Roger Federer reaches 11th Wimbledon semifinal

WIMBLEDON, England — In a hole against a familiar nemesis, Roger Federer found a new escape route.
Federer, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, kept his bid for an eighth title alive with a comeback from two sets down to beat Marin Cilic 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3. He teetered on the edge of defeat several times, and saved three match points in the fourth set before ultimately running away with the fifth.
He closed out the match after three hours and 18 minutes with an ace and his arms raised.
"I knew I was in so much trouble in the third and then again in the fourth," Federer said in his post-match interview with the BBC. "It was great fun playing against Marin, he's one of the nicest guys on the tour, so I feel sorry for him. But obviously, the dream continues. I couldn't be happier, because I thought I fought well, and played super great at the end. Very, very pleased."
Cilic had won the most recent meeting between the two, when he stunned Federer in straight sets in the semifinals of the 2014 U.S. Open. After this match, which Federer survived, he said Cilic's level was reminiscent of that tournament, which Cilic ultimately won.

"He had one chance, he took it, and next thing you know you're down two sets to love," Federer said. "On grass, that's how it goes. I thought he was playing very well. U.S. Open-esque. On the return, he was reading my serve. On the serve, I couldn't read his serve.
"It wasn't going well for me, so for me it was about staying in the match, somehow hoping for his level to drop maybe a little bit, and get a little bit lucky. That's exactly what happened."
In his 11th Wimbledon semifinal, Federer will face Milos Raonic, who beat Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.
Federer has won nine of his 11 matches against Raonic, a 6-foot-5 Canadian seeded sixth here, but Raonic beat Federer in the final of Brisbane in January, their most recent meeting.
"He's had a wonderful year, he's a great player, he's improving every day that goes by," Federer said of Raonic. "I'm excited to be playing against him."