Federer in shock Wimbledon loss, Djokovic reaches semis
Defending Wimbledon title holder Roger Federer was knocked out of this year's championship by South African Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals yesterday.
The Swiss eight-time champion and top seed was beaten 2-6, 6-7(7/5), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 by eighth-seeded Anderson before a stunned crowd packed into a tension-filled No. 1 Court.
Also progressing to the semi-final is three-time champion Novak Djokovic, who defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 yesterday.
Djokovic, 31, will be playing in his 32nd Grand Slam semi-final where he will face either world No. 1 Rafael Nadal or fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro.
It will be Djokovic's first semi-final at a Major since the 2016 French Open when he completed the career Grand Slam.
The 12-time Major winner prevailed despite picking up two code violations and accusing umpire Carlos Ramos of "double standards".
"The first warning was unneccessary," said Djokovic, who was sanctioned in the second set for spearing his racket into the court.
"It didn't harm the grass. Kei did the same in the fourth set, but wasn't warned. The umpire said he didn't see. I don't think it's fair, but it is what it is."
Despite his anger, Djokovic still reeled off 10 of the last 12 games of the quarter-final.
"It feels great to be back in the last four of a Slam. I've been building in the last couple of weeks and my level of tennis is going up. I am peaking at the right moment," he said.
After racing through the first set, Djokovic was handed his first code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct after bouncing his racket into the grass in frustration at squandering three break-points in the third game of the second set.
"Do you think I ruined the court?" he bellowed at Ramos.
The 2011, 2014 and 2015 champion was clearly unsettled by the dispute, quickly surrendering the set. Djokovic saved three break-points in the fifth game of the third and made the Japanese star pay by breaking for 4-2 and an eventual two sets to one lead.
Nishikori broke for 1-0 in the fourth, but was broken straight back. But the 12th seed was not to be denied as he raced into the last four, hitting an impressive 40 winners on the way. - AFP
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now