The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Anderson produces stunning fightback to end Federer’s Wimbledon hopes
Eight-time champion vows to return after shock defeat
Roger Federer vowed to return to Wimbledon next year after a shock quarter-final defeat to Kevin Anderson denied him the chance of a ninth title.
The defending champion was two sets up and had a match point in the third, but almost three hours later he trudged off on the end of a seismic 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4 13-11 upset.
Federer, 36, said: “Of course the goal is to come back here next year. I wouldn’t call it ‘unfinished business’. I felt like I did some good business here in the past already. So I’m all right. I’m just disappointed now.”
Federer was given a rare outing on Court One having been switched from his usual Centre Court domain for the first time in three years.
But he found himself in even more unfamiliar territory with an inspired Anderson’s relentless, thudding serve eventually overpowering the 20-time grand slam winner.
The final set lasted 90 minutes, and it was captivating. Federer eked out a break point at 4-3, Anderson quickly snuffed it out, then Anderson served to stay in the match, and did so to love.
On they went, both holding to love for 10-10, but at 11-11 it was Federer who blinked, a double fault handing South African Anderson a rare break point which he converted.
Anderson needed four more booming serves to reach a first Wimbledon semifinal, and he found them to deny Federer a 13th Wimbledon semi-final appearance.
A jubilant Anderson, US Open runner-up last year, celebrated his first win over Federer in five attempts and a maiden appearance in a Wimbledon semi-final.
The 32-year-old South African, seeded eighth, said: “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’.”
Rafael Nadal fought back from two sets to one down to defeat Juan Martin del Potro in a superb match and set up a blockbuster semi-final against Novak
Djokovic.
When Del Potro sent a forehand rifling down the line to take the third set, it seemed Nadal might be following Federer out of the tournament.
But the world number one recovered superbly to triumph 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 4-6 6-4 6-4 and keep alive his hopes of an 18th grand slam title.
The second seed said: “It was a very emotional match, a great quality of tennis, especially in the last set. Sorry for Juan Martin, he’s an amazing opponent. In some ways he deserved the victory.”
Djokovic believes he is “pretty close” to regaining the level that saw him rule men’s tennis after he booked a first grand slam semi-final appearance in almost two years.
The Serbian beat Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach his first semi-final at any of the four majors since the US Open in 2016.
After a slump following two years of almost total domination of the men’s game, Djokovic’s star appears to be back on the rise.
He has overcome motivation and physical issues and said: “If I have to
compare the game that I’ve played, the level of tennis that I’ve had in those years and today, I think it’s pretty close.”
John Isner reached his first grand slam semi-final by beating Milos Raonic in a battle of the biggest servers.
The 33-year-old American was edged out on the ace count by his Canadian opponent, who was runner-up to Andy Murray on the grass two years ago.
But he prevailed where it mattered on the Court One scoreboard, winning 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 6-3 to set up a semifinal against Federer’s conqueror Kevin Anderson.