Roger The Doger

Roger Federer survives two match points in great escape at US Open New York: Gael Monfils very nearly did enough on Thursday night to break up the all-star coaches reunion. Mixing speeds and bright ideas in gusting wind, he won the first two sets of this US Open quarter-final against Roger Federer. He even had two match points on Federer's serve in the 10th game of the fourth set. But as has so often been the case through the years and the tournaments that matter most, the standing ovation would be for Federer, who rallied to win 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Monfils might have the stuff of a showman, but Federer - even at age 33 with millions of dollars and 17 grand slam singles titles in the bank - still has the desire of a champion. And instead of Monfils making a breakthrough at Flushing Meadows, it will be Federer making a return to the semi-finals for the first time since 2011. He will do so in the company of his new coach Stefan Edberg, the elegant, net-rushing Swede who won back-to-back US Opens in 1991 and 1992. Federer's opponent on Saturday will be the 14th-seeded Marin Cilic, the Croatian veteran who is now coached by former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic. In the other semi-final, Novak Djokovic, now coached by former No. 1 Boris Becker, will face Kei Nishikori, coached by former French Open champion Michael Chang. Edberg, Ivanisevic, Becker and Chang all played against each other. And after nearly a full season, the evidence appears indisputable: star players turned star coaches do make a difference. "It's crazy and it's fun and it's great to see Michael, Stefan and Boris all in the semi-finals," Ivanisevic said on Thursday night. "We had so many great matches against each other, and now we are sitting there and we can't do anything, just clap and hope our guys are playing well and winning. Now, one of us is going to win a grand slam again as a coach. Who? It's going to be interesting." The only man who could have spoiled the symmetry was Monfils, who has no coach at all at the moment and seemed none the worse for the situation as he swept through his first four matches without dropping a set. He won the first two against Federer, too, before Federer put a stop to the streak by winning the third. But with the crowd pulling against him, Monfils managed to shake off an early break of serve in the fourth by breaking Federer back to 2-2. His chance came with Federer serving at 4-5 and 15-40. But Monfils decided to play it conservatively instead of boldly. Federer, with Edberg watching from the front row of the players' box, did the attacking, saving the first match point with a forehand volley that Monfils reached with his backhand and then missed. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/roger-federer-survives-two-match-points-in-great-escape-at-us-open-20140905-10cyg6.html#ixzz3CRR9Mpx0