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1/5/12 5:01 PM | Ricky Dimon
Roger Federer loses a set to Andreas Seppi for the first time only to come back and win in three in Doha. Federer is now headed for another meeting with familiar foe Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
For the first time in his career--a span of seven previous matches and 16 previous sets--Andreas Seppi finally took a set off Roger Federer.
Of course, it had little impact on the end result as Federer still managed to prevail 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in quarterfinal action at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Thursday evening. Federer needed one hour and 38 minutes to set up a semifinal showdown against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Federer had been a perfect 15-0 in sets against Seppi prior to this encounter, and more of the same seemed to be in store when the defending champion broke serve to open the match. Although Federer gave it away with a loose game at 3-1, he recovered immediately for another break and a 4-2 advantage. Two more holds in which he lost a total of just one point allowed Doha's second seed to take the opener with little trouble.
Out of nowhere, though, set two proved to be an unexpected and downright bizarre affair. Seppi stormed to a shocking 5-1 lead but promptly tightened up and failed to serve things out at both 5-1 and 5-3. When Federer held to even the score at 5-5, it seemed to be all over for Seppi. Instead, the eighth-seeded Italian held at love then broke Federer to 15 to somehow force a third.
Federer woke up somewhat in the third, yet it was by no means smooth sailing. The Swiss regained control with a break for 2-1 and consolidated it easily en route to 4-2. At 4-3, however, Seppi suddenly got a look at two break chances only to make unforced errors on both occasions. Federer held, then had a more routine time of things serving for the match at 5-4, closing it out to 15 and clinching victory with a powerful forehand winner.
Seppi wrapped up his commendable effort with a clean six aces and no double-faults. Federer served at 69 percent while firing 12 aces against two double-faults.
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