Federer laughs after a response from Machac

The Basel resident attended the semi-final of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai on Saturday between Sinner and Machac. An interaction with the audience made the Master laugh.

Tomas Machac made his mark this week at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. The Czech, 33rd in the world, first eliminated the American Tommy Paul (ATP 13) in the round of 16. Then he created a big surprise in the quarters by beating Carlos Alcaraz (ATP 2), one of the big favorites for the title, in two sets (7-6, 7-5).

It was therefore with full confidence that Machac (23 years old) faced world number 1, Jannik Sinner, in the semi-final this Saturday. Under the eyes of an illustrious spectator: Roger Federer. But this time, the step was too high: the Italian won 6-4, 7-5.

The proof with a very nice scene in the middle of the match. While Federer – who is still a huge star in China –, filmed in close-up, passed on the giant screens of the stadium between two points, a spectator shouted: “I love you Roger!” Another followed suit: “I love you Sinner!” Declarations of love that Tomas Machac also heard. Full of humor, he in turn shouted:

An unexpected response that sparked laughter from the audience, including Roger Federer. Even Jannik Sinner laughed as he was about to serve.

Towards the end of the match, the finalist of the last tournament in Geneva, in May, had another humorous inspiration. Realizing that the frame of his racket was cracked, he teasingly said to Sinner:

In tennis, such mental relaxation, as long as it is coupled with strong concentration, is beneficial: it allows players to avoid muscle tension and, in doing so, to hit their shots in a relaxed and therefore effective manner (more power and precision).

This edition of the Chinese Masters 1000 had some problems????

Despite its benefits, this positive state of mind did not allow Tomas Machac to qualify for his first Masters 1000 final. It is Jannik Sinner who will challenge Novak Djokovic on Sunday. The Transalpine is already assured of ending the year on the throne of number 1, a first for Italian tennis.

The summer preparation of Swiss skiers took place in the southern hemisphere. After access to the Zermatt glacier was blocked for professionals, Swiss ski cracks changed their training routine.

When we talk to Alexis Monney, the preparation seems to have been good far from the old continent. The skier from Châtel-Saint-Denis tells us that he took advantage of great conditions in Chile, where the Swiss downhillers were able to ski for more than 20 days in winter weather. Added to this is more than 10 days in Saas Fee to perfect the technical details.