By Chris Oddo | Thursday, July 3, 2014
Roger Federer has never lost a Wimbledon semifinal in eight appearances, while Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic have never played one.
Photo Source: Kieran Galvin/Camerasport
Novak Djokovic will meet Grigor Dimitrov in the first match, and Roger Federer will face Milos Raonic in the afternoon. Here’s some stats to get you prepped:
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1. Federer’s No Spring Chicken
The Swiss Maestro, playing in his 35th Grand Slam semifinal, will bid to become the second different man to reach the Wimbledon final in the Open Era at age 32 or greater. The only other man to do it was Aussie Ken Rosewall, who reached the 1970 final at age 35, then reached the 1974 final at 39.
Federer is bidding to become the oldest Grand Slam finalist since 2005, when Andre Agassi reached the U.S. Open final.
2. Djokovic is a Tough Out in Slam semifinals
A lot has been made of the fact that Djokovic hasn’t been able to win the big one lately (lost five of his last six Slam finals), but when the Serb contests Grand Slam semifinals, he is pretty darn good. Djokovic has won nine of his last eleven Grand Slam semifinals, dating back to Wimbledon 2011. His only losses during that stretch are to Federer at Wimbledon in 2012 and Nadal at Roland Garros in 2013.
3. Grigor Dimitrov Is a Spring Chicken
The Bulgarian, at 23 years and 51 days, is bidding to become the youngest player to reach a Grand Slam final since Andy Murray at the 2010 Australian Open. He’s also gunning to become the youngest Wimbledon finalist since Rafael Nadal, who was 22 years and 33 days old when he defeated Roger Federer for his first Wimbledon title.
4. Grand Slam Finals (Federer Has Played a Few)
Roger Federer is bidding to reach his 25th Grand Slam final (most all-time by far). He is 24-10 in Grand Slam semis. Novak Djokovic is bidding to reach his 14th Grand Slam final. He is 13-9 in Grand Slam semis. Both Dimitrov and Raonic are playing in their first career semifinal at a major.
5. Roger Federer has Never Lost a Wimbledon Semifinal
Federer is 8-0 and he has won 24 of 25 sets in his Wimbledon semifinals, dropping the second set of the 2012 semifinal to Novak Djokovic, before going on to win, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
6. Raonic’s Top 4 Struggles
The 23-year-old Canadian is currently on a seven-match losing streak against the top four, and he has a 2-13 lifetime record against the top four, with his last win coming against Andy Murray in Tokyo in 2012.
7. Raonic and Dimitrov Have Broken Out
Neither Milos Raonic nor Grigor Dimitrov had ever been past Wimbledon’s second round prior to this year. Raonic is making his fourth appearance, and Dimitrov is making his fifth.
8. No. 1 Swiss Ranking on the Line
Thanks to his victory over Stan Wawrika in the quarters, Federer can reclaim the No. 1 Swiss ranking by winning on Friday. He would rise to No. 3 in the world for the first time since June of 2013.
9. Grass Court Records
Federer: 130-18
Djokovic: 58-15
Dimitrov: 23-13
Raonic: 14-10
10. Head-to-Heads
Federer leads Raonic 4-0, but he has dropped the first set in three of their four four meetings, only to come back and win the final two.
Djokovic leads Dimitrov, 3-1, dropping a three-set decision to the Bulgarian on the Madrid clay in 2013 and avenging that loss the same spring at Roland Garros. They have not met since.