The victory sets Federer up for a semifinal match with world no. 7 Milos Raonic, and if things hold to form, a potential championship match against Andy Murray, whom Federer beat at Wimbledon for his last Grand Slam title in 2012 (also an Olympic year - the similarities are uncanny).
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The second-seeded Murray prevailed 7-6 (12-10), 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1 and plays No. 10 Tomas Berdych in Friday’s semifinals.
The sixth-seeded Raonic lost serve only once to defeat American Sam Querrey, the 28th seed, 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.
Britain’s Andy Murray insists newly re-appointed coach Ivan Lendl is proving a pivotal presence during hard moments after the world No2 withstood a unsafe fightback from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach his seventh Wimbledon semi-final.
Roger Federer came from two sets down to reach his 11th Wimbledon semifinal and 40th overall in grand slams.
For the first two sets, Cilic bombarded Federer, hitting 12 aces among 23 winners and losing five points on his first serve.
Querrey kept plugging away and finally got his reward in the 11th game of third set when he converted his first break point of the match with acool backhand volley.
But after being unable to convert either of two break-point chances in the fifth game of the fourth set, Federer stared down match point – on a second serve – at 4-5.
Federer, bidding for a record eighth Wimbledon title and 18th Grand Slam trophy, nearly came unstuck in the quarterfinals.
Federer will face ninth-seeded Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals, while Murray will take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
In the semis the homecountry favorite will face the No. 10 seed Berdych, who on Wednesday beat No. 32 seed Lucas Pouille of France 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
Roger Federer is relieved after beating Marin Cilic. The storybook narrative many tennis aficionados had been fantasizing about since Djokovic’s loss seemed to be just that: a fantasy.
Federer will next play Canadian Milos Raonic in the semifinals on Friday.
“I was just very happy that I actually felt as strong as I did, mentally and physically when I was down two sets to love”, Federer said.
2005 Miami Masters F – def. Rafael Nadal, 2-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-1. But obviously, the dream continues. “I am ecstatic that I was able to come through…somehow”. “I was giving myself lot of chances in the first two sets”, Cilic said after the match. These are the matches that harden Federer, that make him wary of facing such brinkmanship again. However, this time, in spite of staying in London, Sachin couldn’t be in attendance at the All-England Club as he had to undergo a knee surgery.
Serena has come close to drawing even with Graf before: At the U.S. Open last September, she lost to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals while aiming for a calendar-year Grand Slam; at the Australian Open in January, she lost to Kerber in the final; at the French Open in June, she lost to Garbine Muguruza in the final.
In the fourth set, the 6-foot-6 Cilic had three match points but failed to convert any of them. But two of the former fabled “Big Four”, and two perennial Top 10ers looking to step it up, moved into the Wimbledon semifinals on Wednesday.
In the process he became the oldest Wimbledon semifinalist since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1974. “No matter how things are stacked against you, you just have to, every time”.
“I couldn’t read his serve”.
Cilic was shattered, Federer exultant.
“To test the body, to be out there again fighting, being in a physical battle – and winning it – is an unbelievable feeling”, Federer said.
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But playing his first Grand Slam quarter-final at the 38th attempt, Querrey was unable to reproduce the bold play that shattered Djokovic’s bid for a calendar Grand Slam.
