the serve. The

ball was called in. It is a tough call for the line judge as well,

because Federer is in his way while he is trying to look at the ball

bounce. Yes. Get out of the way Roger! That was funny. Mardy, when

that challenge was going ahead, just looked down and just went

"Give me a break." I think he thue it was out, or had a feeling it was.

At least he will be able to complete this event and all his

matches in it. Coming in there was a question mark over that. He had a

bad hamstring. He retired from the two previous tournaments he placed.

It is a tough little group he was in when you hi about. T Federer,

Nadal. Tsonga. Not a lot of daylight there is there? Federer is

already through, the win over Nadal versus Tsonga is this evening's

match. Not before 8.00. Winner of Semifinals on Saturday. Finals on

I think he had probably retired by the time you started a family. Did

you travel with your family? I did a lot with my first. A little bit

with my second. Grace was born afterwards. A Roger troubles with

his two girls. -- travels. Is that a case of 21 seed cases? It is

difficult getting around the world. -- suitcases.... A travel virtually

every week and it is not easy. it a trained army of nannies?

a few of them, yes. But I think Roger likes having them around. But

he still has a chance to concentrate on his tennis. But it

is difficult to have these distractions but they are good

distractions because obviously they keep things in perspective. It

gives Roger something else to focus on instead of just tennis. I think

after you have looked after twins, the tennis court his spine. -- is

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just fine. That is probably the He understands that mistake could

mean he has to serve for be set instead of taking it now. -- this

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Roger Federer's at work letting him down which does not happen often. -

- footwork. He is probably struggling to be fully engaged. It

is a dead match. He is already He chased at one. Look at the spin

on that. A way it goes. And the way Great recovery, Mardy Fish. He did

not have much of the court but He is certainly forcing the pace,

isn't he? Twice as many winners in the set as Roger Federer. From the

first to be laughed in these rallies he is just going for it. --

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That is the job done as far as Federer is concerned. He has held

serve and he is making Mardy Fish serve for the set. The freshly

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It was a good plan and well executed. He played these look kick

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-- that its low serve. -- at slip And that is a quick handed exchange

from both sides of the court. reflexes. Fish doing very well to

react to everything that has been A catch-all Swat on the backhand

side. It was a tough call. That looked quite simple. Just landing

in sight. Another set point here, and the lead for the American. --

That is it. 1-1. Well played, Mardy Fish. Roger Federer has got some

work to do here, even then he is safely through to the semi-finals.

Third set coming up. We have got Third set coming up. We have got

that to look forward to in just a moment. Just a reminder of the

group stages... Roger Federer has already booked his place in the

semi-finals. But who joins them? That will be decided tonight. Jo-

Wilfried Tsonga or Rafael Nadal. Cried out about that on five Live.

It is more complicated after that. David Ferrer is definitely through.

He will be joined by Djokovic or Tomas Berdych. That will be decided

tomorrow. We have got the world No. 1 playing at 2 o'clock. We have got

about 20 minutes left here on BBC Two before we stop. You can follow

coverage on the red button. Plenty coverage on the red button. Plenty

to look forward to. We can rejoin the match. And this is how Mardy

Fish won one of these points. He concluded 6-3. That was excellent

made good. Roger Federer might be a bit slower. People have to pick it

up. -- Roger will have to pick it up. It was a combination of his

opponent raising his game and Roger losing a bit of intensity. But he

does not want to get into the semi- finals with a defeat. It is a

strange scenario. Normally, you would be going home but he has

already qualified. He will walk a strong showing in this set.

pretty good professional himself in the picture. He was a good all-

rounder. I played him in the third round at Wimbledon on Centre Court.

I think as usual I was a break down in one set and had to fight my way

out of trouble but got stay in the The afternoon crowd are probably

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 78 seconds

quite pleased that this is going Fish looking to get on the front

Could be that the world number four as is, Roger Federer, he needs a

bit of a scare here. Needs he to feel he is going to lose the match

to hit the heights. Regardless of what is happening in this match, we

have seen some strange results already this week, really. Nothing

I mean to see Novak Djokovic, the player of the year by a country

mile losing so easily in straight sets to Fred Astaire was the

biggest surprise, probg probably -- Federer is on this 14 match winning

streak at the moment, through the Davis Cup. He flew to Australia,

after the US Open, in September, and beat Hewitt in four sets. So a

win for Switzerland, then he won in barrel, then in Paris, so 14 --

basil.. So a 14 match winning streak. Aiming at the backhand.

Aiming at the court isn't he. has a fairly random distribution

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 78 seconds

We went through a face in the second set where Fish was dictating

place and early on in the third set. Federer is going to try and play

this match on his terms. Whoops, almost went over there. That would

have been a nasty one. Cutting away He has got some speed back in the

feet, hasn't he. Children get told not play with fire. Trying to play

games with Federer at the net is UMPIRE: Let. Mr Federer is

challenging the serve. I like the way players challenge. Some wave

their rackets round, Federer does a quick tick with the eye and maybe a

small sound. Oh. I don't think he He has the fast challenges right

So you hit a serve at 10 -- 111 mph. You must have to play a half-volley

from behind you, and then he does this. Yes, that is nice. It is not

always a very pleasing shot, it is ugly, that was pretty. You are

trying to disguise it by using your UMPIRE: Game Federer. Now approach

to the forehand of Roger Federer with something a bit more than that.

But he wasn't able to. Disappointing start for the

American player. It wasn't a great approach shot. You look at Fish's

court positioning. It was like he was covering the middle. It wasn't

a great passing shot from Federer. Three feet inside the sideline.

cover the cross court, it San easier move for the volleyer to

cover. Or you certainly anticipate I would rather having Federer

UMPIRE: Mr Fish is challenging the serve. The ball was called in.

Federer just trying to see the mark the ball leaves a little felt on

the surface. UMPIRE: Game Federer. Federer leads, three games to love.

He anticipated being right about the call answered was. 3-0. And

Federer is in charge in this final set. Not sure how long this set has

to go. But here on BBC Two we have under ten minutes to go, so if the

match is still going on you will be able to follow it on the BBC HD

channel and it will be available on the red button. But still a few

minutes to go before we close our transmission on two. Seven players

have won over00 matches on the professional tour. Federer was the

last to achieve that. He did that with a win over a player in Paris

recently.00 and counting. Got all the Swiss fans here. T he is an

easy man to support, to be honest. Those two children are Tony

Godsic's children, who is his manager and their mother is a

former gold medallist. And a very fine intervier, but tone wri goes

everywhere with his charge. He just has the one client hasn't he.

he looked after Lindsay Davenport, and Monica sell less. He only has

one now. I think he helps out some of the others but I think it is

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 78 seconds

. The less said about this one the Loves to get the two hands on this.

He rises up off the left leg here. The hitch kick. Pretty individual

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 78 seconds

APPLAUSE. A bit unlucky really for Mardy Fish. The first volley was

magnificent. The second was too high to get full control on. It was

happening all a bit too quickly am not sure Federer's forehand pass

was going in. You don't have time to make decisions when it is going

He has gone for the kick. Just 86mph. It wasn't perfect. But he

got away with it. It was like the off speed pitch. In baseball. The

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 78 seconds

slower ball in cricket can fool the UMPIRE: Game Fish. Well Fish

wriggle out of that one he is still down a break in this decided set --

deciding set. At this point we are saying goodbye to viewers on BBC

Two, if you want to continue watching this match to its