Roger Federer made a great start at the new venue of the Madrid Masters in 2009. Playing his first match at Caja Magica, Roger toppled Robin Soderling and set the third-round clash against James Blake. In a battle for the quarter-final, the Swiss took down the American 6-2, 6-4 in 62 minutes, flying over the court and sailing into the last eight. Roger lost 14 points behind the initial shot and fended off the only break chance he faced. Federer produced three breaks from four opportunities to control the scoreboard and celebrate the ninth victory over the American in ten encounters. Looking sharp right from the start, Roger placed a return winner in the opening game for an instant break and hit a service winner in the next one to cement the lead. The American got his name on the scoreboard with a hold at 30 in game three before the Swiss produced another comfortable service game with a service winner that sent him 3-1 up.
Roger Federer toppled James Blake to reach the QF in Caja Magica in 2009.
Finding his strokes in those moments, Blake grabbed the fifth game and created his only break chance a few minutes later after Roger’s forehand mistake. The Swiss erased it with an ace and brought the game home with a forehand winner to remain in front. Federer painted a backhand down the line winner in the seventh game to earn a break and move 5-2 up. Serving for the set, the Swiss cracked a forehand crosscourt winner to take the opener 6-2 in no time. James sprayed a forehand mistake at the beginning of the second set to lose serve and drift further away from a positive result.
Roger confirmed the lead with a hold at love before James held with an ace down the T line to reduce the deficit. Firing from all cylinders, Federer closed the fourth game with a service winner and moved closer to the finish line. Blake secured the fifth game with a hold at love, hoping for a chance on the return if he wanted to prolong the encounter. Roger grabbed the sixth game with a service winner and placed another at 4-3 to maintain the advantage. In his last service game, the American held at love to reduce the deficit to 4-5 before the Swiss landed three service winners in game ten that carried him over the top and into the quarters.