Federer to take on Baghdatis in Aus Open Final

Roger Federer has again made it through to the Australian Open Men’s final, setting himself up for a showdown with unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

The World Number One took on hot-headed Nicolas Kiefer, who was looking to secure a place in his first Australian Open Final.

Federer, whose previous opponents included Tommy Haas and Nikolay Davydenko, was challenged by the fiery Kiefer, providing for a gritty and hard fought opening set. It was impossible to separate the two, but after 55 minutes Federer prevailed to take the set 6-3.

The second set was much like the first with the unpredictable Kiefer constantly challenging Federer. The German fought back to force the Swiss Master to a tie break. He held his nerve and controlled his notorious temper to take the set, 7-5.

After a 55 minute first set and 44 minute second set, the Swiss superstar barely broke a sweat in the third, taking just 25 minutes to win 6-0. Kiefer was no match for Federer, who managed to regain the brilliant play of the first set.

Kiefer failed to find the form that he had leading up to the match and in the fourth set, Federer held a two sets to one lead. Kiefer began to make several errors, which help Federer cruise to a 5-1 lead. The number 21 seed saved one match point to give him a slither of hope in stopping Federer but fell short. Federer won the set 6-2 and the match, three sets to one.

Federer enters Sunday’s Final with the opportunity to collect his seventh Grand Slam. But before he can do so, he must come up against giant slayer Marcos Baghdatis, who sent number two seed Andy Roddick packing and has also claimed victory over seeded players such as Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian. However, Federer’s form is peaking at the right time, placing him in an ideal situation to again make history.

Earlier today Australia’s Samantha Stosur and her American partner Lisa Raymond met Chinese pair Zi Yan and Jie Zheng for a tilt at the Women’s doubles crown. Stosur, who qualified for a career best fourth round in the singles competition, was looking to collect her first women’s crown with her experienced partner Raymond. Unfortunately, for Stosur and Raymond, they were defeated by the Chinese pair.

The Aussie and American came out firing, taking the first set 6-2. The all Chinese pairing were no match for Stosur and Raymond, who took just 30 minutes to claim the first set.

However, the Chinese pair of Yan and Zheng regained their composure to force a tiebreak in the second set. Both teams let their nerves get to them at critical stages, squandering countless opportunities to take the set. Yan and Zheng saved two match points as the pressure got to Stosur and Raymond. The rejuvenated Chinese pair overcame their nerves to take the set 7-6.

Number one seeds Stosur/Raymond started the deciding set in a positive fashion, taking the first point. But it wasn’t enough as the twelfth seeds Zheng/Yan took the set 6-3, to seal the Championship.

Stosur will now turn her attention to defending her mixed doubles championship she won last year with fellow Australian Scott Draper. She is looking to win her semi final with her 2006 partner, Australian Paul Hanley, in the hope of collecting her second successive mixed doubles championship.

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