GAME, SET AND MATCH MILOS RAONIC! Milos Raonic wins the semi-final 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3!
Set 4, Game 6 – Federer* serves and holds. 4-2 to the Swiss!
Set 4, Game 5 – Raonic* builds on his break of serve with a great hold! Federer lost his footing there and fell on his knee trying to return that one – immediately, he calls his medical staff. It’s the knee he had surgery on earlier this year, so fans are worried. Raonic leads 4-1
Set 5, Game 4 – Federer* is behind on service and now in this game, behind in the fight! Raonic is double faulting repeatedly – 11 so far now, but there’s a brilliant rally between the pair. You can’t really tell which one this way it’s going to go, but eventually Raonic breaks to lead 3-1!
Set 5, Game 3 - Raonic* holds on, running towards the net to sneak a couple of shots past Federer. He moves ahead to 2-1!
Set 5, Game 2 – Federer* holds as Raonic has. Both players are rushing the net but the Canadian’s flagging. He’s committed 10 double faults already in this match. 1-1, with Raonic ahead on serve.
MILOS RAONIC WINS THE FOURTH SET 7-5! We’re now at 2 sets all.
Set 4, Game 12 – Federer * serves to stay in this set. He’s pushing for it and his backhand looks in fine form today, but he double faults to miss out! Sublime volleying from Raonic and he breaks Federer to win the game and the set 7-5!
Set 4, Game 11 – Raonic* has Federer running around - are these two playing a game of cat and mouse? Both stretching to their utmost and Federer is pushing Raonic, but the Canadian holds on for 6-5. Can he force a fifth?
Set 4, Game 10 – Federer* on serve and holds that with a whopping ace straight to Raonic! 5-5
Set 4, Game 9 – Raonic* is now pushing Federer around and forcing errors off the Swiss! His backhand is uncharacteristically a little shaky and he loses the game. Raonic leads 5-4.
Set 4, Game 8 – Federer* is serving behind but he’s got Raonic on his toes – and how! The Swiss has Raonic running around the baseline and not letting him still at ease. He holds for 4-4!
Set 4, Game 7 – Raonic* is yet to break Roger Federer’s serve since Set 1. He was looking to be cruising easily in his service game, but a double fault gives some control back to the Swiss! He challenges Raonic on a long shot, and Federer is right. Nevertheless, after a bit of an iffy serve, he’s managed to hold for a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
Set 4, Game 6 – Federer* down at 15-30 in his service game with an unforced error, pushing Raonic around manages to take it to deuce – and hold! Impressive stuff. Raonic has committed 11 forehand UEs to Federer’s 2 so far. 3-3!
Set 4, Game 5- Raonic* holds that one, but it went on a while. Raonic sends some shots wide, but with Federer doing the same thing he won’t be all that worried. He looks to have a bit more resolve now after that hold, leading 3-2 in the fifth!
Set 4, Game 4 – Federer* sending winners at Raonic again and he’s sticking to the line for now. Powerful serving from both today. Raonic challenges what looks like a dicey Federer winner but it’s IN. Raonic loses his challenge, and Federer holds for 2-2.
Set 4, Game 3 - Raonic * again holds, but double faults along the way. No breaks of serve yet in a fairly straightforward set so far, 2-1 Raonic.
Set 4, Game 2 – Federer* holds his service game, hammering aces at Raonic! 1-1
Set 4, Game 1 – Raonic* Federer is up on momentum and score, will want to consolidate on that. It’s his 11th semi-final and he hasn’t lost one yet... Simply blazing past Raonic at the moment, Federer is going full stretch, rushing the net, turning corners at the baseline, and the kitchen sink. A service hold for Raonic sends him into 1-0.
ROGER FEDERER WINS THE THIRD SET 6-4!
WHAT A TURNAROUND! No long rallies here but some brilliant shotmaking from the legendary Swiss Maestro.
He’s been brilliant with the serve-and-volley early on in the set and some great baseline winners help him to a third set win!
Set 3, Game 7 – Raonic* is missing some crucial returns and although both first and second serves have looked good, the experienced Federer is getting his...er, GOAT. Federer gets the crucial break and he leads 4-3!
Set 3, Game 6 – Federer* is really flummoxing Raonic now. The Canadian’s already made 7 double faults and he’s missing some vital shots! 3-3.
Set 3, Game 5 – Raonic* declares his account open with an ace. Federer’s responding beautifully, though, and some beautiful shots off the racquet of the Swiss. There’s a particularly stunning forehand but it’s just out! Each player holds so far. 3-2 Raonic!
Set 3, Game 1, Federer* holds and at 1-0 this is chugging along slowly. Subdued crowd, fairly subdued play. A bit unlike the previous match but then, that one had people on the edge of their seats.
ROGER FEDERER WINS THE SECOND SET 7-6! It’s now 1-set all.
Tiebreak on and in full swing! Raonic is forcing errors off Federer to begin with but now it’s Federer’s turn to return the favour! He’s flummoxed Milos Raonic and the Canadian doesn’t know where to place his return. SET POINT and Federer wins the tiebreak and the second set 7-6!
Set 2, Game 12 – Raonic* BREAKS! it’s 6-6 now and we’re looking at a second set tiebreak!
Set 2, Game 11 – Federer* was broken in that last game with Raonic taking them to 5-5 and staving off a second set loss. Some brilliant serving from the Canadian and he slices and slides to perfection. Can he take this set too?
Set 2, Game 10 – Milos Raonic has looked really good today, with some beautiful, picturesque serves. Right now, though, he’s serving to stay in the set. Federer had triple set point and lost it with Raonic taking it to deuce. Can Federer win this or is it Raonic’s chance to stay in the set?
Federer’s been consistent in holding serve... no breaks yet, meaning the on-serve Federer has a 5-4 lead.
Set 2, Game 5 Federer* – The Swiss is hitting back! Hitting a couple of beautiful aces, Federer’s helped along to game point by some errors off the racquet of Raonic. Bjorn Borg is watching on... and Federer holds! Raonic 3-2 Federer
Set 2, Game 4 Raonic* – He comes back now! Both first and second serves are looking strong and Raonic is landing them perfectly! He holds for 2-2.
Set 2, Game 3 Federer* – Now it’s Raonic’s turn to be slippery. He’s sending a bunch of shots just past the line and his serves haven’t been as on point as they were earlier. Federer holds! Raonic 2-1 Federer
Set 2, Game 2 – Raonic* Roger Federer making a lot of errors here. He’s been more than a little patchy and in this game makes three errors back-to-back. Gives Raonic an easy hold to go 1-1 in the second!
Set 2, Game 1 – Federer* The Swiss is now on the back foot, literally and figuratively.He’s held his first service game quite simply though, and making shots at full stretch! Good form, but can it trump Raonic tonight?
And Raonic* will serve for the set...and he’s done it! MILOS RAONIC WINS THE FIRST SET 6-3
Set 1, Game 8 – Federer* with a beautiful slice and some brilliant athletic work today holds and stays in the set! 5-3 Milos Raonic..
Set 1, Game 7 – Raonic* wins his service game for a 5-2 lead! He’s now got Roger Federer on the back foot as the Swiss serves to stay in the set....
Set 1, Game 6 – Federer* The Swiss is good on his first serves, but better on his second. He holds that with a forehand and it’s now 4-2 Milos Raonic.
Set 1, Game 5 - Raonic* and Federer’s fighting back but Raonic is on the attack with an almost Federer-esque game today, placing shots almost perfectly. Federer pulls back from Raonic’s lead to take it to deuce, but a forehand winner from the Canadian helps him build on the break for 4-1.
Set 1, Game 4 – Federer* is powerful but he’s already looking a bit under his usual level here. It’s Raonic with the first break of serve and he now leads 3-1!
Set 1, Game 3 – Raonic* has the upper hand now and he’s held for a 2-1 with some good forehands. Meanwhile, already four unforced errors from Federer...not great.
Set 1, Game 2 – Federer* missed a couple of cross-court forehands from Raonic in the previous game, but this game has him on FIRE! He races quickly to win the game without conceding a point.
Set 1, Game 1 – Raonic* (* indicates server) and that’s a powerful first serve from him! His shot placement has been quite good already and he’s already at game point!
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer will play today’s first men's singles semi-final match against Milos Raonic of Canada on Centre Court today. The former World No. 1 is the most successful player here, with seven titles on the grass courts at SW19, the most recent in 2012. He shares that record with American former No. 1 Pete Sampras and English player William Renshaw, although it is Czech-American legend Martina Navratilova who has the most singles titles here, with nine. Federer beat Croat ace Marin Cilic in a mammoth quarter-final match that went on for five hours, with Cilic at match point on three occasions, but losing out each time. The Swiss put up a tenacious fight in a match that went on for two and a half hours. Two sets to love down in the match initially, Federer fought back in the third set, with the fourth going to a tiebreak – and then a tiebreak within that tiebreaker as Cilic again struggled against an athletic Federer, who was both in form and recovered from injuries that have seen him struggle early on in the season.
With Novak Djokovic ousted from the tournament by American Sam Querrey, the road has appeared clear for the Swiss legend to win his 18th Grand Slam title; if he does, it will also be his eighth title at Wimbledo. However, the tournament favourite here is still second seed Andy Murray, who at 28 is younger than Federer and has not had the recent struggles with injury the Swiss ace has been struggling with. Murray also won the grasscourt Queen’s Club Championships ahead of Wimbledon, a title he took for a record fifth time.
Murray has taken titles across surfaces this year, and has been in the finals of both the Australian Open and the French Open; he even looked significantly to be in the contest early on in his French Open final against Novak Djokovic, with the Serb eventually staging a comeback to take the match.
Federer and Raonic have met 11 times on the professional circuit and it has been the Swiss who has had the most success, winning 9 of those matches. The pair have also met at Wimbledon before, at exactly this stage in 2014. Federer won that match in straight sets – 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, thoroughly outclassing his Canadian rival.
Raonic and Federer have both had problems with injuries in the past, with Federer’s causing him to withdraw from the French Open this year. The Swiss, however, has come back in thundering fashion at Wimbledon, however, and had not dropped a single set until his quarter-final against Cilic. Despite having been through rehabilitation for his injuries, Federer has been on athletic form and playing the game characteristic of the Federer of old; could we see a proper comeback from the Swiss today?
It will be a revenge match for Raonic at Wimbledon, although the pair have played one match against each other already this year for the title at the Brisbane International, which Raonic won in straight sets. Federer has beaten Raonic on every single playing surface, though, which will not be particularly reassuring for the Canadian.
Play commences at 5:30 p.m. IST
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