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.

Watch the Miami Open presented by Itau doubles final live on TennisTV.com not before 3 pm EDT/ 9 pm CEST

• In Saturday’s doubles championship, the unseeded American duo of Nicholas Monroe and Jack Sock take on No. 6 seeds Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Marcelo Melo of Brazil. All four players are trying to win their first Miami Open presented by Itau title. Sock is the only former finalist, in 2015 (w/Pospisil). They lost to the Bryan brothers.

• Monroe/Sock defeated Qureshi/Simon 64 63 in 1R, [1] Kontinen/Peers 36 76(5) 10-8 in 2R, [7] Dodig/Granollers 76(5) 63 in QF and [3] Bryan/Bryan 76(5) 63 in SF to reach first final of season and second together (2015 Stockholm)

• They are playing in their first tournament of the season and fifth career ATP World Tour tourney (10-3 record). They first teamed up at the Sacramento, CA Challenger in 2011 and reached the final. In 2012, they played two Futures events and three Challengers, reaching finals in Honolulu and Dallas. That year, they made their ATP World Tour debut in Delray Beach (1R). In 2013-14, they played the Savannah, GA Challenger each year. In their lone tournament in 2015 in Stockholm they won the title (d. Pavic/Venus). Last year they played twice, in Rio de Janeiro (1R) and ATP Masters 1000 Paris (QF)

• Monroe is 5-1 lifetime in Miami and prior to this year his best result was QFs last year (w/Isner)

• Sock is 11-4 lifetime in Miami and prior to this year his best result was a runner-up in 2015 (w/Pospisil)

• Monroe has a 3-4 career record in ATP World Tour finals with all three titles coming in Sweden: 2013 (w/Stadler) and 2014 (w/Brunstrom) in Bastad along with 2015 Stockholm (w/Sock)

• Sock has an 8-8 career record in ATP World Tour level finals, including 2-5 in ATP Masters 1000 finals (won 2015 Indian Wells w/Pospisil; 2016 Shanghai w/Isner). Biggest title came at 2014 Wimbledon (w/Pospisil)

• Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings: Monroe No. 53 (Career-High No. 46 on Jan. 30, 2017), Sock No. 22 (Career-High No. 6 on May 11, 2015)

• Kubot/Melo have dropped three sets en route to the final, defeating [WC] Daniell/Demolnier26 76(0) 10-7 in 1R, Rojer/Tecau 64 36 11-9 in 2R, [4] J. Murray/Soares 26 63 10-8 in QF and Baker/Nestor 64 63 in SF to reach second straight ATP Masters 1000 final. In Indian Wells two weeks ago, they lost to [6] Klaasen/Ram 67 64 10-8 in title match

• They are playing in 11^th career tournament together (22-8 record) and fourth ATP World Tour final (2-1). They won title in 2015 debut in Vienna and last year defended title. They went 4-0 in 2015, 6-2 last season and are 12-6 in 2017

• Kubot is 8-5 lifetime in Miami and prior to this year his best result was QFs in 2012 (w/Tipsarevic)

• Melo is 12-9 lifetime in Miami and prior to this year his best result was SFs in 2015 (w/Soares)

• Kubot has a 14-11 career record in finals and 0-2 in ATP Masters 1000 finals (2012 Rome w/Tipsarevic),Indian Wells

• Melo has a 22-20 career record in finals and 5-3 in ATP Masters 1000 finals (won 2013 Shanghai, 2015 Shanghai & Paris-Bercy, 2016 Toronto & Cincinnati)

• Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings: Kubot No. 17 (Career-High No. 7 on Sept. 27, 2010), Melo No. 9 (Career-High No. 1 on Nov. 2, 2015)

Nick Kyrgios will compete against Roger Federer for the first time in almost two years on Friday in the Miami Open presented by Itau semi-finals. It will be an eagerly anticipated clash, 14 days on from Kyrgios withdrawing due to food poisoning prior to facing Federer in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals.

“Obviously, Federer’s the greatest player of all-time, but the way that he takes time away from players is his strength,” said No. 12 seed Kyrgios on Thursday, after he beat Alexander Zverev in the last eight. “He likes to play his pace of tennis. He likes to take away time and play aggressively and likes to get through his service games very quickly – serve and volley. I know what’s going to be coming.”

In May 2015, Kyrgios fired down 22 aces and saved two match points in a 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(12) victory over Federer in the Mutua Madrid Open second round.

“I don’t know if my chances are great playing Federer and possibly [Rafael] Nadal, two of the greatest tennis players of all-time,” said Kyrgios. “I’m just excited to go out there tomorrow and give it my best shot. I am not thinking ahead. It would be foolish to be thinking ahead past Federer. He deserves a bit more respect than that.

“Obviously when I played juniors, under-12s, under-14s, I would be seeing him on the TV all the time on the advertisements. It’s pretty surreal for me still. I was watching Gael Monfils on TV. I went to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s practices when I was 12. So it is still pretty surreal be next to those guys in the locker room, playing them, beating them.”

The 21-year-old Kyrgios is appearing in his second straight Miami semi-final and he’s the first Australian to reach back-to-back semi-finals in Key Biscayne since former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt’s three in a row from 2000-02.

Fourth seed Federer, who won the 2005-06 Miami titles and reached the 2002 final, comes in with a nine-match winning streak and 17-1 record on the season, his best start since 2006 when he went 33-1. The 35-year-old superstar is appearing in his sixth Miami semi-final (3-2) and the first since 2011. The 21-year-old Kyrgios has a 12-17 career record vs. Top 10 opponents, including 4-6 vs. the Big Four of Murray (0-5), Djokovic (2-0), Federer (1-0) and Nadal (1-1).

Speaking about Kyrgios recently in Indian Wells, Federer believes that the Aussie has long been on a promising track to success. “I think he’s more established than I was back then already, because he’s already beaten great players for a while now,” said Federer. “I don’t think I was doing as great as he was. I didn’t have that big of a game, per se, with the serve and everything.

“I feel like Nick and me, we have a lot of options, so it’s hard for us to always pick the right one. I don’t want to say I was a late bloomer. I don’t think I was…[but] I think both our games need a bit more time on the mental side and physical side. That’s maybe going to take a bit more time, but that’s why he can win tournaments. When it matters the most against the best players and in finals, he’s there. That’s a great quality to have already now.”

With Federer riding a wave of confidence on hard courts in 2017, he’ll be eager to turn the tables on Kyrgios, following their titanic 2015 Madrid battle. “I had to waste a match point and lose that match. I was like, ‘What a waste.’ That’s how I felt,” said Federer, in Indian Wells. “But I’m looking forward to this match. Of course, I’d love to get him back.”

Rafael Nadal will play in his fifth Miami Open presented by Itau final after rolling past Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1, 7-5 in Friday’s first semi-final. The Spaniard kept up his sizzling South Florida play, never facing a break point and pressuring the Italian’s serve throughout the 90-minute contest.

In Sunday’s final, the 30-year-old Nadal will try to achieve what’s eluded him on four other occasions: the Miami Open presented by Itau title. The Spaniard also reached the Miami final in 2005 (l. to Federer), 2008 (l. to Davydenko), 2011 and 2014 (l. to Djokovic both times). Nadal, who will be going for his 29^th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, will face either fourth seed Roger Federer or Aussie Nick Kyrgios, who play Friday evening.

“It’s great to be in the final… For me, doesn’t matter the opponent. I am happy to be in that final again, and I am excited to play another final of an important event,” Nadal said.

The Spaniard improved to 8-3 against Fognini in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, and has only lost one set during the Miami tournament – his opening bagel against German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round. What has carried Nadal to his fifth Miami final – stellar serving and opportunistic returning – propelled him on Friday as well.

The Spaniard sprinted through the first set, losing only four points on his serve (16/20) and forcing Fognini to stay in rallies. The Italian mixed up his pace nicely but struggled to string together any momentum, eventually netting a backhand to give Nadal the opener after just 26 minutes. Fognini finished the first set with 14 unforced errors.

“My serve worked well,” Nadal said. “I think I didn’t face a break point during the whole match, so that is something that I am very happy with. That gives you calm when you have opportunities on the return and you don’t convert.”

 Watch Full Match Replays

The 30-year-old Italian, playing in his second Masters 1000 semi-final, came to life in the second set, though. He matched Nadal’s pace and erased five break points during his first two service games. It looked as if Fognini might force their last-four match-up into a decider. But at 5-5, Fognini double faulted and Nadal had his break. Four points later, he had the match.

“Two different matches today. I think first set was no match… Second one, when I was starting to play my tennis, I think he was feeling that I was feeling better and better and a few points were going to decide the match,” Fognini said. “At the end, I think we had a great fight.”