What a match this should be!

Stefan Edberg is in the crowd, looking effortlessly suave and gratifyingly handsome, as Federer eases to a hold. The momentum has switched slightly, but it'll need more for Delpo to lose that beastly serve.

Del Potro sends a forehand into the top of the net, and at 30-all this constitutes a chance for Federer. He goes for it, chipping and charging with a backhand from the left court ... and Del Potro goes wide. bBeak point. Federer's first of the night, but he can't do anything with a big serve and clean-up forehand. Still, he knows he can get into it now and saves game point with a big forehand which breaks the sideline, only to waste another one by not following up well. This time, a big serve cinches the game for the big man.

Presumably concerned that his back will give up, Federer barely sits down during the break. And he forges ahead when they restart, but what a forehand Del Potro disburses for 15-all, flat, cross-court and nails. They end up playing a deuce - there's no no doubt as to who is taxing whose serve, but Federer holds well, settling the game with his sixth ace of the night.

Federer nets a forehand, then another, and this is nearly there; he just can't get the measure of Del Potro's serve. But then he finds a brilliant backhand return, dances in behind it, and puts away the winner ... before he has a chance next point with Del Potro at the net ... but his pass hits the top of it! A big serve, a forehand into the net, and tha's the set! Federer has a problem, not being a set down, but how he's going to go about breaking.

At 30-15 Del Potro starts banging from the back, and a mighty - almighty - forehand is the phattest shot of the night so far. And Federer then sends down a double fault! Break point, the first of the match! And there it is! Federer serves out wide, rushes in to put the volley away ... but doesn't do enough! Del Potro has a chance to pass and he does, a forehand rinsing cross-court! He'll now serve for the set, and there've been no hints he won't do that with ease...

Not only have we had no break points but we've only had one deuce. Del Potro, for his part, is at 66% of first serves in and he whizzes through a love game, the first of the match. This prompts the Argentinians in the crowd to get going

Federer 5-4 Del Potro

Federer gets 15-0 with a backhand swept down the line, the kind of shot he has recently learnt to hit and Del Potro can no longer hit. He holds to 15, and we've yet to have so much as a break point.

Apparently Andrey Medvedev is tennis's greatest sweater, with honourable mentions for Nalbandian and Del Potro. Anyway, Federer keeps the ball low over the net after running around a half-court forehand; Del Potro nets; giving him 15-30. But three quick points resolve the problem before it's fully germinated, and we await the first breakthrough.

Two quick points for Federer, but then Del Potro hits a better forehand than him from the back. It doesn't matter, because two points later the game is did.

Del Potro's outfit is a disgrace. Terrible trainers, then that same abomination they're all wearing, with shocking pink - great colour - headband and sweatbands - completely unnecessary. Anyway, he finds himself 0-30 behind, but an ace and a big forehand resolve that situation, another ace ameliorates it, and it's quickly all-square again.

The holds are getting harder; I'm not sure this set will make it to a breaker, at least not without breaks first. Del Potro gets to 30 before skying a return, and there's the sense that things are about to get going in earnest.

Federer gets ahead in the game but can't return Del Potro's next two serves, and then drops a forehand fractionally short; it gets the treatment, oh does it ever. So at 40-15 Federer chips and charges, finishing the point with a smash, but then goes long with a forehand.

Delpzy gets himself to 0-30 but Federer quickly closes and a forehand is then clouted long. But Federer sends one of his own wide ... only to deliver a 124mph ace on deuce. Seconds later, a serve and inside-out forehand make it 2-1. This is shaping up.

Del Potro is already up at 128mph with his serve, and Federer hits to his forehand as he did in the first game; perhaps he's trying to tire out his strength. But a hold to 15 is what we get, and both men look fit and strong.

Federer opens with a big serve, but then we see Del Potro's forehand, swatted flat down the line for a winner. Ow! The game then proceeds to 40-15, before a lovely rally with both men showcasing their skills ends with Federer dropping. It is, though, also worth saying that Del Potro chose to slice backhands that really needed thumping. If he cannot, he's toast.

Here we go! Are you amped? I'm amped! Whoop! Holla Hoor, hoor! Federer to serve.

So will this match be battle of the fabulous forehands or brittle backhands? If the former, Delpo has a chance; if the latter, he does not.