Wimbledon - Federer neutralises Karlovic

Eurosport - Thu, 02 Jul 11:50:00 2009

Five-times champion Roger Federer took the sting out of Croatian Ivo Karlovic's venomous serve to win 6-3 7-5 7-6(2) at Wimbledon and reach a 21st straight Grand Slam semi-final.

TENNIS Roger Federer Wimbledon - 0

Karlovic's thunderous serve had not been broken at this year's Wimbledon but the Swiss maestro nullified the 2.08 metres player's key weapon in the fourth game of their quarter-final and the Croat 22nd seed never looked like recovering.

"You expect a tough scoreline all the time, it's not easy to break him we know that so I am happy to have broken him twice and won the match," Federer said in a courtside interview.

"I love the record I have, reaching so many Grand Slam semis in a row. Twenty one is quite a number and it shows how consistent I have been, how injury-free I have been to keep it up for such a long time."

Karlovic had served 137 aces in the tournament before Wednesday and the signs looked ominous when his first serve of the day went whistling past Federer's ears to take his tally to 138.

But Federer got a sighter in the first game and a blistering blocked backhand return in Karlovic's second service game helped the Swiss to the break which he greeted with huge: "Come on!"

A single break was again enough for Federer to take the second set and though the Croatian took the third to a tiebreak the Swiss clinched it 7-3 with a forehand crosscourt winner after an hour and 42 minutes.

He will play Tommy Haas, seeded 24, for a place in Sunday's final, after the German over-powered fourth seed Novak Djokovic 7-5 7-6(6) 4-6 6-3.

Reuters

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    gaypeter.. love your posts.... how did you know you­ were Gay?? after the first time a family member­ introduced you to the pleasures?

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 7:58PM

  2. People like Doh come to this article and write comments­ like (Roger's game is becoming predictable. He is­ almost­ becoming boring like Pete Sampras was) you need­ to be ashamed of yourself it is statements like this­ that made Pete Sampras to resign when he should have­ stayed and won more Grand Slams. Have you imagined this­ tournament without Federer? No one would have bought­ tickets to come and watch the boring game Murray and­ Novak plays except of cos the british and the scottish­ people. And for you MIKE I know what your problem is­ and am sorry I have to write it, WE CAN ALL SEE THAT­ YOU MISS NADAL ALOT AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE HE IS THE­ ONLY PLAYER THAT CAN MAKE YOU JACKOFF WHILE HE IS­ STICKING HIS FINGER IN HIS PANTS. I have always said­ Nadal will come back for the US Open and give us a nice­ tournament but for now we have Federer playing his very­ Genius Tennis and so go and jackoff while looking at­ the @#$% of your dog or guess what go to a dvd rental­ and rent past matches of Nadal picking his pants­ SUCKER.

    From stine147, on Wed 1 Jul 7:56PM

  3. Very well done Federer ! you impressed even me ;-)

    From Igor K, on Wed 1 Jul 7:55PM

  4. ROGER.....
    YOU'RE CHAMPION.......
    AND YOU'RE­ THE KING OF TENNIS......
    I LOVE YOU.......:)

    From mistik_asi, on Wed 1 Jul 7:51PM

  5. Karlovic's height in the end is more of a handicap­ than anything else, when playing against a top player­ like Fedex who can adapt and play low. Still, I fear­ Haas, who can also be very dangerous. Everyone wait for­ a Murray - Federer final but it is definately not a­ foregone conclusion. Haas reminds me of Soderling at­ Roland Garros. I like him, he's a good player but I­ hope Federer can dig deep and find his game soon.­ Roddick in the semis is also a dangerous best, he might­ start to believe in himself and risk of producing an­ upset. It's all open !

    From Morituri, on Wed 1 Jul 7:50PM

  6. Great job and tactics from Fed: just dont let any small­ chance that came go begging because you will not get­ another,and dont make your serve easy for Ivo. Is­ anyone with me: Fed to win in straight set against­ murray on Sunday?

    From dimeji_stunt, on Wed 1 Jul 7:48PM

  7. to all nadal,murray fans:

    sod-off!!! buggers!

    federer­ is the ULTIMATE KING OF TENNIS!!!! .......PERIOD.

    From nasser, on Wed 1 Jul 7:43PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    My friend recommended me a very interesting place ~~~­ AgelessFriends @ com ~~~ It's a nice and free place­ for Younger Women and Older Men, or Older Women and­ Younger Men, to interact with each other. You may wanna­ check it out.

    From Michelle Lane, on Wed 1 Jul 7:41PM

  9. Ray V,you're back from mourning Rafa's­ withdrawal. Why dont u just change that pix?

    From dimeji_stunt, on Wed 1 Jul 7:40PM

  10. Federer is a champion.He is honest enough to say that­ this tornament is easy 'I am almost perfect'­ because his great raval Nadal is not there to worry­ him.The players in the semis are just hopeful as­ British fans.Roger is going to win,simples.

    From Ronald, on Wed 1 Jul 7:38PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hello James! I'm going to say straightaway that I­ like you Irish men! Am I being too forward love? Are­ you in Dublin?

    From gaypeterkin, on Wed 1 Jul 7:34PM

  12. AT WAZ WAN TALL FACKAR

    From JEEMS, on Wed 1 Jul 7:21PM

  13. MURRAY WILL WIN A SLAM . . . .

    HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE­ HEE HEE HEE HEE . . .

    From JEEMS, on Wed 1 Jul 7:14PM

  14. Oooh mike I'm ever so pleased to hear it!­ There's so much to organise at our gay Wimbers!­ What colour towels should we have for the boys? Nice­ shade of pink? Have you got pink towels? And you'll­ have to help with the seeding! Who should we seed­ first? I bet you'll say Rafa, you naughty boy! But­ what about Verdasco, Mauresmo? It's all sooooo­ exciting, isn't it, love?

    From gaypeterkin, on Wed 1 Jul 7:08PM

  15. bravo roger, congats, you are the best of the best, and­ now the 15th title will be for you. all the best to you­ and to your family.

    LETS GO ROGER

    From maria s, on Wed 1 Jul 6:57PM

  16. i feel i am going to throw out when reading mike's­ comments. I think this mike see his rafa so sexy ...­ especially when his rafa is 'picking' his back­ ..

    From A, on Wed 1 Jul 6:57PM

  17. Boring Federer ? always same strategy ? lol,always­ winning you mean,he's the only man to have been­ able to take a set off of Karlovic,maybe it had to do­ with his strategy,oh wait,he took 2 sets ,no wait,3­ sets from the giant,taking his serve twice,from half a­ meter only from the base line,unbelievable­ Federer,fantastic Federer. Boring ? ask­ Karlovic,he's the one with the boring one shot 235­ km/hours average serve

    From coolworld, on Wed 1 Jul 6:56PM

  18. gaypeter... am defo gay well i am happy anyway....

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 6:54PM

  19. rafa ..rafa..still some gays think rafa is the best???­ can you imagine that? he only won 1 aus and 1 wimbly­ and 4 rg, and all of those were by luck. unbelievable­ ...

    From A, on Wed 1 Jul 6:50PM

  20. Fedex is the king of tennis.. how Mj is for music

    From Matt, on Wed 1 Jul 6:47PM
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