Federer crashes out in epic 4-hour battle
REIGNING champion Roger Federer was knocked out of Wimbledon last night in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner, 36, was defeated by the relatively unfancied Kevin Anderson in an epic five set quarter-final battle in front of a packed Court One crowd.
Pippa Middleton was among those cheering on the people’s favourite in his attempt to win a ninth Wimbledon title in one of the longest matches of this year’s tournament.
But the Swiss star’s bid against the South African – the world’s number seven – came to an astonishing end after a nail-biting four hours and 14 minutes.
It was Federer’s earliest exit from SW19 since his shock second round defeat to Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2013.
Speaking of his unexpected defeat, which came after being two sets to the good, he said: ‘It’s just not one of my best days, but they don’t happen very often either.
‘It’s one of those average days you have to try to win the match, and I just couldn’t get it done today. So it’s disappointing. He [Anderson]was consistent. He was solid. He got what he needed when he had to. Credit to him for hanging around really that long.’
The tension was too much one for one spectator, who at 8-8 in the final set, and three hours and 50 minutes into the match, shouted: ‘I need to watch the football!’
An elated Anderson, 32, said: ‘I really tried my best to keep fighting. Beating Roger Federer here at Wimbledon will be one I remember, in such a close match. I just kept on telling myself you have to keep believing. You really need that mindset on the court against Roger.
‘As the match went on I just said to myself, this is going to be my day.’
The loss of Federer, which follows the defeat of defending women’s champion Garbine Murguruza in the second round, will fuel concerns about waning interest in this year’s Championships. Tennis fans have complained Wimbledon has lacked its usual appeal with Andy Murray’s shock withdrawal, Britain’s dire performance and the loss of all of the women’s top ten players.
It is the first time in the tournament’s history that all of the top ten highest-ranked women’s seeds have failed to make it to the quarter finals.
Fans have said that the tournament was suffering from a so-called ‘World Cup effect’, with attention being turned towards the England football team’s run in Russia. Wimbledon will be hoping that the star players remaining in the draw, such as Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic can brighten up the tournament as it enters its final days.