Roger Federer

The 2019 Wimbledon tournament will have its dream final on Sunday between defending champion Novak Djokovic and record champion Roger Federer.

The Swiss star has won the tournament eight times―most recently in 2017―and beat longtime rival Rafael Nadal in four sets in the semi-finals. Djokovic has won four titles on the iconic London lawns, and he got past Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets to book his spot.

   

Head-to-Head

The 32-year-old Djokovic holds a 25-22 advantage over 37-year-old Federer. Crucially, the Serb has won five of their last six meetings. Their last two meetings on grass―both at Wimbledon―also went to Djokovic, and Federer hasn't beaten him on the playing surface since the 2012 semi-finals.

   

Form

Federer is 32-4 on the year, while Djokovic is 28-6. Both have played to a high standard so far during the tournament, with Federer dropping just three sets and Djokovic dropping two.

While many expected Federer to have the tougher challenge on Friday, Bautista Agut―who had won three of his last five meetings with Djokovic―pushed the World No. 1 hard, forcing him to play his best tennis:

How about this for tension 😱

A 45-shot rally of the highest order, courtesy of @DjokerNole and @BautistaAgut, is the deserved @HSBC_Sport Play of the Day... pic.twitter.com/0QiLIpc1qj

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2019

Federer looked as good as ever against Nadal:

"That's amazing!" 😱@RogerFederer was at his supreme best to reach another #Wimbledon final... pic.twitter.com/MonE1xVsN8

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2019

There's little to separate these two in terms of form, although Federer has a slightly better record this year.

   

Predictions

This final is shaping up to be a great one, as neither player stands out as the clear favourite. Djokovic's recent record over Federer would suggest he has the inside track, but the two haven't met on grass since 2015, a surface on which the Swiss veteran is unbeaten so far this year.

One factor could be the Wimbledon crowd, which tends to root for Federer on most occasions.

Djokovic lost his cool dealing with the spectators in his win over Bautista Agut, but as tennis writer David Law noted, he tends to play better when it happens:

https://twitter.com/DavidLawTennis/status/1149675091535568897

Tennis player Kristie Ahn expects the British fans to back Federer on Sunday:

https://twitter.com/kristieahn/status/1149752814752686081

His track record of success at Wimbledon is impressive, and his game is perfectly suited for the quicker lawn courts. Djokovic has had his number of late, however, and has already won a Grand Slam this year.

Prediction: Djokovic outlasts Federer in a five-set epic.

Roger Federer overcame Rafael Nadal in the 2019 Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday.

The Swiss superstar will meet Novak Djokovic in the final after the reigning champion beat Roberto Bautista Agut.

Both finalists won in four sets on Centre Court, with their opponents unable to keep the pace in the last two sets.

                  

Friday's Results

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (23) Roberto Bautista Agut: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

(2) Roger Federer bt. (3) Rafael Nadal 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

                         

Friday Recap

Federer and Nadal were expected to put on a show in their semi-final, and the pair did not disappoint Centre Court. Both men appeared in phenomenal shape in the opening exchanges, and neither could be broken during their service games.

Inevitably, the opening set was decided by a tiebreak, and it was Federer who prevailed 7-3 as he attacked Nadal's serve. The Spaniard replied in the best possible way, and he increased his aggression and accuracy to dominate the second set.

Nadal captured the second 6-1 after breaking Federer's serve twice, and the two-time Wimbledon champion appeared to have taken control.

However, Federer had other ideas, and the Swiss turned on the style to win the third and fourth sets.

Nadal continued to fight, but it was Federer who got the better of the most dramatic rallies. A single break of serve in each of the last two sets was enough to propel Federer to his 12th Wimbledon final.

The pattern of Djokovic's match with Bautista Agut followed a similar script earlier in the day. The top seed looked all business as he captured the first set, but the Serb was shocked as his opponent improved.

Bautista Agut achieved a break of serve and was able to win the second, but the moment just fired Djokovic into a higher gear. The 32-year-old was too accurate for his opponent and he completed a four-set victory.

The champion served nine aces on his way to his semi-final win, and he will know he needs to play better on Sunday.

Djokovic was comfortable in the end, but Federer will exploit any error the Serb makes in the final.

Novak Djokovic will play Roger Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon final on Sunday.

The Serb will battle the Swiss in the perfect finale for the London crowd and fans watching at home.

Federer will attempt to win his ninth Wimbledon title, with Djokovic on the verge of becoming a five-time champion in SW19.

                                     

Date: Sunday, July 14

Time: 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET

TV Info: BBC One (UK), ESPN (U.S.)

Live Stream: BBC iPlayer, ESPN Player

                             

Preview

Once Djokovic had beaten Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals, he had the opportunity to sit back and wait to see which iconic talent would be his opponent on Sunday.

Federer prevailed against Rafael Nadal, and his last-four victory in four sets was impressive against one of his greatest rivals.

Nadal did not perform badly, but the Swiss rolled back the years to provide a complete performance.

The eight-time champion against the reigning champion.

What a final we have in store...#Wimbledon | @rogerfederer | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/YKNz0h3ACw

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2019

Federer has always been a master on grass, and his years of success on the surface were evident in the semi-finals.

Nadal was excellent throughout the first two sets, but the eventual winner hit a wonderful groove to grab control of the match.

Destiny was in Federer's hands, and the Swiss booked his place in the final to face Djokovic.

Federer hit 51 winners in the match compared to Nadal's 32, and the Spaniard was squeezed out in the last two sets.

Djokovic appeared frustrated at times in his match with Bautista Agut, but the top seed regained his composure just as opponent began to perform at his maximum.

After winning the first set, Djokovic suffered a dip, opening the door for the 31-year-old.

Like Federer, Djokovic excelled in the latter stages of the match. Three further breaks of serve allowed the Serb a chance of defending his title in the final.

The shape of the draw dictated this was the final tennis fans wanted to see. The top two seeds have been in excellent form over the past two weeks, but Federer's amazing display against Nadal will have raised eyebrows.

Djokovic would be the overwhelming favourite against any other opponent, but Federer has a special relationship with Centre Court and its most famous competition. 

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer both prevailed in the 2019 Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday.

Djokovic defeated No. 23 seed Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets, and Federer eliminated classic rival Rafael Nadal on Centre Court.

Djokovic lost the second set to the Spaniard, but the top seed was efficient during a convincing 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Federer and Nadal entertained the crowds in a compelling match, and it was the Swiss who advanced to his 12th Wimbledon final, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

                     

Friday's Results

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (23) Roberto Bautista Agut: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

(2) Roger Federer bt. (3) Rafael Nadal 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

                         

Friday Recap

The London crowd were expectant before Federer and Nadal took the court, and the two men did not disappoint in a battle that initially swung back and forth.

Federer edged a tiebreak in the first set, but Nadal was rampant in the second set, levelling the match after breaking the Swiss player's serve twice.

However, the swing in momentum motivated the eight-time Wimbledon champion to pick up the pace, and a break of serve gave him a 3-1 advantage in the third. Federer closed out the set 6-3, with Nadal beginning to lose the vital points.

Speechless.

Amazing tennis from Nadal & Federer 👏#FEDAL40 #Wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/KGZ2lIRW15

— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 12, 2019

Federer continued to apply pressure in the fourth, and the Swiss once again broke the Spaniard's serve to make it 2-1.

The 37-year-old remained at the height of his powers as he made it 4-2, and the final was in sight for the icon. Nadal continued to fight in his usual manner, but Federer's variation was too much for the 18-time Grand Slam winner.

Federer finished in style as he served for the match, and veteran booked his spot in the final after delivering 14 aces during the encounter.

It appeared Bautista Agut might test Djokovic further after a second-set comeback, but the Serb recovered from a difficult period in order to prevail. Djokovic was quickly out of the blocks to claim the opener, but his opponent dug deep and offered a credible challenge until the latter stages.

The reigning champion broke Bautista Agut's opening service game in the first and remained in control throughout the set. However, 31-year-old was resolute, breaking the four-time champion's serve to win the second.

Djokovic improved and took over once again. The top seed hit 42 winners in the contest as he closed out the match over the final two sets.

Back to defend his crown…

Reigning champion @DjokerNole advances to his sixth #Wimbledon final where he’ll bid to win a fifth title after beating Roberto Bautista Agut pic.twitter.com/OYtfSUC7Hv

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2019

According to BBC Sport's Katie Falkingham, Djokovic paid tribute to his beaten semi-finalist.

"I had to dig deep. It's the semi-finals and Roberto was playing his first Grand Slam semi-final. He was not overwhelmed.

"He played really well. He was managing his nerves in the first set but later on he established himself and started to play better.

"I got a bit tight. It was a close opening four or five games of the third set - that's where the match could have gone a different way. I'm glad it went my way."

Djokovic has the chance to win his 16th Grand Slam title on Sunday, but Federer appeared to be at his best against Nadal.

Despite a stumble of form in the second set, it was vintage Federer all the way, and Djokovic will need to produce one more exceptional display at SW19.

                 

All statistics via Wimbledon.

Roger Federer will meet Novak Djokovic in the 2019 Wimbledon final after beating Rafael Nadal in a four-set clash on Friday.

The two rivals needed a tiebreak to separate them in the first set. While the third-seeded Nadal dominated the second set, it was No. 2 Federer who had the upper hand the rest of the way, winning 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

No. 1 seed Djokovic beat No. 23 Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets in Friday's first semi-final.

Before the match, sportswriter Bill Simmons couldn't believe the two rivals would come face-to-face again at Wimbledon:

I can’t believe we got Federer-Nadal at Wimbledon — just seemed like this was never happening again.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 12, 2019

It was their first meeting on the hallowed London lawns since 2008. Initially, the two were just as evenly matched on Friday as they were in that epic final, won by Nadal in five sets.

Both men had their serves clicking, leading to few lengthy rallies and plenty of alternating dominance.

The two rivals had their chances at a break, but whenever one went close, the other had an answer ready. Per tennis writer Christopher Clarey, it didn't feel like a classic Federer-Nadal battle:

No breaks. Another love hold. This is feeling more like Isner-Raonic than Federer-Nadal

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) July 12, 2019

A tiebreak seemed inevitable, and even then, there was little to split them during the first six points. Nadal bagged the first mini-break, but it was all Federer after that, as he won the set to claim the early advantage.

Per tennis writer Ben Rothenberg, winning the opener was crucial:

Crucial first set for Federer: in their previous matches, he has a fairly hopeless 2-18 record when Nadal wins the first set.#Wimbledon

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 12, 2019

The two continued to go blow for blow early in the second set, but then Nadal struck, taking the first break of the match to love.

The Spaniard found a rhythm Federer couldn't keep up with, dominating the middle portion of the second set:

Nadal won 12 of 14 points since being down 1-1 15-40.

4-1 in the 2nd.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 12, 2019

Aggression was key, as he hit his groundstrokes much longer and deeper than he did in the first set. It led to a second break of serve and an easy set win for the Spaniard.

Avoiding mistakes was a big part of his success:

A healthy unforced error count. 🍎 @RafaelNadal | #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Pksg4fh3F2

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 12, 2019

Federer's poor play in the second set turned out to be an aberration, however, as he went right back to the strong forehand play and serving that won him the first set. He bagged his first break of serve in the fourth game, and despite facing three break chances in the following game, he held for a 4-1 lead.

The 37-year-old had momentum fully in his corner. After cruising through the third set, he pushed right on in the fourth with another break in the third game.

Nadal wasn't done yet, pushing the veteran in every rally. Basketball great Kobe Bryant was impressed with the tennis on offer:

The level of tennis being played by @rogerfederer and @RafaelNadal at #Wimblendon right now 🤯

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) July 12, 2019

But Federer ground out serve games at a steady pace. While Nadal did have a break point in the final game, it was the Swiss star who booked his ticket in the final.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will meet at Wimbledon on Friday for the first time since their epic final encounter in 2008.

This time it will be at the semi-final stage after both got through their last-eight clashes on Wednesday. Nadal beat Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, and Federer overcame Kei Nishikori 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. 

In the other men's singles semi-final on Friday, top seed Novak Djokovic will face Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, who had never previously made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon.                                   

Date: Friday, July 12

Time: From 1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET on Centre Court

TV Info: BBC One and BBC Two (UK), ESPN (U.S.)

Live Stream: BBC Sport website, BBC iPlayer, ESPN Player

Nadal and Federer have met three times at Wimbledon in the 2006, '07 and '08 finals.

In the latter, the Spaniard prevailed in the most memorable of the three, when the duo played out five extraordinary sets in almost five hours, securing his maiden Wimbledon title in his fifth appearance at the Championships:

It's Federer vs Nadal. At #Wimbledon

Again. pic.twitter.com/lYHkirmoQO

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

His victory also prevented Federer from winning a sixth Wimbledon in a row.

Since that remarkable clash in 2008, Nadal and Federer have continued to dominate the tennis landscape along with Djokovic, and the trio now have 53 Grand Slam titles between them.

At Wimbledon, Federer has eight titles, Djokovic four and Nadal two.

The only other player who has won the Wimbledon men's singles title since Federer's maiden triumph in 2003 is Andy Murray, who lifted the famous trophy in 2013 and 2016.

What is perhaps more remarkable is there is no end in sight for the trio's dominance:

Age of the Wimbledon men's semifinalists:

Roger Federer: 37
Rafael Nadal: 33
Novak Djokovic: 32
Roberto Bautista Agut: 31

Average age: 33.5.

Next Gen....Where art thou?!?!?!

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) July 10, 2019

Bautista Agut is enjoying a brilliant season. But he will be playing in his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final on Friday against a player who has now reached his 36th.

Djokovic and Bautista Agut have played 10 times. The Spaniard has won just three of those, although two of those have come this year.

But if the No. 23 seed gets a fourth on Friday, it would be a remarkable shock. 

As such, the final looks set to be Djokovic, the defending champion, against either Nadal or Federer.

Nadal has looked in fine touch at the 2019 tournament, but he does not have the most impressive recent record on grass:

#Wimbledon formula bumping Federer over Nadal is getting attention. Can't say I object to whatsoever.

Nadal has only made one (1) grass court final in the last eight years, which was at ATP 250 Stuttgart in 2015. Federer has made thirteen (13) grass finals in that stretch.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 26, 2019

Federer, meanwhile, has reached three of the last five Wimbledon finals, winning in 2017, and he claimed his 10th victory at the Halle Open in the buildup to this year's Wimbledon.

Come Friday, though, form may be irrelevant in a clash between arguably the two greatest players to ever wield a racket.

If it is anything like their 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 meeting at Wimbledon in 2008, it will be another contest for the ages. 

It has taken over a decade, but Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will finally meet at Wimbledon again this year for the first time since their epic 2008 final.

The superlative duo will clash in Friday's semi-finals after Nadal beat Sam Querrey and Federer downed Kei Nishikori in Wednesday's quarter-finals.

Top seed Novak Djokovic is also into the last four after beating David Goffin in the quarters, and he will face Roberto Bautista Agut, who got past Guido Pella in three hours and seven minutes. 

Here are Wednesday's results in full:

                       

Men's Singles Quarter-Finals

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (21) David Goffin: 6-4, 6-0, 6-2

(2) Roger Federer bt. (8) Kei Nishikori: 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

(3) Rafael Nadal bt. Sam Querrey: 7-5, 6-2, 6-2

(23) Roberto Bautista Agut bt. (26) Guido Pella: 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

                

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have won 14 of the last 16 Wimbledon titles—the absent Andy Murray won the other two—and it would be a huge shock were one of them not to win it again in 2019.

All three enjoyed largely routine victories in the quarter-finals.

Djokovic, 32, went a break behind early on against Belgium's Goffin, but he duly won 10 games in a row to completely turn the match on its head.

The Serb eventually won his quarter in just under two hours, and he will be a heavy favourite against Bautista Agut:

Will anyone be able to stop the defending champion?
@DjokerNole’s 70th win at #Wimbledon sees the Serbian reach his ninth semi-final at The Championships after beating David Goffin pic.twitter.com/qSIPNWUz6z

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

The other semi-final, on the other hand, is less easy to call.

Nadal was largely imperious against Querrey, eventually running away with victory after a 58-minute opening set in which the American matched his auspicious opponent blow for blow.

Federer, 37, actually lost his opening set on Wednesday to Nishikori.

As with Querrey against Nadal, though, the Japanese player simply could not keep up the level of performance needed to compete with Federer, and the Swiss legend eventually turned the match around:

https://twitter.com/DavidLawTennis/status/1148993324080123904

Which of Federer or Nadal will fare better in the semi-finals is almost impossible to predict.

Nadal has not enjoyed much success on grass in recent years, but he has arguably looked the most impressive of the three top seeds so far at Wimbledon 2019.

In the duo's head-to-head, Nadal leads Federer by 24 wins to 15, but the eight-time Wimbledon champion has won five of their last six meetings.

Nadal eventually won that famous 2008 final in London, but Federer has the edge in their matches played at Wimbledon:

It's Federer vs Nadal. At #Wimbledon

Again. pic.twitter.com/lYHkirmoQO

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

It should be a match of supreme quality, with the winner likely to then have to beat Djokovic in order to win another Wimbledon crown. 

The stage is set for another entry in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's legendary rivalry after both stars won their quarterfinal matches at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

Federer dropped the opening set to Kei Nishikori before prevailing in four, while Nadal sent Sam Querrey packing in straight sets. As a result, they will meet Friday in the semifinals, with coverage on ESPN.

It's Federer vs Nadal. At #Wimbledon

Again. pic.twitter.com/lYHkirmoQO

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

This is the 40th match between Federer and Nadal, with Nadal owning a 24-15 advantage.

Federer has had the clear edge of late, with Nadal's victory in the French Open semifinal snapping a six-match winning streak for the Swiss. Granted, one of those was a walkover when Nadal withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open with a knee injury.

Federer has to be considered the slim favorite Friday.

The 37-year-old should probably have built a second home near the All England Club by now given how much time he spends at Wimbledon every summer. He has reached the semifinals in five of the last six years and his eight singles titles are the most in the event's history.

Roger Federer joined Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert as the only players with 100 wins at a single major in the Open Era.

Federer also won his 186th tour-level grass court match, breaking a tie with Jimmy Connors for most by a man in the Open Era. pic.twitter.com/oEFhZ3wAny

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 10, 2019

Getting to the semis hasn't been easy for Federer, though. Jay Clarke pushed him to a tiebreaker in the second set of their second-round matchup, and 27th-seeded Lucas Pouille pushed him hard in three sets in the third round.

Nadal, on the other hand, has dropped just one set all tournament, a stat that has to be taken in its proper context since Federer will be his first seeded opponent.

In general, making any sort of prediction in this match is a fool's errand.

Federer continues to play at an extremely high level despite reaching an age when most stars have declined significantly or fallen out of the sport entirely. When Nadal's history of knee injuries appeared certain to end his run near the top, he defied expectations and added four more Grand Slam titles to his resume.

The hope for Friday's semifinal is that the two can deliver a spectacle approaching their battle in the classic 2008 final. Nadal won a five-setter that included two tiebreakers and a fifth set that required 16 games. At nearly five hours, it remains the longest final ever at Wimbledon.

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal all progressed to the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Wednesday with quarter-final victories.

Federer came from behind to beat Kei Nishikori in four sets, while Djokovic and Nadal eased past David Goffin and Sam Querrey, respectively, in three.

Roberto Bautista Agut will join them in the final four after he beat Guido Pella.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray and Serena Williams were knocked out of the third round of the mixed doubles by Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares, who beat them 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

                    

Men's Singles Results

(23) Roberto Bautista Agut bt. (26) Guido Pella, 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

(1) Novak Djokovic bt. (21) David Goffin, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2

(2) Roger Federer bt. (8) Kei Nishikori, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

(3) Rafael Nadal bt. Sam Querrey, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2

                              

Wednesday Recap

Nishikori won his last meeting with Federer at the ATP Finals last year, and he seemed to take some confidence from that as he grabbed the first set against the Swiss maestro, having broken him in the opening game.

Federer responded emphatically in the second, though, and the scores were quickly level.

The third and fourth sets were more even, but despite some wasteful play from the No. 2 seed—who finished the contest having converted just four of 14 break points—he managed to secure the win:

Record-setter. Again.@rogerfederer makes it a century at #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/a3vO7gy9zS

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

His victory was a significant milestone:

100 #Wimbledon wins.

The moment @rogerfederer became a centurion at The Championships… pic.twitter.com/RFszCCbMnl

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2019

Nadal also had to overcome a tough early battle against Querrey, who hit 24 winners and saved four set points in their first set before he eventually succumbed.

In the second and third sets, the Spaniard was just a cut above the American, though:

Nadal sending Querrey for a hotdog 🌭 (and not a tennis one)

LIVE @BBCRedButton
👉 https://t.co/SMKsJr2TEm #Wimbledon #bbctennis pic.twitter.com/JSMPyiO8Ro

— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 10, 2019

On Friday, he and Federer will face off at Wimbledon for the first time since their memorable five-set epic in the 2008 final.

In the recurring theme of the day, Djokovic—like Nadal and Federer—found the first set to be the most difficult.

The No. 1 seed was a break down at 4-3, but Djokovic responded by winning 15 of the next 17 games to secure a comfortable win.

Christopher Clarey of the New York Times found some encouragement for semi-final opponent Bautista Agut, though:

It will be Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut in the semifinals of #Wimbledon RBA has beaten Djokovic twice this season -- the only man to do so - but those were best of 3

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) July 10, 2019

The Spaniard will compete in his first Grand Slam semi-final, having reached the quarter-finals of a Slam for the first time at the Australian Open earlier this year.

Roger Federer came from behind to reach the semi-final of Wimbledon 2019 on Wednesday with a four-set win over Kei Nishikori.

The No. 2 seed won 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes to progress to his 13th semi-final at the All England Club.

Federer will play either Rafael Nadal or Sam Querrey in the final four.

Nishikori enjoyed the perfect start against Federer, breaking him in the opening game of the match thanks to a pair of fine winners.

Record's Jose Morgado was glowing in his assessment of the Japanese player's performance:

Nishikori almost took a 3-0 lead over the Swiss star when he earned three break points in Federer's second service match. The eight-time Wimbledon champion dug deep, though, winning five points in a row to hold.

He had to save another break point in his third service game after a double-fault and sumptuous lob from Nishikori put him in danger.

After Federer failed to convert his own opportunity to break, Nishikori held his nerve to see out the first set.

The 37-year-old was much improved in the second, though. He opened it with 12 consecutive points to race to a 3-0 lead, and it took him just 22 minutes to level the match at one set apiece.

Tennis writer Jake Davies gave his take on the second set:

The third set was closer, but Federer remained on top as he made Nishikori work to hold serve while encountering little trouble on his own.

He eventually made a breakthrough in the seventh game, and he saw out the set despite facing a break point in the final game.

Federer failed to convert five break points in the fourth set before he finally broke Nishikori in the ninth game after the 29-year-old sent a forehand long.

From there, he held out to secure what was his 100th win at Wimbledon.