of the second set, with Haas still holding onto his set-and-one-break lead. Federer, who held a love game with impunity for 2-3, began the game with a down-the-line forehand winner—his best shot of the day to that point. It looked as if he was ready to turn things around. But Haas played beautifully to survive two deuces, and salted away the game for 4-2 with a rally-ending, un-returnable forehand.

Haas was entitled to breath more easily after that, but instead he tightened up while Federer suddenly relaxed and began to find his rhythm. Federer dealt a pair of aces in the next game and produced another quick hold for 3-4 despite the pressure he was under. That put the onus right back on Haas, who cracked.

Federer started that criticaleighth game with a cross-court backhand winner, after which Haas double-faulted: Love-30. Haas then made his most egregious error of the match, a sloppily hit backhand that died in the netting. Suddenly, Federer had three break points to draw even, and he converted the second of those when Haas blew another backhand off the return of a second serve. Federer was very much alive at 4-all, and after he survived a break point in the very next game, the match truly turned.

Afer a pair of holds, Federer pinned Haas down 15-40 with a prodigious inside-out forehand winner. Haas swept away the first break point with a service winner, but Federer hit a lovely backhand cut volley winner to break for the set.

In the third set, each man survived