DIMAPUR, JULY 8: Canada's new tennis hero, Milos Raonic won a thrilling five-set contest to reach his first Grand Slam final, and in the process end Roger Federer's hopes of an 8th Wimbledon title for at least another year on Friday.
The big-serving sixth seed won 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 4-6 7-5 6-3 on Centre Court to become the first ever Canadian man to reach a Grand Slam final. The 25-year-old Raonic will face Andy Murray in Sunday's final.
For Federer, who is 34, this was the first time that he was beaten in 11 Wimbledon semi-finals. After the first set, he seemed to have nullified the Raonic threat and was on course for victory. But Raonic raised his game to another level to bag his biggest kill yet.
He was especially ruthless in the final set, while Federer – playing his second five-set match in three days – needed treatment from the trainer twice in the closing stages. Raonic came into the match with the double-barrel reputation of most aces and the fastest serve in the tournament.Federer appeared to have done the hard work as he pushed for a decisive break in the fourth set. He had offered up the first set thanks to only his third double fault of the tournament but took the second with four straight points in the tie-break, and then clinched the third as Raonic's serve started to misfire.
With a tie-break looming in the fourth, the Centre Court crowd was stunned to see seven-time champion Federer double fault twice in succession on his way to letting a 40-0 lead slip, and then steer a forehand into the perfect place for Raonic to fire a backhand past him.
That gave the Canadian the fourth set and, adrenaline now flowing, he took control of the semi-final. Federer has struggled with injuries this year and came into Wimbledon with a relative lack of matches, and after having treatment to his thigh ahead of the final set, the Swiss needed another visit from the train before dropping serve.
Raonic fired a forehand winner to break for 3-1 as Federer tried desperately to stay alive at the net, but once ahead in the set the Canadian was not about to falter, serving his way to a stunning victory.
