ROGER FEDERER’S victory was booed – because opponent Hyeon Chung pulled out in the second set.
Federer was leading 6-1 5-2 when Chung, who had earlier had treatment on his left foot, threw in the towel.
The action had lasted only 62 minutes and some fans were unhappy about the sudden stop.
By coincidence, Federer will play Marin Cilic in Sunday’s final, whose bid to beat the Swiss in the Wimbledon showdown was also hindered by a blister.
Federer said: “I’m incredibly happy to be in the final but not like this.
“He’s played so well all through the tournament. He’s already a great player but we’re talking about next level excellence and I think he’s going to achieve that.
“I can see why he beat the likes of Novak [Djokovic] and Sascha [Zverev] this week.”
It was a shame for Chung and for the crowd, but even if fully fit he would have struggled to cope with Federer.
Federer broke the Chung serve in a long first game and twice more to take the opening set 6-1 in 33 minutes.
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Neither man was making enough first serves, but the Swiss was by far the better once they got into a rally, hitting 14 winners and making nine unforced errors while Chung’s stats were four and 12.
Chung is supposed to be the new Novak Djokovic and the Serb has a winning record against Federer, 23-22 in their 45 meetings.
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My view, by Dan King
“NICE joke, Jim.”
That was Roger Federer’s reply when on-court interviewer Jim Courier asked him what he would have said if, a year ago, Courier had told him he would be on the verge of his 20th Grand Slam title 12 months later.
The success of Federer’s comeback, from six months out in 2016 with a knee injury to where he is now, IS a joke.
To be in his 30th Slam final, with 19 wins already under his belt, at the age of nearly 36 and a half, is staggering.
Although the majority of tennis fans regard him as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), some critics point to his losing record against both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and to his solitary French Open win as reasons to doubt him.
Nadal supporters say their man would be the leader in Grand Slam titles but for his injuries.
But that’s not Federer’s fault, just as he could do nothing about the blister which forced Hyeon Chung to quit during their semi-final.
The Swiss master surely deserves credit for keeping himself fit and firing all this time.
His playing style may be less tough on the body than the baseline grind of Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, but he still has to find the will to keep working, keep practising, keep caring.
And greatness isn’t measured only in numbers of titles (Djokovic and Nadal have both won more Masters events than Federer).
It is precisely because Federer plays so elegantly and imaginatively that he is so admired.
The fact such style has brought him such success makes him the complete sporting package.
Add longevity, and you have not only the greatest tennis player of all time but also one of the greatest athletes ever to walk the earth.
But the South Korean couldn’t get near the defending champion and received treatment on his left foot after falling 4-1 behind in the second set.
Two games later, it was all over.
On-court interviewer Jim Courier asked Federer what he would have said to him if, before his comeback at last year’s Australian Open, he had told him he would on the brink of a 20th Slam title 12 months on.
“Nice joke, Jim,” said Federer.
But to win it he will have to beat an in-form Cilic, who will want to make up for that Wimbledon disappointment and produce the kind of performance which saw him beat Federer in the semi final on the way to winning the US Open title in 2014.
Federer, who revealed they had played together when they found themselves both on holiday in the Maldives in the off season, said: “We’ll see a fresh and ready Marin this time around.
“On this kind of court, you’ve got to play aggressive.
“He will bring the power. He crushed me in that US Open semi.
“I’m excited to play against him.”
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