Roger Federer
Roger Federer celebrates after beating Kei Nishikori in the fourth round of the 2017 Australian Open Getty

KEY POINTS

  • Federer has been installed as one of the favourites for the Australian Open title.
  • Zverev recorded his best result in Grand Slams after he beat Andy Murray in the fourth round to make the QF.

Roger Federer will face Mischa Zverev in the quarter-finals of the 2017 Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday (24 January).

Where to watch live

The match is set to start at 8am GMT. Live coverage is available on British Eurosport. Radio commentary will be available on the official Australian open website.

Overview

Roger Federer has been installed as one of the favourites to lift the Australian Open title after his four match winning streak, which has included wins over two top 10 players, number 10 Tomas Berdych in the third round and world number five Kei Nishikori in the fourth round. The 17-time Grand Slam winner has surprised everyone including himself with his form at Melbourne Park, especially since he is coming back from a six-month injury absence.

Moreover, the ousting of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray from the tournament gives Federer more of a chance of picking up his fifth Australian Open title. The Swiss ace has looked confident throughout the tournament. He suffered a slight wobble against Nishikori, but recovered well to win the match in five sets. Federer is aware that he will face a tricky game against Mischa Zverev, who knocked out the world number one in the previous round.

The Russia-born German tennis star recorded his best ever Grand Slam run by making the quarter-finals after outplaying the Scot in the fourth round. Zverev defeated Murray in four sets with his sublime serve and volley game – he approached the net 118 times during the game winning more than half the points.

The world number 50 is guaranteed to rise up the rankings following his performance at Melbourne Park, and it is a remarkable turnaround for a player who was ranked 1067 in March 2015. He has lost to Federer on both occasions that they have met, but their last encounter was in 2013, and the 29-year-old is playing some of the best tennis of his career at the moment.

Prediction: Roger Federer – in four sets

Betting odds

  • Federer win: 1/10
  • Zverev win: 13/2

Head-to-head

The pair have met twice on the ATP tour with Federer winning on both occasions. Their last meeting, however, came in 2013 when the Swiss ace won 6-0, 6-0 at Halle. This is their first meeting at a Grand Slam event.

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