Federer reaches 11th Wimbledon Finals
Roger Federer stayed firmly on course for an eighth Wimbledon title by seeing off Tomas Berdych to reach Sunday’s showpiece.
Federer, 35, was playing in a 12th semi-final at the All England Club and was forced to play his best tennis of the tournament to defeat Berdych 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to reach an 11th final at Wimbledon and his first since 2015.
Victory made Federer, who was playing in his 42nd Grand Slam semi-final, the second oldest finalist after Ken Rosewall who finished runner-up in 1974 at the age of 39.
The Swiss star, having made the semi-finals without dropping a set and being broken just three times, looked to be on his way to winning the opening set with an early break in the fifth game, but the 11th-seeded Czech struck back to level at 4-4.
Berdych was not overawed by facing Federer having defeated him in four sets in the 2010 quarter-finals on his way to his only appearance in a Grand Slam final.
The 31-year-old took the Swiss to a first set tiebreak, but when Berdych nailed a straightforward forehand into the net, Federer capitalised to take it 7-6 (7-4) in 53 minutes.
The world No 5 saved two break points with consecutive aces in the seventh game before taking his own chance in the very next game as Berdych found the tramlines with a wayward forehand.
Federer was toying with Berdych now and a no-look cross-court forehand winner delighted the Centre Court crowd, before he served out the match in style.
He is bidding to win a record eighth title against Croatia’s Marin Cilic in Sunday’s final after he reached his first Wimbledon championship match at the 11th attempt with victory over America’s Sam Querrey.
