Earning a second life at Wimbledon after coming back from two sets down against Marin Cilic in the quarters, Roger Federer will meet Milos Raonic on Friday. The winner will play either Andy Murray or Tomas Berdych in the final.
Roger Federer and Milos Raonic will be facing each other for the 12th time in their careers when they battle for a place in the Wimbledon title match on Friday.
Federer is dominating the head-to-head series 9-2, including 2-0 on grass and 1-0 at Wimbledon. They also squared off in the semifinals at the All-England Club two years ago, when the Swiss cruised 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Raonic had been an especially futile 1-9 against Federer before prevailing 6-4, 6-4 early this season to capture the Brisbane title.
The first five months of 2016 were nothing short of an injury-plagued disaster for the 34-year-old, but he appears to be heating up at just the right time. On the heels of unspectacular semifinal finishes in Stuttgart and Halle, Federer now finds himself in the Wimbledon semis for the 11th time in his illustrious career. The seven-time champion rolled over Guido Pella, Marcus Willis, Daniel Evans, and Steve Johnson before staging an epic comeback against Marin Cilic on Wednesday that featured three match-point saves en route to a 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3 triumph.
“I prefer to be here than booking a jet,” Federer said after his close call versus Cilic. “I’ll tell you that. For me, I’m very pleased…. Today was epic. (I’m) probably going to look back at this as being a great, great match that I played in my career, on Centre Court here at Wimbledon…. This is huge for me, my season, my career. I’m very, very happy. I think I’m playing good tennis, too.”
Raonic took his turn surviving the brink of defeat during fourth-round action on Monday, when he outlasted David Goffin 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. That was preceded by much more routine defeats of Pablo Carreno Busta, Andreas Seppi, and Jack Sock, and it was followed by a 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 quarterfinal victory over Sam Querrey.
“I look forward to it a lot,” Raonic assured. “(It’s) definitely a great opportunity. Two years have passed since I played him here in the semifinals. I’m happy that I have another shot at him…. Probably from the mental side, I’ll look at what I wouldn’t want to repeat from two years ago.”
With Federer two years older and Raonic much-improved, mentally tougher, and tactically sounder since that 2014 encounter, a much more competitive contest should be in the cards. But Federer is 10-0 lifetime in Wimbledon semifinal matches and that is a record that cannot be discounted even though much of it was compiled during the prime of his career. The world No. 3 is likely to make it 11-0 by scoring another win over an opponent whom he has mostly owned.
Pick: Federer in 4
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Milos choked
#NID
That is exactly what I was going to say! You read my mind! Double faulting to give Fed the advantage when he’s got that big serve. So Raonic is feeling the pressure.
He ESPN commies were talking about Raonic taking a long bathroom break after losing the first set and saying that fed was not pleased.
Hahaha, maybe Milos is waiting for the sun to move.
Carole Bouchard @carole_bouchard 35s36 seconds ago View translation
Raonic prend une longue pause pipi. Federer attend et ça n’a pas l’air de lui plaire.
Translated from French by Bing Wrong translation?
Raonic takes a long pee break. Federer awaits and it didn’t please him air.
Carole gets it…
Carole Bouchard @carole_bouchard 44s45 seconds ago
Usually when Raonic is “come on-ing” and stuff, it’s not good sign for him. When he’s really locked in : he shows nothing.
Fed will roll now.
Good serving from fed to climb out of a 0-30 hole and hold. First serves, too!
ESPN commies showing their bias in going on about Raonic taking the bathroom break. They want their Fed/Murray final!
3 aces in a row from Milos! that’s some way of responding !
Well, is it just me or does anyone else also feel that Milos has lost some weight!
Milosh making far too many errors when he gets into rallies 🙁
Raonic has settled down after losing the TB.
Break points for Fed!
Fed breaks!
Now or never for the fed express
It’s now!
F’in fantastic… But a break is only a break if he can hold his next service game
He did
Its Rogers match to lose from here in… just needs to keep taking care of his own service games
Raonic very poor in rallies. I hope Fed beats him. I cant imagine having a slam winner with poor rallying skills in the current modern tennis world.
Raonic has no chance against Murray. Well, neither does Fed for that matter.
Well I don’t think Milos is winning this one. not if fed continues to put pressure on his service games. I hope Berdych takes Murray to another 5 setter later on
The big four are the big four, they’re just so good in their all round game and with their serves and returns.
Raonic is so limited in his game despite his improvement. He totally relies on his serve, his return is so poor that after 3 to 4 sets, he still cant get a read on Fed’s second serve! He has to rely on Fed to make errors in order to break him (in set one). Once they go into a rally, Raonic would lose the point most of the time.
Fed & BP’s – the love story continues!
Looks like this will be another breaker… This needs to be finished off in 5 sets, very seldom Raonic loses two TBs though
I think it’s easy to criticize a player when you are sitting at home watching it on TV. Raonic has hardly embarrassed himself in this match. He won the first set, took the second set to a TB, and is still in it in the fourth. Fed is playing very well now, but Raonic hasn’t quit and is still in there fighting and trying to break Fed.
I am speaking as someone who is not a fan of Raonic, but I think he deserves credit for how he’s played. He’s not giving it away. He is a much more complete player now. There is always room for improvement.
And Raonic breaks to win the fourth set and take it to a fifth!
Not bad for a guy who is supposedly lacking!
It’s not over yet! Raonic has done himself proud.
Didnt change the fact that he’s limited. His return is poor, his rallying is poor for a top ten player.
nny gets it.
lucky misses Rafa.
Huh??
WOW
Yup
Wtf??
How on earth did Roger ended up losing that set! *facepalm*
Brain freeze by Fed! How can he hit that last point right back at Raonic?? Raonic just passed him easily to take the fourth set!
WOW, leading 40-15 and throws the set away like that, im speechless. don’t think he will win two 5 setters in a row. don’t see that happening
Vaaaaaaamos Miloooooshhh