Once a ‘Big Four’, always a ‘Big Four’ – that is the lesson learned from Wednesday’s hard-fought quarter-final victories posted by Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
Federer stared defeat right in the face, saving three match points and coming back from a two-sets-to-love deficit to beat Marin Cilic 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3 and move into the last-four, equalling Jimmy Connors’ record of 11 Wimbledon semi-finals reached.
The Swiss also took sole ownership of the record for most grand slam match wins by a man or a woman in the history of the sport, taking his total to 307 – one more than Martina Navratilova. Later, on Centre Court, Andy Murray was taken the distance by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before coming through 7-6(10), 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, to post his 100th career victory on grass. It was Tsonga’s first defeat in seven five-set matches he has played at Wimbledon.
Federer described Cilic’s play yesterday as “US Open-esque” and it was an apt statement. The Croat played a near-flawless first three sets that were reminiscent of his form from the 2014 US Open semi-finals, when he beat Federer in straights.
But when it came down to it, it was mind over matter that prevailed, with Federer bringing out some clutch serving when needed, while Cilic squandered three opportunities to close out the match in the fourth set. It was the 10th time Federer has managed to come back from two-sets-to-love in a match, which is an Open Era record he shares with Boris Becker and Aaron Krickstein.
Murray now level with Borg in seventh in the Open Era list for most Wimbledon match wins with 51. Federer joint top with Connors on 84.
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) July 6, 2016
“I fought, I tried, I believed. At the end I got it done. So it was great on so many levels,” said Federer, who faces Milos Raonic in the semis.
Cilic saved two break points in game five in an otherwise dead-even first set, that went to a tiebreak. The No. 9 seed went up 5-0 in the breaker and took the lead with a ripping return on a Federer second serve to close out the set.
Federer was broken in the third game of the second, and that was all Cilic needed to take a two-set lead.
Cilic’s passing shots were on point and he fired one for a winner to get three break points at 3-3 in the third. Federer saved all of them and that hold proved a real turning point.
The Croat double-faulted to gift Federer a break for 5-3 and the Swiss served out the set to stay alive in the quarter-final showdown.
The things Federer does <3 pic.twitter.com/LD8wH5Hf8n
— Soccer_Issue (@Soccer__Issue) July 6, 2016
Cilic got his hands on a pair of break points in the fourth game but Federer brought out his serving best to save both and hold for 2-all.
The world No. 3 showcased some Rafa-like defence in the following game to put pressure on the Cilic serve – a killer running backhand passing shot and another down-the-line backhand winner helping him to two break points. This time, it was Cilic who served big to get out of trouble.
In the tiebreak, Federer led 5-3 but Cilic pegged him back. The 27-year-old did not capitalise on a Federer second serve when he had a third match point and despite saving four set points, Cilic faltered on the fifth, netting a forehand allowing Federer to force a deciding set. Cilic was on a five-match winning streak in five-set matches but it did not matter.
Federer had raised his level to an inconceivable height and was riding the wave. A break for 5-3 in the fifth was all the Swiss needed and he wrapped up his win with back-to-back aces.
“Mentally this is going to give me a hell of a boost,” said Federer, who has never lost any of the 10 Wimbledon semi-finals he has reached.
Meanwhile, Murray needed almost four hours to overcome French No. 12 seed Tsonga and set up a last-four clash with 10th-seeded Tomas Berdych.
The Scot world No. 2 blew a 4-2 lead in the fourth set to allow Tsonga back in the match before running away with the fifth.
“I could have won it in four but he came up with some really good stuff when he needed it,” said Murray, who is into his seventh semi-final.
