Kevin Anderson Knocks Out Roger Federer in Five Sets

Kevin Anderson pulled off the shock of Wimbledon 2018 as he knocked out Roger Federer in a five-set epic.

Federer equaled his own record of 34 consecutive sets won at Wimbledon as he went 2-0 up against Anderson in their quarterfinal in London on Thursday, Standard.co.uk reported.

The eight-time tennis champion had yet to drop a set in this year’s championship and did not lose one during last year’s run to the title.

However, he did drop serve for the first time in 86 consecutive service games, before breaking back and winning a second-set tie-break.

Federer previously won 34 straight sets between the third round in 2005 and the final in 2006.

However, Federer was unable to break his own record after dropping the third set.

Anderson, the eighth seed from South Africa, saved three break points before taking the set 7-5. When Anderson broke again in the fourth, Federer was suddenly on the ropes.

The 20-time grand slam winner lost the set 6-4 as Anderson’s relentless, powerful serve sent the match into a fifth and deciding set.

Neither man would budge an inch as the final set went to 11-11, but Anderson finally broke before holding serve to shock Federer and progress to the semifinals.

The 32-year-old will now meet Isner, who beat Raonic 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a heavyweight showdown between two of the game’s biggest servers.

Raonic hit more aces (31 to Isner’s 25), but it was the American who won most of the biggest points. Isner converted two of his five break points in the match while Raonic had only break point, which he failed to take.

Anderson ended a six-match losing streak against top five players to beat Federer, who had lost a match from two sets up on only one previous occasion, when he was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the same stage of the tournament in 2011.

Meanwhile, Nadal came through a five-set thriller which lasted almost five hours against Juan Martin del Potro.

It was widely expected Federer would meet Nadal in the final on Sunday in a repeat of the epic 2008 clash but it cannot happen now.