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Djokovic vs Federer Australian Open live streaming, preview and tips

andrew hendrie:

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer collide for the 50th time as their legendary rivalry continues in the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday night.

Novak Djokovic ?? vs Roger Federer ?? Match Info

Date: Thursday January 30
Tournament: Australian Open SF
Court: Rod Laver Arena
Time: 7.30pm local time (8.30am GMT)

Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer Head-to-Head

Djokovic leads 26-23

Year Tournament Surface Winner Score
2019 ATP Finals RR Hard Federer 6-4 6-3
2019 Wimbledon Final Grass Djokovic 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12
2018 Paris SF Hard Djokovic 7-6(6) 5-7 7-6(3)
2018 Cincinnati Final Hard Djokovic 6-4 6-4
2016 Australian Open SF Hard Djokovic 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3
2015 ATP Finals Final Hard Djokovic 6-3 6-4
2015 ATP Finals RR Hard Federer  7-5 6-2
2015 US Open Final Hard Djokovic 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4
2015 Cincinnati Final Hard Federer 7-6(1) 6-3
2015 Wimbledon Final Grass Djokovic 7-6(1) 6-7(10) 6-4 6-3
2015 Rome Final Clay Djokovic 6-4 6-3
2015 Indian Wells Final Hard Djokovic 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2
2015 Dubai Final Hard Federer 6-3 7-5
2014 ATP Finals Final Hard Djokovic Walkover
2014 Shanghai SF Hard Federer 6-4 6-4
2014 Wimbledon Final Grass Djokovic 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4
2014 Monte-Carlo SF Clay Federer 7-5 6-2
2014 Indian Wells Final Hard Djokovic 3-6 6-3 7-6(3)
2014 Dubai SF Hard Federer 3-6 6-3 6-2
2013 ATP Finals RR Hard Djokovic 6-4 6-7(2) 6-2
2013 Paris SF Hard Djokovic 4-6 6-3 6-2
2012 ATP Finals Final Hard Djokovic 7-6(6) 7-5
2012 Cincinnati Final Hard Federer 6-0 7-6(7)
2012 Wimbledon SF Grass Federer 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3
2012 Roland Garros SF Clay Djokovic 6-4 7-5 6-3
2012 Rome SF Clay Djokovic 6-2 7-6(4)
2011 US Open SF Hard Djokovic 6-7(7) 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5
2011 Roland Garros SF Clay Federer 7-6(5) 6-3 3-6 7-6(5)
2011 Indian Wells SF Hard Djokovic 6-3 3-6 6-2
2011 Dubai Final Hard Djokovic 6-3 6-3
2011 Australian Open SF Hard Djokovic 7-6(3) 7-5 6-4
2010 ATP Finals SF Hard Federer 6-1 6-4
2010 Basel Final Hard Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1
2010 Shanghai SF Hard Federer 7-5 6-4
2010 US Open SF Hard Djokovic 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5
2010 Canada SF Hard Federer 6-1 3-6 7-5
2009 Basel Final Hard Djokovic 6-4 4-6 6-2
2009 US Open SF Hard Federer 7-6(3) 7-5 7-5
2009 Cincinnati Final Hard Federer 6-1 7-5
2009 Rome SF Clay Djokovic 4-6 6-3 6-3
2009 Miami SF Hard Djokovic 3-6 6-2 6-3
2008 US Open SF Hard Federer 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2
2008 Monte-Carlo SF Clay Federer 6-3 3-2 RET
2008 Australian Open SF Hard Djokovic 7-5 6-3 7-6(5)
2007 US Open Final Hard Federer 7-6(4) 7-6(2) 6-4
2007 Canada Final Hard Djokovic 7-6(2) 2-6 7-6(2)
2007 Dubai QF Hard Federer 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3
2007 Australian Open Hard Federer 6-2 7-5 6-3
2006 Davis Cup RR Hard Federer 6-3 6-2 6-3
2006 Monte-Carlo R64 Clay Federer 6-3 2-6 6-3

Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer Match Preview

A blockbuster showdown between two titans of tennis awaits in the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday night as Djokovic and Federer renew their long-standing rivalry.

Djokovic holds the slight edge with 26 wins to 23, but the Serbian has been dominant in Grand Slams for the better part of the last decade, winning their last five encounters, with Federer’s last triumph at a major coming back at Wimbledon 2012. Furthermore, Djokovic has won four of their last five contests, including their epic Wimbledon final in 2019 where he saved two championship points before prevailing 13-12 in a fifth set tiebreak. Djokovic is also unbeaten in Australian Open semi-finals and finals, winning the title on all seven occasions he’s advanced to the final four at Melbourne Park. Federer can however take confidence from the fact he did win their last meeting, preventing Djokovic from regaining the No. 1 ranking at the ATP Finals to close 2019.

However, this is a much different Djokovic. The 16-time major champion didn’t have a good finish to last season, retiring at the U.S. Open and generally looking tired and fatigued from another energy-sapping year. Djokovic has exploded out of the blocks to launch 2020, registering a perfect 11-0 record after guiding Serbia to the ATP Cup trophy – beating Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal along the way – while he’s dropped just one set (in his R1 vs Jan-Lennard Struff) to make the Australian Open semi-finals for the eighth time, with his serve going to another level as he chases a record-extending eighth title in Melbourne.

Live Stream: How to watch and bet on the 2020 Australian Open live from Melbourne Park

Speaking after his straight sets dispatch of Milos Raonic in Tuesday night’s quarter-finals, Djokovic said he was ready for another battle with Federer.

“I know that whenever we get a chance to play each other, we understand it takes a big effort and it’s required from us to come up with the best game in order to win against each other,” said Djokovic.

“At Wimbledon last year, he had two match points, he was one shot away from winning that match. It’s not like I’ve been dominating the matchups. I’ve had success against him, in Grand Slams in particular.

“But Roger is Roger. You know that he’s always going to play on such a high level, regardless of the surface. He loves to play these kind of matches, big rivalries, semi-finals, finals of Grand Slams.”

Roger Federer (Photo by Jason Heidrich/Icon Sportswire) (Credit Image: © Jason Heidrich/Icon SMI via ZUMA Press)

These are the kind of matches that keep Federer playing the sport at 38 years of age, but after what transpired in his epic quarter-final against Tennys Sandgren on Tuesday, you have to wonder just how much the Swiss will have to offer against the defending champion.

Federer, somehow survived a titanic tussle with Sandgren, saving seven match points in an extraordinary effort to outlast the American by a 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-6(8) 6-3 scoreline. Trailing two-sets-to-one, Federer went off-court to receive a medial timeout, and when he returned, he could barely move or complete his normal service motion. The six-time Australian Open champion was struggling to get out to his backhand wing and his speed behind his serve was well down on usual, so it appeared as if it was only a matter of time before Sandgren surged to the finish line. However, the American, ranked 100 in the world, became tentative in baseline exchange and would ultimately blow seven match points in the fourth set – and from there, Federer’s adrenaline got him through as he produced a spectacular escape act.

“For most of the time there, I thought that was it,” said Federer. “Of course, there’s little sparkles where maybe not, then you’re like, no, it is over. Only maybe when I won that fourth set did I really think that maybe this whole thing could turn around.

“Honestly, when they told me seven [match points], I was like, ‘What? I thought it was three.’ It’s such a blur at some point.”

Federer later revealed he was struggling with a groin problem, but you do have to wonder if there was a back issue as well, given his struggles in the past with that area of his body. In any case, considering he was on the brink of defeat against John Millman, lost a set against Marton Fucsovics and somehow survived in five against Sandgren, it’s hard to see how Federer is going to physically hang with the best Australian Open player in history on Thursday night.

Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer Prediction

I don’t see how Djokovic can lose this. He’s never lost an Australian Open semi-final and is looking as sharp as ever, while Federer is 38, wounded and hasn’t beaten Djokovic in a best-of-five set match since 2012. It would be a seismic shock if Federer kept this one close, let alone emerge victorious.