Roger Federer's Wimbledon wins - No. 23 vs. Fernando Gonzalez

Competing in his fourth Wimbledon quarter-final, Roger Federer advanced to the semis for the third straight time in 2005, ousting Fernando Gonzalez 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 in an hour and 51 minutes. As in the previous four encounters, Federer held everything under control in his games, suffering one break and delivering four to find himself over the top in less than two hours. It was the 34th consecutive victory for Federer on grass and he had to work hard for it, staying focused on his defense against fearsome forehand attacks from the other part of the court. 

"It's always interesting to play against Fernando; he hits the ball with so much pace. He is the first to take the initiative, and it's not easy to control the rallies in that scenario. I have to work hard on my defense against him and that's not something I have to do very often. I can handle his serve but he covers it right away with incredible forehands. He has a big swing on his backhand, too; he's unique, I would say. I returned pretty well, which gave me chances for a break. I'm thrilled with my performance in the third set, losing those two points that could have sent me towards the finish line earlier. I pushed his backhand and he couldn't beat me with a forehand alone. I don't have to watch Lleyton Hewitt's matches on tape; I saw him on the court as we are in the same part of the draw. We know each other's games well, playing numerous times and not changing much in the approach.

I'm thrilled to reach the semi-final for the third straight year and can't wait to face Lleyton, especially if he is fit.

That terrible Davis Cup loss against him gave me a lot of confidence, making me realize I can compete with him in the best-of-five encounters and fight for victories. From that moment, I have had the upper hand in our rivalry. I have been pushed into the corners today and had to come up with something. My slices, and defense in general, worked well and that sent me through. Tony Roche and I have hardly spoken about Lleyton's game; our focus is on how I play. We are not there yet, but it will be tough to beat Andy Roddick if he reaches the final. We have had some good matches over the years and I like his humor. It's a tough call about the seedings. We are at Wimbledon and I think it's understandable. Andy Roddick deserves to be seeded 2nd, and on the other hand, Lleyton Hewitt is world no. 2. It's not easy to decide."

Gonzalez came from 4-1 down in the opening set before Roger Federer prevailed with a late break, having the upper hand in the second set and saving a break chance at 4-4 in the third before sealing the deal in the tie break. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/315Mu58