Roger Federer comeback ended in Qatar quarter-finals

Nikoloz Basilashvili comes from a set down to make it past his ‘idol’


Roger Federer’s comeback from injury ended in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open after he was beaten by Nikoloz Basilashvili.

On Wednesday, Federer, 39, overcame Britain's Dan Evans on his return to court after 14 months out with a knee problem.

But the 20-time Grand Slam champion was unable to secure a second win in as many days as Basilashvili completed a 3-6 6-1 7-5 victory.

Basilashvili, ranked 42 in the world, saved a match point against a weary-looking Federer in the 10th game of the deciding set, before breaking his Swiss opponent in the ensuing game, and seeing out the match in one hour and 50 minutes.

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“It is unbelievable because he is one of the greatest of all time,” said Georgian Basilashvili, 29, following his last-eight triumph. “To play him means so much to me.

“I am very happy he came back to play, and to win against him is a dream come true.

“He was always my idol, and I am sure he is to many tennis players and fans, so I am unbelievably happy.”

Basilashvili will play Taylor Fritz for a place in the final in Doha following the American's 5-7 6-3 7-5 win against Denis Shapovalov.

“I’m happy I am back on the tour,” said Federer on the ATP website. “I’m pleased I came here to Doha. So it’s really, really a positive return for me. I’m really happy.

“I come from so far away that I’m actually happy that I was able to play back-to-back three-set matches against top players. That’s an important step forward to me.”

Andrey Rublev became the first player in ATP history to receive back-to-back walkovers as he reached the semi-finals without hitting a ball.

Richard Gasquet withdrew from his second-round clash against Rublev following a leg injury before Marton Fucsovics was forced to pull out of their last-eight meeting with a back problem.

Rublev will face Roberto Bautista Agut after the Spaniard knocked out top seed Dominic Thiem 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-4.

At Marseille's Open 13 Provence, top seed Daniil Medvedev secured a 6-2 6-4 victory against Egor Gerasimov to reach the quarter-finals, while qualifier Arthur Rinderknech booked his first ATP Tour quarter-final match after beating Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3-6 6-1 6-2.

Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, bidding to secure a hat-trick of Marseille titles, saw off Lucas Pouille 6-2 6-3 to set up a clash with Pierre-Hugues Herbert following the Frenchman's 6-3 6-4 victory against Cameron Norrie.

At the Chile Open in Santiago, qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas knocked out seventh seed Federico Coria 6-4 7-6 (2) to reach the quarter-finals, while Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan saw off third seed Pablo Andujar 6-1 7-6 (7) to reach the last eight.