Federer cruises past Mayer into Halle semifinals
BAKU: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen clocked the fastest lap in both of Friday’s practices ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, but ended the second session in the wall after spinning off.
Verstappen topped first practice with a time of 1:44.410, with team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finishing four tenths behind him to ensure a Red Bull onetwo, before the Dutch teenager capped an excellent day with an improved time of 1:43.362 in the second session.
The only disappointment for the pacesetter came when he appeared to lose control late on before spinning sideways into the advertising hoardings.
“It was very weird,” Verstappen told Sky Sports. “I locked up and was still trying to make the corner, but I tried to play it safe and take the exit road.
“Suddenly I lost the rear and then I just had a four-wheel power slide into the barrier.”
It was a scrappy day punctuated by several misjudgments on the scorching Baku circuit.
Force India’s Sergio Perez had been flying through the city circuit and registered the fourth best time in the first session before crashing late on.
He escaped unscathed after colliding with the external wall at a narrow section at Turn Eight, and although his car lost its rear right wheel, Force India mechanics succeeded in repairing it for Perez to finish seventh in P2.
In the evening, Jolyon Palmer of Renault also crashed into the barriers after misjudging Turn Eight.
Championship leader Sebastian Vettel on the soft compound tyre registered times of 1:44.967 and 1.43.615, finishing third and fifth.
“I think it was very close today,” he said. “I hope it’s close tomorrow and hope we come out on top.”
It was a mixed day for Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
The Finn, who hit a Formula One record top speed of 373 kmph last year, went into a spin at Turn 10 during the first practice, but recovered to finish second, a tenth behind Verstappen, in the evening’s session.
Hamilton recorded the best time in each of the three practice sessions in Baku last year, before a crash in qualifying ruined his chances of success.
He looked uncomfortable on Friday, had a near miss with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen on Turn One and finished the second practice in tenth, 1.163 behind Verstappen.
“I think you need to get into a rhythm in Baku, do laps to gain confidence and have the tyres in the right window,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
“We had a bit of a messy session, a lot of traffic, a lot of yellow flags and we didn’t put him out at the right time.”
McLaren-Honda duo Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne were both slapped with a 15-place penalty and are likely to start Sunday’s race at the back of the grid after picking up more engine penalties. HALLE, Germany: Top Federer reached the Halle Open semifinals on Friday, beating defending champion Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-4 and edging closer to a ninth title at the Wimbledon tune-up event.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion, whose last title at Halle was in 2015, skipped the entire claycourt season after winning the Australian Open and claiming titles at Indian Wells and Miami this year, to prepare for grass. He will now face rapidly rising talent Karen Khachanov, who won his all-Russian quarterfinal against Andrey Rublev 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-3 to reach his first tour semifinal of the year.
Federer, who has yet to drop a set in Halle after crashing out of Stuttgart in his first match back last week, limited his serve-and-volley game against the German who is a fine returner and Mayer was broken quickly as his opponent won the first set.
The 33-year-old Mayer squandered two break points at 1-0 in the second set and paid the price as Federer broke again and never relinquished his advantage to win in just over an hour.
Frenchman Richard Gasquet also reached the last four, edging past Dutchman Robin Haase, who had eliminated second seed Dominic Thiem in the previous round, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 and looked to be hitting top grasscourt form at just the right time.
Gasquet will now play the winner of the last quarterfinal between local favourite Alexander Zverev and Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut later on Friday. seed Roger Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 6-3, 6-4 Karen Khachanov (RUS) bt Andrey Rublev (RUS) 7-6 (10/8), 4-6, 6-3 Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1