Without the spectre of Novak Djokovic looming, Roger Federer has made it through to the semifinals of Wimbledon, with perhaps his best chance in several years of adding to his Grand Slam total haul.
Federer equaled the record of reaching the semifinals for the 11th time at the All England Club. He also claimed a record of 307 Grand Slam match wins and 40 times as a semifinalist in one of tennis’ four Majors.
He nearly did not survive his encounter with the ninth seed, Marin Cilic, needing to save three match points in a five set affair that featured two tiebreakers.
Federer will now go against the sixth seed, Milos Raonic of Canada. On the line for him is the opportunity, by winning, to go for his 18th Grand Slam title and eighth Wimbledon victory.
Andy Murray also made it through to the semis with the 100 grass-court win of his career, even though he squandered a two-set lead to the 12th seed, France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Down after losing the first two sets, Tsonga won the third and fourth relatively easily, but concluded meekly, winning only one game in the fifth set.
Murray needs to get past Czech Tomas Berdych in order to get through to the final.
