Georgian tennis player Nikoloz Basilashvili saved a match point and defeated Roger Federer 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha on Thursday.
According to the global governing body of men’s professional tennis, ATP Tour, “Basilashvili played with all-out aggression on his backhand to turn the match decisively in his favour. Basilashvili took the shot up the line on multiple occasions to break serve and ripped the stroke cross-court to convert his third match point.”
“It is unbelievable. He is one of the greatest of all time. To just play him means so much to me. I am really happy that he came back and is playing again. To win against him is a dream come true for me. He was always my idol and I am sure he is to many tennis players and fans. He is an unbelievable player, so I am extremely happy,” Basilashvili said in an on-court interview.
?? Nikoloz Basilashvili is semi-final bound in Doha.
He saves a match point & defeats Roger Federer 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. pic.twitter.com/M6xqHVeKnV
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 11, 2021
