FED IS A REAL GR-EIGHT
Swiss master set to rewrite history books
SPORTING god Roger Federer will be out on his own as Wimbledon’s greatest male player if he beats Marin Cilic in tomorrow’s final.
The Swiss genius achieved tennis immortality years ago but he continues to push the boundaries.
By beating Tomas Berdych 7-6 7-6 6-4, Federer, 36 next month, becomes the oldest finalist in the men’s singles since Ken Rosewall in 1974.
But the stat Federer really wants is an eighth All-England crown and a first for five years, to take his tally of major titles to a record-breaking 19.
“It makes me really happy making history here at Wimbledon,” he said.
“I love this tournament. All my dreams came true here as a player.
Excited
“To have another chance to go for number eight, to be so close is a great feeling. I’m unbelievably excited and I hope I can play one more good match.
“Reaching 11 finals here, all these records, it’s great. But it doesn’t give me the title so I have to stay focused.”
Federer was not quite at his imperious best and there were times, particularly during a tense second set, when Berdych’s hammer of a forehand was dominant.
But a loose forehand here or a fluffed drop shot there were specks on an otherwise beautiful canvas.
There is a reverence about Centre Court when Federer is around.
Berdych played exceptionally well but so in thrall of the Swiss genius are his admirers, mistakes are greeted with oohs and aahs, while the No.11 seed’s winners invariably brought only grudging applause.
Incredibly, Federer has lost just two matches since returning from a six-month spell out of the game and hasn’t dropped a set this tournament.
Sometimes, he has to remind us he is human after all.
The 35-year-old broke in the fifth game of the first set but then inexplicably double-faulted twice to let his opponent level at 4-4.
Berdych, however, cracked in the tie-break when he netted a simple putaway but the Czech pushed Federer to the limit in the second.
Federer found an impossible angle to save a break point at 3-3 and when the shoot-out came, did what champions do and found another gear.
Three blistering forehand winners gave him the ascendancy at 5-1.
Berdych did have two break points to lead 4-2 in the third but Federer responded as only he can with three aces before breaking in the next game.
Cilic was in 11th heaven as he finally reached his first Wimbledon final.
No-one has ever needed more attempts to make it to the second Sunday but after 10 failed goes, Cilic edged out Sam Querrey 6-7 6-4 7-6 7-5 .
And now the Croat is out to break the Big Four’s monopoly on Wimbledon – one of Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray has won it every year since 2003.
Cilic believes his US Open triumph three years ago is his trump card. “When I won that, it opened so many possibilities in my mind,” he said.
“It’s a great thing to have played in one Grand Slam final and I believe it’s going to be easier to prepare.”