Roger Federer Wins Seventh Title in Halle, Watch His Semi-Final Blooper Against Nishikori [VIDEO]
Federer defeated Alejando Falla in the final match, failed to realize he had already won against Nishikori at the end of semis match.
Roger Federer clinched his seventh title in the grass courts of Halle, Germany at the Gerry Weber Open. The Swiss star is showing his intent to claim an unprecedented 18th Grand Slam Title when Wimbledon comes around next week. He will be going for his eighth Wimbledon crown.
Halle is one of the warm up events leading up to Wimbledon and Federer said that he was looking forward to defending his title here and coming to Wimbledon after he was unceremoniously booted out of the French Open in the third round by Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.
The final match against Alejandro Falla ended in 2 sets but was no means a straight sets walkover. Both sets ended in a tie break with the final score of 7-6(2), 7-6(3).
Federer broke first in the first set to go 5-3 up but the Colombian broke back to take it to the tie break. In the second set, Federer broke immediately but Falla countered and the two players exchanged serves to get back to a tie break with Federer emerging victorious in the end. This is now Federer's seventh win in seven clashes with Falla.
''To win in a tiebreak is always a bit special; the euphoria, the emotion comes out. I was able to deal with Falla's strengths in the final and also Nishikori's in the semifinal. They were my second and third games on grass and I'm very satisfied with the level I could reach.'' said Federer in the post-match interview.
Incidentally, when Federer won the final he was a lot more aware of what was going on around him as opposed to his delayed reaction after winning his semi-final match against Nishikori.
Top seeded Rafael Nadal was taken out early in Halle, bowing out in the second round after successfully taking his ninth French Open Title just a week ago. Federer, who did not do well in Roland Garros nor the Australian Open earlier this year or last year's US Open where he bowed out in the fourth round, will be keen to stamp his authority back on the courts in his beloved grass surface.
Wimbledon will run from June 23 to July 6.
Watch Federer's Blooper in the semi-final match against Nishikori where he doesn't realize that he's already won the match:
