Roger Federer beats Milos Raonic in three sets to go into Wimbledon semis
Roger Federer rolled back the years as he rolled over Milos Roanic to emphasise again why is favourite to claim a record eighth Wimbledon title.
If anything the 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (4) scoreline flattered Raonic, whose power game was first defused and then utterly dismantled. This was not only Federer’s 100th match at Wimbledon – an accomplishment that puts him only to second to Jimmy Connors in the open era – but, incredibly, one of the Swiss No3 seed’s best. He won 90% of first serve points, hit 46 winners to nine unforced errors, and with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic both exiting the tournament, will surely fancy his chances against Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals and either Marin Cillic or Sam Querry in the final.
Novak Djokovic pulls out of Wimbledon quarter-final with elbow injury
Read moreIt wasn’t supposed to be this easy. This was their 13th meeting, and while Federer went into the match with a 9-3 head-to-head record there was a hefty caveat: he had also come off second best to the Canadian in a five-set thriller in the semi-finals here last year.
But Federer has been born again in the past 12 months – having rebuilt his backhand to make it much more of a weapon and with the confidence of having won the Australian Open earlier this year. He had not lost to a top 10 opponent in eight matches since losing to Raonic last year – a record that never looked likely to change.
Federer barely got a look in during Raonic’s first service game but he soon adjusted. Two fierce backhand winners at 1-1 gave him a breakpoint that was saved, but at 2-2 he applied more pressure with a series of shots that had Raonic on the stretch and earned his reward when, after somehow getting to a drop volley, steering it for a winner after Raonic ducked thinking it was out.
Meanwhile on serve Federer was rock solid. In the first set he hit 94% of first service points with five aces along the way. It seemed there was no way Federer could keep up his level. Instead in the second set he got even better.
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Read moreAnother winner – this time from his forehand – earning breakpoint in the first game, which was duly converted when Raonic squiffed one into the tramlines.
At this stage Centre Court was in raptures at the sight of vintage Federer – blunting his opponent’s power, getting into the rally,and then squeezing Raonic until his pips squeaked.
Raonic kept trying to thrash every shot, chase down every ball, but he was being dismantled. Leading 3-1 in the second set, another Federer forehand winner brought him three more breakpoints. Raonic fired in 134mph and 135mph serves to save pull it back to 30-40 but, on the stretch, he was unable to avoid going a double break down.
Federer soon wrapped the second set after 59 minutes and at this stage his levels were extraordinary. But suddenly he made two successive errors for the first time in the match to find himself down at the start of the third set. It didn’t ruffle him. He saved it and then won the game with an ace.
The set went with serve until, at 3-4 down, Federer found himself under more pressure after two double faults. Four times he faced breakpoints, including one after a remarkable cross-court winner from the Canadian, and four times he survived before holding to make it 4-4.
The third set then went to a tie-break, where a Federer error and a booming Raonic background put the Canadian 3-0 ahead with two mini-breaks. Yet Federer wasn’t about to give up the set. He won successive points on the Raonic serve, which launched five-point run including a running background winner which had his opponent shaking his head in disbelief.
An ace then brought him to matchpoint. And when Raonic dumped a forehand into the tramlines, Federer had claimed the set 7-4 and a wonderful match.
It is hard to believe that Federer turns 36 next month, or that the records keep flowing. This victory takes him into his 12th Wimbledon semi-final – one ahead of Connors – and makes him the second oldest man in the open era to reach the semi-finals after Ken Rosewell, who finished runner up in 1974 three months’ before his 40th birthday. But after this, he will have his eyes on a much bigger prize.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/12/roger-federer-wimbledon-milos-raoinic-match-report
If anything the 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (4) scoreline flattered Raonic, whose power game was first defused and then utterly dismantled. This was not only Federer’s 100th match at Wimbledon – an accomplishment that puts him only to second to Jimmy Connors in the open era – but, incredibly, one of the Swiss No3 seed’s best. He won 90% of first serve points, hit 46 winners to nine unforced errors, and with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic both exiting the tournament, will surely fancy his chances against Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals and either Marin Cillic or Sam Querry in the final.
Novak Djokovic pulls out of Wimbledon quarter-final with elbow injury
Read moreIt wasn’t supposed to be this easy. This was their 13th meeting, and while Federer went into the match with a 9-3 head-to-head record there was a hefty caveat: he had also come off second best to the Canadian in a five-set thriller in the semi-finals here last year.
But Federer has been born again in the past 12 months – having rebuilt his backhand to make it much more of a weapon and with the confidence of having won the Australian Open earlier this year. He had not lost to a top 10 opponent in eight matches since losing to Raonic last year – a record that never looked likely to change.
Federer barely got a look in during Raonic’s first service game but he soon adjusted. Two fierce backhand winners at 1-1 gave him a breakpoint that was saved, but at 2-2 he applied more pressure with a series of shots that had Raonic on the stretch and earned his reward when, after somehow getting to a drop volley, steering it for a winner after Raonic ducked thinking it was out.
Meanwhile on serve Federer was rock solid. In the first set he hit 94% of first service points with five aces along the way. It seemed there was no way Federer could keep up his level. Instead in the second set he got even better.
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Read moreAnother winner – this time from his forehand – earning breakpoint in the first game, which was duly converted when Raonic squiffed one into the tramlines.
At this stage Centre Court was in raptures at the sight of vintage Federer – blunting his opponent’s power, getting into the rally,and then squeezing Raonic until his pips squeaked.
Raonic kept trying to thrash every shot, chase down every ball, but he was being dismantled. Leading 3-1 in the second set, another Federer forehand winner brought him three more breakpoints. Raonic fired in 134mph and 135mph serves to save pull it back to 30-40 but, on the stretch, he was unable to avoid going a double break down.
Federer soon wrapped the second set after 59 minutes and at this stage his levels were extraordinary. But suddenly he made two successive errors for the first time in the match to find himself down at the start of the third set. It didn’t ruffle him. He saved it and then won the game with an ace.
The set went with serve until, at 3-4 down, Federer found himself under more pressure after two double faults. Four times he faced breakpoints, including one after a remarkable cross-court winner from the Canadian, and four times he survived before holding to make it 4-4.
The third set then went to a tie-break, where a Federer error and a booming Raonic background put the Canadian 3-0 ahead with two mini-breaks. Yet Federer wasn’t about to give up the set. He won successive points on the Raonic serve, which launched five-point run including a running background winner which had his opponent shaking his head in disbelief.
An ace then brought him to matchpoint. And when Raonic dumped a forehand into the tramlines, Federer had claimed the set 7-4 and a wonderful match.
It is hard to believe that Federer turns 36 next month, or that the records keep flowing. This victory takes him into his 12th Wimbledon semi-final – one ahead of Connors – and makes him the second oldest man in the open era to reach the semi-finals after Ken Rosewell, who finished runner up in 1974 three months’ before his 40th birthday. But after this, he will have his eyes on a much bigger prize.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/12/roger-federer-wimbledon-milos-raoinic-match-report