One can only guess how much pain he must have endured during Monday’s 20-minute stop, during which the roof was closed on the swampy and windy court, but it was evident upon the restart That the disruption had done Sonego no advantage.
He immediately produced a double fault to surrender his serve under the floodlights and that was the break Federer needed to prove that when it comes to Wimbledon, he’s no pushover even at 39 is.
Straight sets, straight in his 18th #Wimbledon quarterfinal… @rogerfederer beat Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-4, 6-… https://t.co/JIaaCDByda
— Wimbledon (@wimbledon) 1625512456000
The eight-time champion weathered a storm of the first set from his rival and the rain gods, becoming the oldest man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 win in the Open Era . Above 23rd preference.
“It’s just the amazing difference an indoor and an outdoor position can make,” Federer, who turns 40 the following month, said after reaching the last eight in the All. England Club for record 18th time.
“It was a tough situation and after the first set I felt I controlled the match better. I couldn’t be more excited to be in the quarter,”
Sonego certainly isn’t hooked on green turf since winning his first ATP title on the surface in Turkey two years ago, and he relishes the challenge of facing someone who has no equal in the grass Tennis.
Maybe it was the strong wind or Federer’s lack of match-practice, having played only a handful of tournaments in the last 18 months, but the sixth seed slipped off his fingers in the opening set after break point after break point. Gone.
Even as a Sonego forehand error gave him a 4-3 lead, the Swiss couldn’t hold on to it as he went up 5-4 for the set.
18 Wimbledon Quarter Finals…No Place Like Home, @rogerfederer.#Wimbledon
— Wimbledon (@wimbledon) 162553218000
lucky italian
The plucky Italian earned a standing ovation when he conceded a show-stopping lob on a leaping Federer to love for Wimbledon’s favorite son to a 5-5 draw.
Then followed the game that featured 20 points, seven deuce, a bad Federer lob that Sonego had broken and a few electrified rat-a-tat exchanges at the net before the rain stopped the players in their progress.
When players returned to resume play that had already dragged on by 12 minutes of actual court-time, it took 15 seconds to see whose nerves had been torn to pieces.
This provided Federer with the spark he needed to drive the motor through the rest of the competition after converting only two of the nine break points he earned during the first set.
Federer, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, said, “When you’re mine, with the years I have, it’s question marks all over. You have to prove it to yourself again that you really can do this.” ”
“Now we’ll see how much more I have left in the tank. Obviously winning in straight sets was important again.”
In his record 58th quarter-final, the 20-time Grand Slam champion will face second seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia or Hubert Herkaz of Poland, whose match resumes on Tuesday.
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