Rodduck vs Federbear!

There was a massive upset at the Australian Open on Wednesday as Fernando Gonzalez saw off the number two seed Rafael Nadal, will there be another on Thursday Down Under? We certainly hope so as Andy takes on world number one Roger Federer in a mouth watering semi final match!

It’s being billed as the match of the tournament and will be played under the lights on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday night in Melbourne. While Federer goes into the match as the favourite, there are whisperings around Melbourne that Andy might just pull it off this time. He has been one of the most inform players in the tournament and is looking very good for taking on the Swiss world number one.

Federer has had his ever-typical coast to the semi finals, no surprise to see he hasn’t dropped a set against Phau, Bjorkman, Youzhny, Djokovic and Robredo. But none of those should have been easy matches, Federer is just that good. At the age of 25 he has picked up 45 career singles titles including nine Grand Slams, two of them Australian Opens. You can’t get much better than that.

However, although Federer holds a 12-1 record over Andy, there are signs that in the matches to come it’s not going to be so one-sided for Federer. Andy put in great displays against The Fed Express in the US Open final and in The Masters Cup last year and then, the week before the Aussie Open began he finally beat him in the Kooyong exhibition. That win doesn’t count in the official head to head stats, but it most definitely counts psychologically!

Commenting on his second ever Aussie Open semi final Andy said: “I look forward to it. You know, we’ve done it before. I’m sure we’ll do it again. I feel like I’m in good form. I’d love to see where I match up.

“I said for the past probably five or six months, the gap has either been closing a little bit or just he hasn’t been extending it, which he’s probably done the last three years or so. That’s a good thing. With the match in Shanghai, I’m going to go in with a shot. I like going up and competing.”

And the tactics? “I’ve been a little bit more successful the last couple times I played him,” Andy said. “I don’t feel like you can sit back and let him create. I think that’s when you get in trouble. I’m going to have to go with what I do well and try to attack him, at least make him come up with shots from uncomfortable positions.

“I think it’s just a matter of, you know, if you are going to come to the net, getting a little bit more on your approach shots. Little things like that, making every second serve return count. Just kind of little adjustments. I think the most important thing is you can have a game plan, but just executing it. There’s not a lot of room for error in the execution of it.”

So, make sure you set those alarm clocks! The match is starting at 7.30pm local time Thursday night, which is 3.30am EST.

Good luck, Andy!!