Raonic, beaten by Federer in the 2014 Wimbledon semifinals, declared: “I’m happy that I have another shot at him”.
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Powerful second serves were what made the difference for Federer in unsettling his opponent as he clawed his way back into the match, defending match point after match point in the fourth through sheer skill, grit and determination.
On whether he expected to come back, Federer added: “No I did not, you hope so, but I wasn’t seeing his serves anymore and he was playing very well, US Open-esque”. “I’m just going to try to keep going, put my foot down on the gas pedal”.
“Everything kind of went very quickly”.
Roger Federer has dropped the first set of his quarterfinal against Marin Cilic in a tiebreaker.
“That’s why I was very intrigued, pushing myself a lot in the fifth to get over the finish line, because I was feeling as good at the end as I was in the beginning”.
Federer, chasing an 18th major title four years since his last here at Wimbledon, was the real star of the show though and now faces Milos Raonic – he beat Djokovic’s conqueror Sam Querrey in four – in the semis.
Cilic and his Wimbledon-winning coach Goran Ivanisevic will feel it should have been him appearing in the semifinals instead.
Cilic overcooked his forehand return, but earned a second match point at 5-6, which Federer saved with an ace.
The Swiss said: “It was an incredible match”. “I wasn’t seeing his serves, he had one chance and took it and then I was down 2-0”. That was pretty much a shame. “I fought well and played super great at the end”. Plus mentally this is going to give me a hell of a boost.
Of course, numbers and records and stats boxes can seldom explain the Federer phenomenon.
Cilic’s first match point came at 5-4 in the fourth set, but the pattern on the return continued, too.
Federer thanks the joyous Centre Court one last time.
For the first time since the first set, Federer regained his spark.
“Federer might still make it look so easy with his technique and movement, but that overshadows his intensity and will to win”.
Given the dominance of his serve, Raonic needed only one chance to break and win the second set as well.
Milos Raonic of Canada, left, shakes hands at match point after beating Sam Querrey. Federer evened the match on his serve after 20 points.
Raonic also reached the last four of the Australian Open in January, losing a five-set thriller to Andy Murray. “They’re the ones I regret most”, the 2014 U.S. Open victor said. I hope there is a bit more. “It stays in. Next thing you know it’s like you’re still in the match and you can turn it around”. I know what I’m looking for. Margins are small. I know we get carried away, we think it’s impossible to beat him, all these things.
Berdych was awaiting the victor of the match between Britain’s Andy Murray and another Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Murray, the 2013 champion, won the first two sets 7-6 (10), 6-1, but Tsonga responded by winning the next two 6-3, 6-4.
But he stumbled terminally in the 10th game of the fourth set with a botched volleying attempt. It’s not like, “Oh my God, all of a sudden there’s a match point, all of a sudden there’s a break point to save”.
“I don’t remember coming back from two sets to love here”.
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After knee surgery and time off with a back injury, Federer has missed far more tennis than usual this season, but he played better as this match went on.
