Will we see King Federer again in his London garden? This question, a good part of the tennis microcosm was asked this Wednesday, just after the Swiss owner was swept away in three sets in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon by the Polish Hubert Hurkacz (18th world) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 in 1 h 49.
Roger Federer had made Wimbledon his goal after more than a year of absence and a double knee operation. After a good run in the tournament except for a great fright in the first round against Adrian Mannarino (a success on the Frenchman’s abandonment in the final round), the former world number 1, today 8th, made too many mistakes. (31 against 12 for his opponent) to hope to win against the striker of world number 3 Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16.
Unable to find the right tempo, the Swiss let the Pole gain confidence. To the point of leaving Center Court, land of so many of his exploits where he wrote a (good) part of his legend, with a terrible 6-0 in the third set. This is also the first “bubble” that the Swiss have received in the London Major since the start of his career. And even the only one in Grand Slam since 2000, with that conceded against Nadal in the final of Roland-Garros 2008. That is to say.
No ninth title in London
The Swiss, who will be 40 in August and dreamed of a ninth coronation on London turf to bring his record for Grand Slam titles to 21, leaves the Pole, who had so far never reached the quarterfinal stage. in Grand Slam, climb up to the last square. He will face the Swiss Félix Auger-Aliassime (19th) or the Italian Matteo Berrettini (9th) for a place in the final.
“I do not know what to say. Playing against Roger Federer on Center Court was a childhood dream. But I probably wouldn’t have imagined beating him ”, commented Hurkacz. For the latter, the feat is immense. Especially in view of his state of form in recent months: since his title at the Masters 1000 in Miami in March, the 18th world had won only one match, in April at the Monte-Carlo Master 1000 on clay, arriving at Wimbledon. He had indeed chained the initial defeats in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros on clay, then Stuttgart and Halle on grass.
The elimination of Federer also leaves a avenue for Novak Djokovic, still engaged in the other half, to get a 20th coronation in Major. The Serb would then join Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as joint holder of the most Grand Slam titles for men.
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