Federer: Wimbledon Win Was “Epic”

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Federer: Wimbledon Win Was “Epic”

It was an epic day at Wimbledon for Roger Federer.

The Swiss maestro's 10th career comeback from two sets to love down was his third at Wimbledon. He also achieved the feat in 2010, when he defeated Alejandro Falla in the first round, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-0, and in 2012, when he defeated Julien Benneteau, 4-6, 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-6(6), 6-1.

But Wednesday’s 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3 victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic was certainly his best at Wimbledon—and maybe best of them all. Either way, Federer was thrilled, and clearly energized, as he broke down his victory with reporters after the match.

“Today was epic,” Federer said. “Probably going to look back at this as being a great, great match that I played in my career, on Centre Court here at Wimbledon… This is huge for me, my season, my career. I'm very, very happy.”

Federer credited a minor adjustment in his return game, which allowed him to put more returns in play against Cilic, as a big reason that he was able to pull out the victory. In the first two sets of the match, Federer could only put 50 percent of his returns in play; in sets three, four and five he managed to get 64 percent in play.

Even with the adjustment, and the improvement in his play after falling down two sets to love, Federer says he was constantly under pressure.

“I remember just being in trouble the whole time,” he said. “At one point, you're used to it. It's not like, ‘Oh, my God, all of a sudden there's a match point, all of a sudden there's a breakpoint to save.’ It just was continuous, I don't know, for an hour or two, whatever that was. After I lost the second set, anything you touch and do is crucial.”

Is he surprised that he was able to hold up so well physically and mentally over the course of the three-hour and 17-minute tussle after such a difficult year?

“I am,” he said. “I was very worried coming here. I think it was huge for me to play the seven matches I did in Halle and Stuttgart. They served me very well. They gave me so much information to see what I could do, what I couldn't do, how I could play, how I couldn't play.”

Most Wins from 2 Sets Down (Open Era)@RogerFederer 10@TheBorisBecker 10
A. Krickstein 10@Andy_Murray 9@ToddMartinITHF 9
V. Gerulaitis 9
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) July 6, 2016

He added: “Next thing you know, it's like you're in the semis. You're really deep into the tournament. Yes, I did surprise myself, in quite a big way actually.”

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