Roger Federer Survives Another Tough Battle Against Roberto Bautista Agut at Halle Open 2019

The Swiss World Number three, Roger Federer over the Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals of the Halle Open 2019. He knocked him down in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the semifinals in Halle. Next, the Swiss will meet Pierre-Hugues Herbert for a place in the finals.

His head to head tally against Roberto Bautista Agut improves to 9-0 and it will be his 15th semifinal in Halle in his last 15 appearances. Yesterday, Roger Federer came across a strenuous match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and similar situations were witnessed today on the courts of Halle.

In the opening set, Roger Federer hit 12 winners and five unforced errors and dropped two points in his service games, He broke the Spaniard twice to pull off the opening set. However, Bautista Agut gave Federer a tough time from the second set and onwards, he hit nine winners and five unforced errors in that set.

Roger Federer squandered few break points in the third and displayed some attacking style tennis, and the Spaniard saved himself from going a break down while serving at 3-4. The Swiss held a winning break in the last game of the match as the Spaniard committed unforced errors and closed out the match in one hour and 53 minutes.

On the other of Halle, the defending champion, Borna Coric retired in the middle of the match against Herbert due to an injury and that moved the Frenchman into the semifinals against Roger Federer.

“It was a dream come true,” said Herbert on his grass-court training session with Roger Federer. “As a kid, I’d watch him and imitate his strokes. So practicing with him, having fun and actually when you practice with him, he spoke and was interested in me. He asked a dozen questions about me.”