Federer feels ‘awful’ after shock KO
Roger Federer vowed to return to Wimbledon next year but said he felt “just awful” after a shock five-set defeat to Kevin Anderson.
A marathon quarter-final lasting four hours and 13 minutes ended with defending champion and eight-time winner Federer, who had a match point in the third set, losing 13-11 in the fifth.
Federer, 36, said: “Of course the goal is to come back here next year.
“It’s disappointing losing the next two sets after winning the first two and having match points. I didn’t feel mental fatigue. Now I feel horribly fatigued and just awful.
“It’s just terrible. But that’s how it goes. Credit to him.”
Anderson held firm in a captivating, 90-minute final set to win 2-6 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 6-4 13-11. The jubilant South African said: “I feel the few times I’ve played him in the past, I’ve walked onto the court without the necessary belief that I needed to to get through the match. “I felt like I was just trying to keep myself very highly motivated, a lot of belief in myself and said ‘Today is going to be my day’.”
The 32-year-old eighth seed now faces ninth seed John Isner, who reached his first grand slam semi by beating Milos Raonic in a battle of the biggest servers.
The American was beaten on the ace count, but he prevailed where it mattered, winning 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 6-3.
The other semi-final will see Rafael Nadal, following an epic five-set success against Juan Martin Del Potro, taking on Novak Djokovic, who saw off Kei Nikishiro in four sets.