ANDERSON TURNS TABLES ON FEDERER IN WIMBLEDON QUARTERS
Anderson upsets Federer in quarter-final cliffhanger
LONDON: Roger Federer’s hopes of a ninth Wimbledon title bit the dust as South African Kevin Anderson recovered from two sets down to win a quarter-final cliffhanger 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 on a tension-filled Court One.
The 36-year-old Swiss, not playing on Centre Court for the first time since 2015, displayed his usual panache as he strolled through the opening two sets to stretch his streak of consecutive sets won at Wimbledon to 34.
But after squandering a match point in the 10th game of the third set Federer’s game frayed at the edges and an inspired Anderson powered back to claim victory in four hours 14 minutes.
It was the biggest shock in a tournament already brimming with surprises, especially as Johannesburg-born Anderson had not even won a set in their four previous meetings.
While top seed Federer was only at his scintillating best in the first set nothing could be taken away from Anderson, who will become the first male player representing South Africa to contest a Wimbledon semi-final since Kevin Curren in 1983.
The 32-year-old, who reached last year’s US Open final, will face big-serving American John Isner in the semi-finals.
“Down 2-0 I tried my best to keep fighting and was able to scrape through and by the end I thought I did a great job.
“I was in the flow of the match,” eighth seed Anderson said.
“Beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon will be one I remember.
“As the match went on, I gave it my all. I’m very ecstatic.”
It is the second time that 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer has lost at Wimbledon from two sets ahead, suffering the same fate against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 quarter-finals.
“It just wasn’t one of my best
days,” Federer, who won the first set in 26 minutes, told reporters.
The Swiss refused to blame his surprise defeat on the decision to play the match on Court One rather than his customary Centre Court stage at the All England Club. “I don’t think it really mattered, to be honest.
“I had my chances and blew them, so ... that’s my problem really, the 36-year-old said.
“I had my chances and I blew it.”