Roger Federer conjured up a bit of magic, and then some, to see off the challenge of Gael Monfils in a breathtaking US Open quarterfinal encounter, and the Swiss master will now look to enter his second straight Grand Slam final when he runs up against Marin Cilic in the semifinal on Saturday.
Where to Watch Live
The semifinal is scheduled to start after the Djokovic vs Nishikori match, which begins at 12 pm local time (9.30 pm IST, 5 pm BST). Live coverahe in India will be on Ten Sports while the live streaming option is HERE. International viewers can catch the action for free HERE or listen to the action HERE.
Eurosport will broadcast matches live in Europe, with the option to live stream the action HERE. US viewers can catch the match on Sky Sports 3 or via live streaming HERE or HERE. Listen to the action live online on BBC HERE. Watch the match live online on ESPN and CBS Sports in the United States or watch online via live streaming HERE or HERE.
Federer showed just how he has won 17 Grand Slam titles in his career, pulling out all the stops, and against all odds and match points, coming up trumps against Monfils.
That sort of mental strength and ability to function at optimum levels in the big points cannot be taught, and there really is very few better in such situations than Federer.
"It's just unbelievable to win matches like this at Slams," said Federer after a ridiculous come-from-behind 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 victory over the Frenchman. "You know, I have won other big ones in other places. But over best of five, saving match points against Gael in an atmosphere that it was out here tonight, it's definitely very special.
"It was one of those moments where you got the back against the wall and hope to get a bit lucky and you hope to play exactly the right shots that you need or that he completely just messes it up.
"Either way works as long as you get out of it. But clearly it's not a great feeling, because you feel it's not in your control anymore really. So I'm very, very happy to have found a way."
It's, of course, quite easy to wax eloquent about Federer, such is the manner in which the great man plays his tennis; but plenty could also be said of Federer's opponent in the semifinal – Cilic.
The Croatian was in stellar form on Thursday, swatting aside the challenge of sixth seed Tomas Berdych to set up this semifinal date with Federer. Despite all of the talent, though, this will only be Cilic's second Grand Slam semifinal, and first in the US Open, and the No.14 seed will certainly be keen to make his mark against his more illustrious opponent.
"I feel I'm playing probably the best tennis of my career," said Cilic, who was banned for four months last year after a positive test. "I think what helped me also was the consistent play over last five, six months.
"This year I haven't lost too many matches against guys who are lower ranked than me. That's always very positive. I feel I'm playing well but I'm not getting satisfied too easy.
"I'm happy, but I still want to do well. I feel that it's still a lot to improve even in some matches. I want to keep going and even, OK, now I made it to the semis and it's completely different for me now atmosphere than what I have been in 2010 [the last time he made the semis, at the Australian Open].
"At that time was maybe a little bit, let's say, too shocked for me and I didn't know how to deal with it afterwards. But now I'm, you know, cool and it's going well."
