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LONDON. — Swiss tennis star Roger Federer marched into the semi-finals at the ATP Finals once again on Tuesday night but he made hard work of the task before finally prevailing 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-1 in a high-quality battle of the generations with Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The 36-year-old six-times champion may have been giving away 16 years to the youngster fancied to be the game’s next major force but Federer proved in a dominant third set that, for the moment, he still remains a cut above his young pursuers.

The triumph in two hours and 11 minutes ensured the 19-times Grand Slam champion booked a place in the last four for the 14th time in 15 appearances and with the tournament still only three days old. It also meant that Zverev and Jack Sock will now meet today to decide the other qualifier from the Boris Becker group. Sock earlier lived up to his childhood nickname of “Showtime” by producing a dramatic comeback triumph 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4) over the erratic Marin Cilic, who is now eliminated after two straight defeats.

World number two Federer looks even more of an overwhelming favourite for a seventh crown in the absence of Rafael Nadal, who has pulled out injured from the tournament.

“It sounds great,” Federer told the O2 Arena crowd after being told of his record of 14 semi-final appearances. He had high praise for 20-year-old Zverev, too, after being tested for two fierce sets before finally dismantling the increasingly weary-looking world number three. — Reuters