Federer has another date with 8
He’ll face Cilic in final in attempt to claim Wimbledon title record
LONDON — They love their history around these parts, and they love Roger Federer and, above all, they love watching Roger Federer make history.
Now Federer stands one victory from an unprecedented eighth Wimbledon men’s singles championship after qualifying Friday for his 11th appearance in the final, breaking a record he already held.
Just weeks from turning 36, and a father of four, Federer continued his resurgent season and unchallenged run through this fortnight at the All England Club by conjuring up just enough brilliance to beat 2010 runnerup Tomas Berdych 7- 6 ( 4), 7- 6 ( 4), 6- 4 in the semifinals.
“It’s great, but it doesn’t give me the title quite yet. That’s why I came here this year,” Federer said. “I’m so close now, so I’ve just got to stay focused.”
He has won every set he has played in six matches, and while he didn’t exactly dominate against the 11th- seeded Berdych, Federer was never in much trouble. On Sunday, he’ll face 2014 U. S. Open champion Marin Cilic, who reached his first Wimbledon final by eliminating 24th- seeded Sam Querrey of the United States 6- 7 ( 6), 6- 4, 7- 6 ( 3), 7- 5 with 25 aces and some terrific returning.
“This is his home court,” Cilic said of Federer, “[ the] place where he feels the best and knows that he can play the best game.”
Since tying Pete Sampras and William Renshaw ( who played in the 1880s) with a seventh trophy at Wimbledon in 2012, Federer has come this close before to No. 8. But he lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2014 and 2015 finals.
Here comes another chance.
Federer would be the oldest man to win Wimbledon in the Open era, which dates to 1968; as it is, he’s the oldest finalist since 39- year- old Ken Rosewall in 1974.
“I mean, I don’t see anything that would indicate, really, [ that] Roger is getting older or anything like that,” said Berdych, who wore sneakers with a silhouette of Djokovic’s face on the tongue because his own usual shoes were uncomfortable. “He’s just proving his greatness in our sport.”
Also noteworthy: This is Federer’s second major final of 2017. After losing in the Wimbledon semifinals last year, he took the rest of 2016 off to let his surgically repaired left knee heal. He came back fit and refreshed and won the Australian Open in January for his record- extending 18th Grand Slam title and first anywhere in 4 ½ years.
“Giving your body rest from time to time is a good thing, as we see now,” Federer said. “And I’m happy it’s paying off because for a second, of course, there is doubts there that maybe one day you’ll never be able to come back and play a match on Centre Court at Wimbledon. But it happened, and it’s happened many, many times this week.”
Most of the 15,000 or so in attendance were pulling for him. That was evident throughout Friday, from the cries of “Go, Roger!” to the roars of approval and thunderous applause that greeted some of his best efforts on a day when he was not necessarily at his vintage, wondrous best.
Federer extricated himself from a sticky situation down 3- 2 in the third set, facing break points at 15- 40: 107 mph ace, 116 mph ace, 120 mph service winner, 119 mph ace. In the very next game, he surged to a 4- 3 lead by breaking Berdych. That was pretty much that.
“I was able to come up with the goods when it mattered,” he said.
Federer and the No. 7- seeded Cilic met in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year, when Cilic took the opening two sets and even held a match point before Federer came all the way back to win, improving to 6- 1 in their head- to- head meetings. That lone win for Cilic was by straight sets in the semifinals in New York three years ago, on the way to his one major title.