Federer rallies to clinch sixth Halle title
Federer wins Halle Tennis Open
Roger Federer clinched the title at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle for the sixth time in his career with a spirited come-from-behind victory over Mikhail Youzhny to earn his first title of the season. Youzhny had ousted three seeded players enroute to the final – Kei Nishikori, Philipp Kohlschreiber and then the second seeded Richard Gasquet in the semis. But Federer played with renewed focus on losing the first set to earn a memorable 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory in just over two hours.
If there was an assumption that it was going to be a smooth ride for the five times champion, Youzhny reminded Federer of the task at hand at the very start. Federer pushed Youzhny to a corner in the first game. The Russian proved equal to the task, refusing to budge in the face of an early attack from the Swiss. Youzhny fought hard to save four break points, surviving a nearly five minute first game to hold serve
The unseeded Russian struck a forehand cross court return winner in the fourth game to gain his first break point, but Federer survived a couple of deuce points to hold serve and stay even at 2-2. The Russian started to get a good read on the serve, causing trouble to the Swiss.
Federer served a double fault in the sixth game to find himself in a spot of bother at 15-30. The top seed survived the brief hitch with a couple of big serves to bail out and hold serve to 3-3. Youzhny made a stern statement with a love hold in the next game to stay ahead at 4-3.
Federer was once more in a familiar situation of bother at 15-30, when he conceded points with uncharacteristically loose shots. Yet again, the Swiss recovered his poise to hold serve and keep the set on serve.
A brilliant forehand pass in the ninth game to reach 15-15 was Federer’s first real moment of assertion in a few minutes. Another point later, there was a moment of sheer genius that brought the crowd to its feet. Youzhny sent a cross court forehand that landed at the feet of Federer and the maestro picked it off his shoe laces for a feathery drop shot winner.
None of that distracted Youzhny, as the determined Russian went on to hold serve and force Federer to serve to stay in the set. Serving at 5-5, Youzhny sent in his first double fault to offer an opening at 15-30. Federer squandered it immediately with an overcooked forehand. A fine rally ensued at 30-30 and this time it was Youzhny who made the forehand error to gift Federer his fifth break point of the set.
Youzhny responded with grit and determination to hold off the Swiss and take the lead again. A fine lob from Youzhny put Federer under considerable pressure at 30-30 in the twelfth game. A missed volley from Federer helped Youzhny to force deuce. Federer fired a forehand long to offer set point to the Russian.
Federer responded with a couple of big serves to regain the advantage. On the next point, Youzhny hustled Federer with resolute defence and a sliced backhand to fall back to deuce. Eventually, it took a couple of refined volleys at the net for Federer to hold serve and force the tie-break.
Federer had a 3-1 edge over Youzhny in tie-breakers between the two of them, but there was nothing to separate the two in this one when they changed ends at 3-3. It was Youzhny who earned the first mini-break when Federer sent a backhand wide on the next point.
A lucky net cord bailed out Federer, with Youzhny bearing over the ball at the net, when it flew off the tape and beyond the reach of the Russian. On the next point, it was Youzhny in control again but Federer read a backhand drop well to nail a winner to the line.