Roger Federer who will turn 36 years of age in later this year in August, has pulled out another grandiose tennis of his hat. He qualified for miami's 4th round and in doing so he let nothing on the table for Juan Martin del Potro. Thus, Federer, winning streak is extended to 9 wins in a row and the finish line in Miami seems now closer than ever. It seems like Federer discovered a totally new age between 35 and 36, a fountain of wisdom and smart-playing which brings him again at the top of men's tennis.
A casual win against del Potro
Perhaps the most unfairly-ranked player of men's tennis, the 28-year-old Argentine seemed so small against Roger Federer.
Nor his blistering forehand or his serve couldn't prevent him from losing in a decisive manner against his longtime rival from Switzerland. Being so precise behind his serve, Federer only needed to break del Potro one time on each set. A compelling win with 6-3 6-4 which brings Federer one step closer to the 3rd Miami crown, and the first since 2006. Federer's brand new tennis' philosophy is more and more visible each time he hits the tennis court. There is a certain sense of rush in his overall approach, whether he is serving or receiving the ball. For his opponents, the time-span between hitting the ball and Federer's feedback is discouragingly short allowing no time for making a reasonable decision.
It's a more intuitive tennis that Federer is playing nowadays, an angle that most players are unable to cover.
Federer will play Roberto Bautista-Agut
In his way to another glorious finish, Roger Federer will face Roberto Bautista-Agut (18 ATP), a Spaniard who is yet to steal a set from Federer. The 28-year-old Spaniard lost all 5 previous meetings against Federer.
Last time they compete against each other was in Monte Carlo back in 2016. The winner of this showdown will play against either Tomas Berdych (14 ATP) or Adrian Mannarino (65 ATP) in the next round. If he reaches the semis, Federer could face some rock-solid opposition having players like Stan Wawrinka or Nick Kyrgios building up their own momentum.