Wimbledon 2019: Roger Federer overcomes Japan’s Kei Nishikori in four sets to reach semi-finals
ROGER FEDERER survived a scare against Kei Nishikori to celebrate his 100th victory at Wimbledon.
The Swiss centurion came from a set down against the Japanese star before prevailing 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court.
The 37-year-old, who should meet Rafa Nadal in the semi-finals, is the first man to win 100 men’s singles matches at a single Grand Slam event.
Federer said: “Well, it’s not like you think you have to get my 100s in every point.
“Instead, I’m trying to win the next point, the next game, then hopefully he match.
“Even when you throw your hands up in the air and celebrate, you are not thinking about the 100. You forget about it. You are in the minute.
“It was a sweet way to go it. A great crowd again. I love playing Wimbledon. And against Kei it was very nice.
“We have a lot of information on Rafa. And so does he about us. You can either dive into the tactics and all that stuff like mad for two days. Or say that it’s grass court tennis.
RAF CROWD
“I will come out there and play attacking tennis. If he can defend that then fair enough. If he cannot defend it, then it’s good for me.
“People will always hype it up in a big way, they did in Paris. We had some brutal conditions. It was a joy to play Rafa there on this court. I love to play him. I will be very excited.”
He is now into a record-extending 13th Wimbledon semi-final, taking place on Friday, but if he is the Spaniard in the next round, then he knows he will face his most formidable foe as he chases a ninth singles crown.
It was clear from the opening skirmishes that Nishikori was in the mood for a fight.
The 29-year-old, who had lost seven of his previous 10 head-to-heads, looked sharp and athletic and seemingly ready to respond to whatever was thrown at him from the game’s Greatest Player.
From the first game onwards, his double backhand was in full swing, breaking Federer early on to give him the advantage in the first set.
Federer, for some reason, was not firing at all, hitting the net with regularity and even serving doubles faults.
It took three-quarters of an hour for Nishikori to win the opening set.
The No.8 seed won the opening set of the last Grand Slam match they had contested – the 2017 Australian Open Last 16 – but Federer responded by winning the next two.
History was about to repeat itself. This time the Fed Express took the opening two games with ease and precision
One return in particular was so venomous from Federer that the ball fizzed the racket out of Nishikori’s hand.
Federer cut out the errors, the first serve rate increased, and Nishikori was taking blows for the first time.
The world No.3 shifted through the gears and wrapped up the second set by dropping just one game.
The pivotal moment of the third set came in an exceptional seventh game of twists and turns. Federer finally prevailed and the fourth set became a formality.
This is his record 45th Grand Slam semi-final and he is the oldest man to appear in the last four of a major since Jimmy Connors (then 39 years 6 days) at the 1991 US Open.