Chapter 40
Tennis greats to meet for first time at All England Club since 2008 final
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer head for 40th meeting in semifinals.
WIMBLEDON, England — Hard to believe, perhaps, but when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet in the Wimbledon semifinals, it’ll be their first matchup at the All England Club since their memorable 2008 final.
Federer and Nadal set up their 40th career showdown by each overcoming a tough opening set in the quarterfinals Wednesday before moving on.
A 4- 6, 6- 1, 6- 4, 6- 4 victory over Kei Nishikori gave the No. 2- seeded Federer his 100th match win at the All England Club, the first man to reach that total at any Grand Slam tournament. Not long after that ended on Centre Court, the No. 3seeded Nadal finished off unseeded Sam Querrey, 7- 5, 6- 2, 6- 2, at Court No. 1.
“Obviously, I know people always hype it up,” Federer said of his rivalry with Nadal.
Well, why shouldn’t they? These are, after all, two of the greatest players in history, winners of more Grand Slam titles than any other men. Of Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles, a record eight came at Wimbledon. Twelve of Nadal’s 18 came at the French Open, where he routed Federer in the semifinals last month.
That gave Nadal a 24- 15 career edge head- to- head, including 10- 3 at the Slams.
This is their fourth matchup at Wimbledon — and first that won’t come in the final. Federer beat Nadal for the 2006 and 2007
titles, but Nadal won the championship 11 years ago in a 9- 7 fifth set as dusk descended.
“Well, we have a lot of information on Rafa, and so does he about us,” Federer said. “So you can either dive into tactics and all that stuff like mad for two days — or you’re just going to say: ‘ You know what? It’s grass- court tennis and I’m going to come out there and play attacking tennis.’ And if he can defend that, that’s too good. And if he can’t, well, then, that’s good for me.”
Nadal won in straight sets, but it wasn’t always easy. He wasted three set points at 5- 3 in the opener, then another before getting broken when serving for it at 5- 4. And again serving for that set at 6- 5, he erased a trio of break points for the 65th- ranked Querrey before holding — and Nadal was on his way.
The other semifinal will draw far less attention: No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 23 Roberto Bautista Agut.
It is the 13th time that the Big Three of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are in the semifinals at a major tournament together. On 11 of the previous occasions, one of them claimed the title.
Djokovic used a 10- game run to transform what was shaping up as an even, entertaining quarterfinal into a lopsided romp.
“I felt,” Djokovic said,
“like I managed to dismantle his game.”
Down an early break, the defending champion grabbed control midway through the opening set and never let go, beating the 21st- seeded David Goffin, 64, 6- 0, 6- 2, to reach his ninth semifinal at Wimbledon. As Federer left Centre Court after reaching the semifinals for the 13th time, a spectator reminded him of yet another milestone. He is the first player to win 100 matches at one Grand Slam tournament. “The fan told me, ‘ Congratulations, Roger, on your 100th,’” Federer said. “I’m like, ‘ Oh, yeah, that’s right.’” Just another mark among many for the guy.