Anderson’s unlikely rally shocks Federer

PARIS - Roger Federer was a point away from a rather tidy, straight-set victory in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. One lousy point.

But in a stunning turnaround in an unfamiliar setting – No. 1 Court instead of Centre Court – the top-seeded Federer blew a third-set match point and, eventually, all of his big lead in a 2-6, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 loss to No. 8 Kevin Anderson on Wednesday in a 4-hour, 14minute tussle.

“It was just one of those days where you hope to get by somehow,” Federer said. “I almost could have. I should have.”

This was only the third time in Federer’s 20 years of contesting Grand Slam matches that he lost one after taking the opening two sets.

How hard was it to see this coming? Federer was 4-0 against Anderson entering the day, winning every set they’d ever played against each other. But there was more. So much more. Federer was attempting to reach his 13th semifinal at Wimbledon and move closer to title No. 9, both of which would have broken his own records.

He came into the match having won 32 consecutive sets at Wimbledon, a run he stretched to 34 before faltering. And he had held serve 81 games in a row at the grass-court major, a streak that grew to 85 before Anderson broke him a surprising total of four times.

Now the 32-year-old South African moves on to face No. 9 John Isner of the U.S. on Friday. Isner reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic of Canada, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-3, hitting 25 aces and saving the only break point he faced. Isner has won all 95 of his service games in the tournament.

Three-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic got his wish to play in the main stadium, and he reached his first Grand Slam semifinal since 2016 by beating No. 24 seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Djokovic is a 12-time major champion who’s been in something of a rut, due to right elbow troubles that lasted more than a year until he finally had surgery in February.

He’s been flashing some anger this fortnight and did so again in the second set, bouncing his racket off the turf after failing to capitalize on three break points at 1-all. That earned a code violation from chair umpire Carlos Ramos.

Soon enough, Djokovic was on his way to the semifinals, where he will meet Rafael Nadal.