The main question after Roger Federer’s 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Jarkko Nieminen in the second round of the Swiss Indoors is: “What the heck happened in the second set?”
Federer was 11-0 (with all 22 sets won) against Nieminen going into the match, and it seemed to be more of the same when he ran through the first set in 24 minutes.
Part of the answer is two big shots that Nieminen hit with Federer serving at 30-all in the opening game of the second set. An incredible reflex backhand service return that landed deep and handcuffed Federer, followed by a forehand winner on the next point helped the Finn secure the service break and reverse some negative momentum.
Nieminen held to 2-0 and gradually began to play better. But that still doesn’t account for Federer hitting three double faults in a row on his way to losing his serve a second time to fall behind 4-1. He got one break back, but Nieminen still managed to serve out the set at 5-4.
But in that set-clinching 10th game were signs of why Nieminen has never beaten Federer. Holding triple set point at 40-love, he double faulted, hit a forehand into the net and double faulted again to allow Federer back to deuce. Still, Federer couldn’t capitalize and Nieminen had his first-ever set won against the mighty Swiss. In what had to be the line of the day, commentator Nick Lester joked, “No one, it would seem, wins 24 straight sets against Jarkko Nieminen.”
Federer tightened the screws right from the start of the third set, breaking to 15 in the second game and losing only three points in his first four service games. But there was a final hiccup when he attempted to serve out the match at 5-3. Federer allowed Nieminen a break point and needed three match points before putting away an easy forehand near the net to seal the victory in an hour and 35 minutes.
Maybe not too much should be made of Federer’s spotty play. It’s always tough to get psyched against someone you’ve dominated so thoroughly, especially after basically toying with him in the first set today. Having just played his second fellow 30-year-old (Potito Starace in the first round), Federer will now meet either Radek Stepanek (almost 33), Andy Roddick (29) or Tommy Haas (33) in the quarterfinals on Friday. He should be comfortable with the thought of taking on another ‘old boy,’ as he will be with the news that No. 2 seed Andy Murray—his potential semifinal opponent—has pulled out of Basel with a back ailment.
As for Nieminen, he detaches himself from David Ferrer and Mikhail Youzhny—both 0-11 versus Federer—and now stands alone at 0-12.
—Tom Tebbutt