Federer produced a 6-2, 6-4 masterclass at Hard Rock Stadium to leave up-and-coming star Shapovalov, who grew up idolizing the Swiss, chasing shadows during a difficult first set.

The Swiss was superb in dismantling the 19 year-old’s game, but knows with huge serving Isner lying in wait in what will be the former world number one’s 50th ATP Masters final, the key will be to defuse the reigning Miami Open champion’s monster service game.

Isner used it to great effect in his 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) win over Shapovalov’s friend and compatriot Felix Auger-Aliassime earlier in the day, smashing down 21 aces. He’ll be looking for more of the same against 20 time Grand Slam champion Federer.

“Playing a big server like John is like being in a penalty shootout in soccer, but I enjoy it,” said number four seed Federer who coped brilliantly with Kevin Anderson’s dangerous serve in the quarter-finals, winning the first set to love.

“Sometimes you go with momentum. Sometimes you go with feel. Sometimes you guess maybe a little bit and sometimes you see it. It’s a combination of all sort of things.

“You just hope that the stars align, that you pick the right side, that he picks the wrong side, that maybe he misses a serve, that you can put him in uncomfortable situations time and time again, and at the end somehow you find a way.”

Federer had no such challenge from Shapovalov, playing his fifth ATP Tour semi-final. Even though the Swiss was standing in his way of a first final, the 19 year-old stressed beforehand that it was a “dream” to take on Federer.

It quickly, however, turned into a nightmare.

The Canadian displayed understandable nerves early on, a struggle with his first serve proving as much in a 10 minute opening game which he eventually won.

Yet it didn’t settle him down and when another horribly loose backhand flew long, Federer pocketed a vital early break and stayed in the driver’s seat.

Shapovalov, who will jump to a career best 20th in the world thanks to this impressive run, enjoyed some much better moments in the second set and looked more relaxed, although the match was never in his hands.

He hit just eight winners in response to Federer’s 30 but will learn from this.

“It’s kind of surreal, being on the court against Roger,”admitted the Canadian who joked the only enjoyable moment for him was the warm up.

“Obviously I wasn’t trying to focus on the fact that it’s him on the other side.

“I was just trying to play as good as I can, but he played an excellent match. I wasn’t able stay at his level. I’m just going to try to learn from this and move forward.”

Federer, assessing his own performance, said he played “very well”.

“I had to because when you let Denis play, he’s got some serious power and he gets rhythm going. He can really put you in uncomfortable situations.”

This was the first time since 2007 that two teenagers have reached an ATP Masters semi-finals and although both suffered disappointing defeats, they leave South Florida with their heads held high.

Auger-Aliassime’s dream run finished with the youngster from Montreal competing confidently in the biggest match of his career even if he will rue the chances that escaped him after being broken while serving for the first and second set.

“Unusual,” Isner called it. “It could have been a little bit of inexperience and maybe a little bit of fatigue, also.”

Despite the disappointment etched all over Auger-Aliassime’s face at the end, his run here will give him great confidence moving forward as he, and Shapovalov, aim to prove their Grand Slam credentials.

The 18-year-old is the youngest-ever male semi-finalist in Miami and only the second qualifier to reach the last four after Guillermo Canas reached the same stage in 2007 before losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.

Auger-Aliassime will also see his ranking jump from 55 to 33 in the world.

“I think I did the best that I could,” he said. “It’s a chance you can’t miss, serving two times for the set, and just — I don’t know. It’s just terrible. The biggest lesson I learned was to stay in the present and believe in yourself.”

After losing a closely-fought opening Group 6 match to Australian Marc Leishman on Wednesday, the 29-year-old Kiradech battled for his survival in the US$10.25 million showpiece at Austin Country Club to secure an important first point that will ensure his final group match against Russell Knox of Scotland remains relevant.

Leishman stayed in control of his own destiny after securing a second 2-up group win over Knox and needs a tie or a win against DeChambeau to progress into the knockout phase. If DeChambeau and Aphibarnrat each win on Friday, they will force a three-man playoff with Leishman to determine who progresses from the group.

Under blustery condition, Kiradech won six holes, five of which with pars and the highlight being an eagle two on the fifth hole where he drove the green and landed five feet of the flag to go 1-up in the match. DeChambeau, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, tied the match twice by winning holes 10 and 12 before Kiradech won successive holes at 13 and 14 which he then closed out DeChambeau on the 17^thgreen.

“I don’t think we played our “A” game. Me and Bryson weren’t playing good golf. I think I just made one eagle the whole day. No birdies at all and a couple of bogeys. In match play, it just depends on the day, especially on this golf course which is really difficult. If you put the ball in the wrong position, sometimes it’s impossible to get up and down. Sometimes par is good enough to win,” said Kiradech.

“However, I’m really happy with the way we finished. I got the first point. I was really proud of the way I won the match. But there’s a lot of work that I need to do, and hopefully Bryson will play well tomorrow, and I’ll meet him in the playoff.”

Kiradech, who is the first Thai to hold a PGA TOUR card, is determined to fight to the end in his bid to replicate last year’s successful run where he qualified for the quarterfinals. With winds expected to make conditions tough again on Friday, he knows the key is to keep the ball in play.

“The key today was about hitting greens. The wind is really difficult and it’s not easy to hit it on the greens. You’ve got to keep the ball under the wind and give yourself more chances, hit it in the fairways, that is the big key for this week,” he said

As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organized by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.

On land, spectators were treated to an opening spiritual blessing ceremony as well as a celebration of Thai culture with dance performances and traditional drumming. On the water twelve teams were competing for the coveted King’s Cup – teams include the Royal Thai Navy Seals as well as international teams. Each team was paddling a specially commissioned boat decorated with artistic elephant heads rising elegantly above the water, and tails inspired by traditional Thai fish motifs.

Each race takes place across 200m with 4 teams per heat, the first to cross the finish line wins and progresses to Sunday’s grand closing Trophy Ceremony.

The atmosphere on the water and in the stadiums was off to an electric start with the heat between Pilipinas Orient Dragons (Philippines); Dongguan Sheen Fine (China); Pradu Thong Goddess (Royal Thai Navy) and Yutthakarnnawa (Royal Thai Navy Seals) the highlight. The international paddlers fared well but they were no match for Thailand’s best. With less than 6 seconds between each elephant boat, the Royal Navy Seals came out on top taking only 46.68 seconds to paddle 200m. Second spot was the Pradu Thong Goddess (Royal Thai Navy) at 48.11 seconds followed by Dongguan Sheen Fine (China) at 49.14 seconds and finally the Pilipinas Orient Dragons (Philippines) at 52.47 seconds.

While the teams battle it out on the river; entertainment at the riverside festival included the Indoor Rowing Asia Cup Tournament with rowers from 10 countries going head to head. Visitors to the three day event are also treated to luxury champagne tents, vintage car displays, and musical concerts by top Thai artists including Atom, J Jetrin, New Jiew and Singto Numchok. The foodie village is well stocked with a host of pop up food stalls by a selection of Thailand’s top restaurants and Bangkok’s favourite chefs.

Tapping into its conservational expertise, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is aiming to raise significant charitable donations through ticket sales that will in turn all be donated to elephant related projects throughout Thailand.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win,” the 18-year-old qualifier said after a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over 13th-ranked Croatian Borna Coric advanced him to Friday’s semi-finals against US defending champion John Isner.

“I felt like I had margin over him, had a bit of an edge. I just felt really comfortable out there from the first balls.”

Away from the ever-brightening spotlight, Auger-Aliassime always had confidence in himself.

“I know I belong here,” he said after coming through the Miami qualifiers.

As Coric was dismantled in the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 event, it was impossible to escape the feeling that it was Auger-Aliassime’s breakthrough moment, his run speaking of a coming of age.

Not only did he become the youngest player to reach the last four in the Miami Open’s 35-year history, but when the new rankings are released next week, Auger-Aliassime will become the first player born in the 2000s to reach the top 50 of the ATP rankings.

There aren’t many miles on his lean frame. Auger-Aliassime looks fresh and hungry and moves with a dynamic game mindful of those by Britain’s Andy Murray and Serbian Novak Djokovic, who also went deep in Miami as teens.

Auger-Aliassime’s father Sam was born in Togo before emigrating to Canada, where he met Felix’s mother Marie, a child psychology teacher.

Sam runs a tennis academy and coached his son until age 13 before the National Training Center in Montreal came calling.

Auger-Aliassime won the 2015 US Open junior title at 15 and knew tennis was the career path for him.

“Since I started walking I was playing because my dad was coaching,” he said.

“Tennis has always been part of my life. I don’t remember a time when it wasn’t. When I started watching Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal on TV, when I was around six years old, I knew this is what I wanted to be.”

Auger-Aliassime served notice of his intent by reaching the final in Rio last month and the piano-playing Montreal native isn’t hitting any bum notes in Miami either.

“I think I’m seeing the long term,” he said. “I’m enjoying every match, because you never know what’s going to happen next.”

– Canadian teens rising –

His meteoric rise comes at a boom time for Canadian tennis. Bianca Andreescu, also 18, won the title in Indian Wells earlier this month.

And 19-year-old Denis Shapovalov, the world number 23 who has reached a Miami quarter-final, is also being tipped for the brightest of futures.

“Everyone is super excited back home,” Auger-Aliassime said. “It’s great to hear all these good comments from them. It puts a lot of belief in tennis in Canada.

“I think all the Canadian players from the young kids to Denis and Bianca and I, there’s a lot of belief right now. It’s great to see.”