Home Sports Tennis From Match Point to Defeat, Roger Federer Knocked Out Of Wimbledon

From Match Point to Defeat, Roger Federer Knocked Out Of Wimbledon

Wimbledon: Kevin Anderson recovered from two sets down to beat eight-time champion Roger Federer.

The Quint

Tennis

Updated: 12 Jul 2018, 08:40 AM IST

Roger Federer reacts after losing a point to Kevin Anderson during the Wimbledon quarter-final.

(Photo: AP)

Kevin Anderson beat Roger Federer 2-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Federer had a match point at 5-4 in the third set
This is Anderson’s first win over Federer in five meetings.

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) 7-5 6-4 13-11 on a tension-filled Court One on Wednesday.

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.

Kevin Anderson celebrates his victory over Roger Federer at Wimbledon.(Photo: AP)

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 U.S. Open final, will face big-serving American John Isner in the semis.

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. Beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon will be one I remember. As the match went on, I gave it my all. I’m very ecstatic.

Kevin Anderson, eighth seed

Mirka Federer, wife of, Switzerland’s Roger Federer watches from the stands after he lost his men’s quarterfinals match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.(Photo: Reuters)

Chances Blown

It is the second time that 20-times 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."

Federer had breezed into the quarter-finals without dropping a set for the eighth time and was imperious in the opening set in which he hit 10 winners and only three unforced errors.

Anderson, the first South African to reach the last eight since Wayne Ferreira in 1994, was steadfast though and did what no man had done at Wimbledon since last year's semi-final when he broke Federer's serve early in the second set.

It snapped an 85-match run of holds by the Swiss but he did not flinch, hitting back to take the set on a tiebreak.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer prepares to leave the court after losing his men’s quarterfinals match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London, Wednesday July 11, 2018.(Photo: AP)