Top 5 match points squandered by Roger Federer

#1 2005 Australian Open semi-final vs Marat Safin

The audacious lob that saved Safin from the jaws of defeat

If there was one match Marat Safin would narrate to his grandchildren, it would have to be this one. It was a contest in which the pendulum swung from one extreme to the other.

The first three sets were tight and both players produced high voltage tennis, with Federer leading two sets to one.

The incomprehensible proceedings began in the fourth set tie-breaker. The Swiss had a match point at 6-5 on his serve in the fourth-set tie-break, but Safin produced a superb lob which Federer sprinted back to try a between-the-legs shot only to hit the net to make 6-6. Safin went on to win the tie-breaker 8-6.

In the fifth set, Safin broke Federer to gain a 5-2 lead. Being the world number one, Federer just wouldn’t accept an utterly ignominious end to a fairytale match.

Federer saved two match points at 3-5 and broke Safin’s serve to bring the match back on serve at 4-5. Federer saved another match point at 4-5. But the ordeal wasn’t over, Federer was down 15-40 at 6-7 , but some prudent serving from Federer helped him save two match points to make it 7-7

The flurry of match points continued for Safin on Federer’s serve again at 7-8. Safin had two match points at 15-40, Federer saved one match point, but at 30-40, Safin’s shot dragged Federer out of court and he blasted home a forehand winner in an open court to seal his place in the 2005 Australian Open final.

Match result - Safin won 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6, 9-7