Giant-killer Anderson prevails over Federer

The big South African’s hopes looked forlorn as Federer skipped through the opening two sets on Court One with his usual panache but he turned the match on its head to cause the biggest shock yet in a tournament full of upsets. It was his first win against Federer at the fifth attempt and means he is the first player representing South Africa to reach the semi-final here since Kevin Curren in 1983. 

Eighth-seed Anderson, 32, saved a match point in the 10th game of the third set and grew in confidence against an increasingly-ragged Federer who had won the first set in 26 minutes. He won the third set to snap Federer’s 34-set winning streak at Wimbledon and Federer was clearly shaken as Anderson dominated the fourth set to drag the 20-times Grand Slam champion into a decider. Six times Anderson was required to hold serve to stay alive and each time he was equal to the task. 

Federer eventually cracked at 1111, double-faulting to hand Anderson a break point which he converted when the defending champion hit a weary-looking forehand halfway up the net. Anderson stayed cool and sealed victory on his first match point with a powerful first serve which Federer could only return into the tramlines. 

Earlier, three-time champion Novak Djokovic was a man on a mission after the former world number one beat Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the semi-finals for the eighth time. 

“I feel like I’m peaking at the right moment,” declared the 12th seeded Serb after joining Americans John McEnroe and Pete Sampras in fourth place on the list of most Wimbledon semi-final appearances in the Open Era. Djokovic had looked in control after the first set but lost both his cool and concentration in the second after a heated exchange with umpire Carlos Ramos. 

With his 24th seeded opponent saving three break points to hold serve at 2-1, Djokovic bounced his racket off the baseline in frustration and then seethed after he was given a code of conduct warning.