Once again, Roger Federer set too low expectations for himself heading into a big tournament this year. And once again, tennis fans around the world will be the beneficiaries.

After his BNP Paribas Open title two weeks ago, Federer thought a semi-final showing at the Miami Open presented by Itau would be an “unbelievable run”. On Sunday, the 35 year old will play Rafael Nadal for the Miami crown. It will be their 37^th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting and the 23^rd time they’ve met in a final.

“Feels like old times. We’re playing each other every week now. We can’t get enough of each other,” Federer said.

The Miami final will mark the third time they’ve played this season. Federer has won both of their earlier meetings – the Australian Open final in January and their third-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells last month. (Before Australia, Federer also low-balled his chances, saying before the tournament that a quarter-final run would be great.)

Sunday’s final will also be the fourth time Federer and Nadal have met at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in South Florida. Nadal won their first meeting, which started their rivalry, 6-3, 6-3 in 2004. Federer beat him in the Miami final the next year, coming back from two sets down to win 6-1 in the fifth set. In 2011, Nadal returned the favour, knocking Federer out in the Miami semi-finals, 6-3, 6-2.

“Should be really exciting because we had this epic match in 2005. The final was unbelievable. It was a turning point in my career, to be quite honest. For me to be able to focus for, I don’t know how long we played, maybe four hours, smashing forehand after forehand down the line. I remember I felt like I had to learn how to fight in matches, and there I showed it to myself and my team that I could do it,” Federer said. “It was against somebody who ended up being my biggest rival. It’s definitely going to be very special playing Rafa here again. Of course I’m thrilled for him as well that he came back as well as he did after the comeback, the struggles that he had last year.”

Federer brings an 18-1 record this season into the title match. But despite his incredible beginning, the Swiss right-hander knows beating Nadal for the fourth consecutive time will be a massive challenge. Nadal will be playing in his fifth Miami Open presented by Itau final, but he has never won the Masters 1000 crown.

“I feel like there is a mountain to climb in Rafa. He’s not won it yet before. He’s definitely feeling fresher than I feel right now. That’s not a problem – I’ll be ready on Sunday,” Federer said. “Hopefully it’s not our last match.”

Nadal also knows he’ll have to bring some of his best tennis to capture the title. “He’s playing so good… He’s playing great,” Nadal said of Federer. “When top player like him is playing that well, then it’s always a big challenge for every player.”

Roger Federer continues to soar in 2017 but he was pushed to his absolute limits in another pulsating battle with Nick Kyrgios. The fourth seed edged a three-hour 7-6(9), 6-7(9), 7-6(5) semi-final thriller under the lights at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Friday night.

For Kyrgios it was another absorbing display of aggression, raw power and captivating shot-making against one the top ranked players. The Australian saved two match points, narrowly missing out on the final, and is buoyed by putting on a show for the fans.

“It was a tough match. I wasn’t expecting less, to be honest,” said Kyrgios. “He’s obviously the crowd favourite anywhere he plays obviously with what he’s done for the game. But I thought I was responding well to the crowd.

“I created enough opportunities to win that match. I felt like it was on my racquet most of the time. He was playing great. I showed a lot of fight, I thought I competed for every point and ultimately, I think I put in a good performance. I thought the crowd would’ve enjoyed watching it, people at home would’ve enjoyed watching it.”

The duo have played only tie-break sets. Their previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open in 2015 produced a similar scoreline, with Kyrgios saving two match points to take a 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(12) victory. The World No. 16 paid tribute to Federer’s first-strike game style after another finely poised contest.

“It was very, very, very similar (to Madrid) obviously. We haven’t played a set that hasn’t gone 7-6. He’s just so good, his serve and first shot are I think by far the best on tour,” stated Kyrgios. “I’ve played all the Top 4, a lot of the top guys, and his first two shots, it’s so hard to do anything against.

 Watch Full Match Replays

“You feel like you’re making a return, and then he’s right on it and hits a winner. You don’t get that much rhythm. He’s a great player.”

The 21 year old believes his work ethic on and off court has boosted his recent results. In March, he reached the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open, withdrawing through illness, and has continued that impressive form at Crandon Park.

“I think I’ve made an effort to try and put in the work every day. It hasn’t been easy,” said Kyrgios. “I’ve got a great team with me. Every day we’re on the practice court trying to have fun, trying to put in.

“My draw was incredibly tough this week. I thought Karlovic third round, I could have lost there. Playing Goffin then Zverev and then Federer, maybe if I played a couple of easier rounds I could have got over the line today. Who knows?

“I feel like my level of tennis has always been high, but mentally I’m competing for every point. That’s making the difference. I need to keep putting that in every day. I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m 16 in the world. There are 15 players better than me.”

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for Federer vs Nadal & vote for the player you think will win! 

CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: One of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport, which started here 13 years ago at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, will be renewed on Sunday in the championship of the Miami Open, presented by Itau. Superstars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal  will meet for the third time this season and the 37th overall in a storied rivalry that began here in the third round on March 28, 2004. A 17-year-old Nadal won that match 63 63 and one year later (on April 3,2005) the two met in their first final against each other. Federer rallied to win 26 67 76 63 61. Now 12 years later, they meet again in the first all 30 & over final in the tournament’s 33-year history (Federer is 35 and Nadal 30).

Nadal leads the head-to-head meetings 23-13 (tied 9-9 on hard courts) but Federer has won the past three meetings for the first time in the rivalry. Nadal is 14-8 in final meetings and owns a 12-5 advantage in ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (7-3 in finals).  In their last Miami meeting in the 2011 sermi-finals, Nadal won 63 62. Since Nadal’s last win in the semi-finals at the 2014 Australian Open, Federer won in the final of his hometown Basel tournament in 2015. And after not meeting last year, Federer rallied to win in five sets at the Australian Open on Jan. 29 to earn his 18th Grand Slam crown, and in the 4R at ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells on Mar. 15.

Federer outlasted No. 12 seed Nick Kyrgios 76(9) 67(9) 76(5) in a 3h, 11m semi-final battle on Friday night to advance to his fourth Miami Open final (2-1), the first since winning the 2006 title (d. current coach Ivan Ljubicic). His first final was a runner-up in 2002 (l. to Agassi). Federer comes in with a 10-match winning streak and 18-1 record on the season (6-0 vs. Top 10), his best start since 2006 when he went 33-1. Federer, at 35y, 7m, is trying to become the oldest Miami champion. He is also looking to become the first three-time winner on the ATP World Tour this season. Federer is 25-18 in ATP Masters finals and 90-48 in overall finals.

Nadal has only lost one set en route to his fifth Miami final (2005, 2008, 2011, 2014). This is the 30-year-old Spaniard’s 13th appearance in Miami, the most attempts without winning a title. He is trying to become the first Spanish man to win the title. Spaniards are 0-7 in finals. He enters with a 19-4 match record in 2017, the most wins on the ATP World Tour. Nadal reached finals at the Australian Open (l. to Federer in five sets) and Acapulco (l. to Querrey) and he is not only trying to capture his 70th career title, the Mallorca native is also aiming to earn his first hard court title since Doha in January 2014 (d. Monfils). He has played in 31 hard court tournaments since the Doha title. A title would also be Nadal’s seventh different (eighth overall with Hamburg) ATP Masters 1000 crown and 29th overall, which would leave him one behind all-time leader Novak Djokovic. He would also join Andre Agassi as the only players to win an ATP Masters 1000 title in teens, 20s and 30s.

BIG FOUR DOMINATION: With Federer and Nadal in the final, another title for the ‘Big Four’ is guaranteed. Murray, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer have won 57 of the last 62 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, which dates back to Nadal’s triumph at Monte-Carlo in 2010. Here is a breakdown of the ATP Masters 1000 titles won by the Big Four during that span: Djokovic (25), Nadal (13), Murray (10) and Federer (9). The only other players to emerge with an ATP Masters 1000 title during that time are: Robin Soderling (2010 Paris), David Ferrer (2012 Paris), Stan Wawrinka (2014 Monte-Carlo), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2014 Toronto) and Marin Cilic (2016 Cincinnati).

INDIAN WELLS, MIAMI TITLE SWEEP: Since 1991, seven players have won the first two ATP Masters 1000 events of the season (11 times) in Indian Wells and Miami.  Federer, who won both titles in 2005-06, and Djokovic, who has accomplished the feat a record four times (2011, ’14-15-16), are the only active players to pull off this double ATP Masters 1000 sweep in the same year: 

Novak Djokovic 2011, ’14-15-16
Roger Federer 2005-06 
Andre Agassi       2001
Marcelo Rios       1998 
Pete Sampras     1994 
Michael Chang 1992  
Jim Courier 1991

SPANIARDS IN MIAMI FINALS: Nadal is trying to become the first Spanish man to win the Miami Open title.Besides Nadal’s four runner-up showings, three other countrymen have reached the final:

2017 – Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer
2014 – Rafael Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic
2013 – David Ferrer lost to Andy Murray
2011 – Rafael Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic
2008 – Rafael Nadal lost to Nikolay Davydenko
2005 – Rafael Nadal lost to Roger Federer
2003 – Carlos Moya lost to Andre Agassi
1997 – Sergi Bruguera lost to Thomas Muster

Roger Federer is one set away from the final at the Miami Open presented by Itau, saving two set points to take an epic 7-6(9) opening set in their semi-final on Friday.

Kyrgios struck first in the match, earning two break point chances at 3-3 with a booming forehand up the line. The 12^th seed converted on his second opportunity with an aggressive backhand return down the line and pumped his first in celebration.

The Aussie earned a chance to serve for the set at 5-4, but went down 15/40 after floating a backhand volley wide and received a jeer from the Stadium Court crowd after tossing his racquet to the ground in frustration. The Aussie gambled on a big second serve in the next point and double faulted, handing the break back to Federer.

Enjoying success as he charged the net with greater frequency, Federer began to unravel Kyrgios, who appeared visibly frustrated. However, the 12^th seed was able to remain calm when it mattered most, saving a set point with a thunderous ace out wide to ultimately force a tie-break.

Federer earned a set point at 6/5 with a swinging forehand volley winner, but failed to convert after sending a backhand well wide. Another set point chance came and went at 7/6 before Kyrgios earned his first set point at 8/7. He missed the opportunity with a forehand error and Federer erased a second set point down 8/9 with a backhand winner.

Kyrgios rolled the dice once again on a second serve at 9/9 and double faulted. Federer made good on third set point chance, bringing the crowd to their feet after Kyrgios struck a backhand into the doubles alley.