Eleventh seed Tomas Berdych reached the Wimbledon semi-finals on Wednesday after a sudden retirement from second seed Novak Djokovic. The Serbian stopped play due to a right elbow injury with Berdych leading 7-6(2), 2-0. “This is the reward. This is why I go to the court every day, why I go practise, why I do all the things that I have to do for my career and for my results,” said Berdych. “I can’t be in a better position before Friday’s match.” Berdych is into the last four at Wimbledon for the third time in his career, having finished runner-up in 2010 and posting a semi-final finish last year. The 31 year old improves to 3-25 against Djokovic in their...
Anything you can do, I can do better. That was the way of Roger Federer on Wednesday when he produced an exquisite display of grass-court tennis to keep alive his quest for an eighth trophy at The Championships, Wimbledon. In his 100th match (89-11) at the All England Club, Federer gave last year’s finalist Milos Raonic, the No. 6 seed, few opportunities to break in a 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(4) quarter-final victory on Centre Court. Watched by fellow tennis royalty Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, the third-seeded Swiss superstar exhibited his full armoury in striking 46 winners and committing just nine unforced errors. He will next play No. 11 seed and 2010 finalist Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals on Friday. Federer...
After his first-round match at The Championships, Marin Cilic said that he might be playing the best he's ever played on the grass courts at Wimbledon. Nine days later, many fans and observers are starting to agree. The seventh-seeded Cilic marched into his first Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday, breaking Gilles Muller three times to knock out the 34-year-old left-hander 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 on No. 1 Court. Cilic reaches the semi-finals for the first time in his 11th appearance. His coach Jonas Bjorkman broke through to the Wimbledon semi-finals during his 13th showing. Most attempts before reaching first Wimbledon semi-final (Open Era) Jonas Bjorkman 13 Marin Cilic 11 Tommy Haas 11 Sam Querrey 10 Rainer Schuettler 10 The 6'6”...
Henri Kontinen and Marcelo Melo will go face-to-face on Thursday in a battle to decide who will be No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings on Monday, when the new list is published. Kontinen and John Peers kept alive their hopes of capturing a second Grand Slam championship trophy of the season on Wednesday when they booked their place in the Wimbledon doubles semi-finals. The top seeds and Australian Open champions kept their nerve to beat No. 10 seeds and Roland Garros titlists Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(4), 7-6(7), 6-1 in three hours and 17 minutes. Kontinen and Peers resumed on Wednesday leading 6-4, 6-7(5), 4-3, but were unable to convert two set point chances at...
Sam Querrey grew in both confidence and stature on Wednesday to beat World No. 1 and two-time champion Andy Murray, who struggled with a hip injury in the latter stages, on Centre Court at The Championships for a place in his first major semi-final. When Murray hit two poorly executed drop shots when leading by a set and 4-3 in the second set, Querrey was galvanised into action, often striking deep returns and rushing to the net in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1 victory over two hours and 42 minutes. "It's a really big deal," said Querrey, who is competing in his 42nd Grand Slam championship. "For me, it's my first semifinal. To beat Andy, to have it be...
