ARTFUL ROGER
Federer brushes past rival Nadal to advance to Wimbledon final
WIMBLEDON, England — After waiting 11 years to get another shot against Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, Roger Federer was so, so close to the finish line Friday.
One match point slipped away when Federer missed a forehand return. A second came and went on a backhand return. Later, serving for a spot in a record 12th final at the All England Club, Federer shanked a leaping overhead off the top edge of his racket frame, giving Nadal a break point. After Nadal wasted that chance, Federer earned two more match points — and failed to convert those, too, as his wife, Mirka, peeked through her fingers, which were covering her face.
Federer knew it wouldn’t be easy against his great rival. It never is, really, no matter where they play. Eventually, Nadal pushed a backhand long on match point No. 5, bringing an anticlimactic close to the otherwise classic contest and allowing Federer to win their semifinal 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
“I’m exhausted. It was tough at the end,” Federer said. “I’m just very relieved it’s all over.”
Federer closed in on a ninth championship at the All England Club and 21st Grand Slam trophy in all. To get to those numbers in Sunday’s final, Federer must get past Novak Djokovic, who is the defending champion and seeded No. 1.
“We all know how good he is anywhere,” Djokovic said about Federer, “but especially here.”
Djokovic isn’t too shabby himself. He reached his sixth final at the grasscourt major by beating 23rd-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 earlier Friday. Djokovic is eyeing a fifth championship at Wimbledon and 16th major title.
As entertaining as that first semifinal was — including a 45-stroke point won by Djokovic — it was merely a tasty appetizer ahead of the day’s delectable main course.
Not only was this the 40th installment of Federer versus Nadal, but it also was their first meeting at Wimbledon since the 2008 final. In a match many consider the best in the sport’s lengthy annals, Nadal edged Federer 9-7 in a fifth set that ended after 9 p.m. local time.
On Friday, one key for Federer was that his rebuilt backhand held steady against Nadal’s bullwhip of a lefty forehand. Another was that Federer was able to withstand Nadal’s serve, which has improved a ton over the years. Federer amassed 10 break points, and though he succeeded on just two, that was enough, with the last, vital conversion making it 2-1 in the fourth set. And then there was this: Federer won 25 of the 33 points when he went to the net.
“I didn’t play well enough,” Nadal said.