Australian Open 2020: Roger Federer scripts sensational comeback to beat Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-finals

Roger Federer edged out Tennys Sandgren in a pulsating five-set thriller to advance to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open 2020.

Many who saw Federer during the third set might have probably thought that it was the end of the Swiss Maestro. He lost his cool and shouted at the chair umpire, took a medical time out, and it looked as though he would crash out of the Australian Open.

But then, the fighter in Federer came to the fore as he battled back from the brink. After a pulsating encounter that lasted three hours and 31 minutes, the 38-year-old advanced to the semi-finals of the first Grand Slam of the year by beating Sandgren 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-3.

👀@rogerfederer has won his last 6⃣ five-set matches here.2020 quarterfinals: def. Sandgren 🇺🇸2020 third round: def. Millman 🇦🇺2018 final: def. Cilic 🇭🇷2017 final: def. Nadal 🇪🇸2017 semifinal: def. Wawrinka 🇨🇭2017 fourth round: def. Nishikori 🇯🇵#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/DKzI7RLXDl

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020

After taking the first set, Federer lost his momentum in the second and third sets, as Sandgren clawed his way back into the match. Federer had to save as many as seven match points in the fourth set to force the match into the deciding set. And in the decider, Federer was back to his sublime best as he beat Sandgren.

Federer will next face the winner of the match between Milos Raonic and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

After his sensational victory, this is what Federer had to say,

"You’ve got to get lucky sometimes.I was just hoping that maybe he wasn’t going to smash a winner, if he misses one or two [match points], who knows what’s going to happen? I think I got incredibly lucky today.As the match went on, I started to feel better and just tried to play. I believe in miracles. There could be rain…Just let him finish me off in style, and he didn’t do that. I’m still standing here and obviously just very happy.”

At the age of 38, Federer continues to give tennis aficionados moments of unmatched brilliance. His quest for a record-extending 21st Grand Slam title is well and truly alive.

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