“It was that serve and big shot, serve and big shot, or ace, service victor, ace, every single service game”, said Federer.
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The victor will play Tomas Berdych in the semifinals on Friday.
“For Federer still to be contending at his age, with how well he’s played for so long as well, it’s pretty fantastic to watch”, said Hewitt, speaking on behalf of HSBC.
Tomas Berdych also booked his place in the semi-final of the tournament as he cruised past France’s Lucas Pouille.
It seemed Federer was on course for a relatively routine win after creating a few break opportunities on the Raonic serve.
The swiss also claimed a new record for Grand Slam match wins of 307 as he made a 40th semi final at the majors.
Canadian Raonic produced an irresistible display of classic grasscourt tennis to overcome giant-killer Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 on Court 1.
The fourth set would be a tense affair, but it was Tsonga who played the key points better, and gets a break in the ninth game, with a backhand victor, that helps him take the frame 6-4 to send the match into a decisive fifth set. The 27-year-old did not capitalise on a Federer second serve when he had a third match point and despite saving four set points, Cilic faltered on the fifth, netting a forehand allowing Federer to force a deciding set.
In a first set lasting an hour and 16 minutes, the Scot saved three set points but required four of his own to take it in a tiebreak, 7-6 (12-10).
In the days’s late match, Andy Murray saw off a spirited Jo-Wilfired Tsonga comeback to beat the Frenchman 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1. It was Federer 10th career time he’s come from two sets down to win.
Novak Djokovic’s shock third-round exit had raised hopes that this could be the week when the Swiss finally ends his four-year hunt for an 18th grand slam title, as the Serb had been the only man to beat him at the majors over the past year.
Theft, John McEnroe called it, Roger Federer having “stolen” his quarter-final against Marin Cilic by recovering from a two-sets-to-love deficit and saving three match points. While Berdych has a lower seed than Federer’s opponent Milos Raonic, Berdych is a former runner up in Wimbledon back in 2010.
He then raced to a two-set lead, dropping only one game en route to victory there and it looked to be rather straightforward from that point on.
It’ll be tough for any remaining match to achieve the intensity of Federer vs. Cilic. Federer took the next two points to hold, and at the ensuing changeover, fans chanted: “Let’s go, Roger!”
And the Canadian then served out to take first blood, despite Federer pushing him to deuce as he served while leading 5-3.
Roger Federer has more history on the line at the All England Club.
Federer is chasing a record eighth Wimbledon singles title. He is now tied with Pete Sampras and 1880s player William Renshaw with seven.
Given the dominance of his serve, Raonic needed only one chance to break and win the second set as well.
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So, will the men’s tournament conclude as expected or will either Milos Raonic or Tomas Berdych cause a surprise in the semi-finals?
