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A "giant Wimbledon sinkhole" suddenly opened up on Centre Court and it looked for all the world as if Roger Federer, seven times a champion, was about to disappear into it.
Before the head groundsman Neil Stubley takes offence, that wasn't a slight on the quality of the grass from the Reuters news agency, just an analogy. And, fortunately for the Swiss, and all those who wish him well, he avoided being swallowed up, as he came from two sets down against Croatia's Marin Cilic, including swerving three match points, to reach the semi-finals here once again. As the Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger observed: "Federer has always been known as an artist, not as a fighter. But the longer his career goes on - and he will be 35 next month - the more his fighting qualities are emerging."
John McEnroe, who is working for both the BBC and the American network ESPN during The Championships, called Federer's comeback "amazing". "Federer had no business winning that match. That goes down as one of the best matches I've seen. This is the greatest of the great, to hang around for long enough to come back from that position," said the busiest man in tennis, whose other role at the All England Club is coaching Canada's Milos Raonic, Federer's semi-final opponent.
The longer Federer's career goes on... the more his fighting qualities are emerging
But was this the best comeback of Federer's career? The Sydney Morning Herald wasn't so sure: "It probably wasn't, but it was immensely satisfying, because of where it was and what it means."
The New York Times noticed that Federer's children were at the All England Club on the day of the match. "The eldest set of Federer twins, six-year-old Myla and Charlene, were on the grounds on Wednesday but not in the stands on Centre Court, where their father was playing five sets in the sunshine.
Perhaps, when the girls are old enough to understand, they will get the chance to watch the endgame of this quarter-final they missed," the paper noted. "It will explain a great deal about why their father, Roger, was bringing them on the road and playing tennis deep into his 30s after he had already won everything there was to win. He is chasing a feeling as much as another title."
Federer's last Wimbledon title - as well as his last Grand Sam triumph - came four years ago. But, with Novak Djokovic out of the way after losing unexpectedly to America's Sam Querrey in the third round, Federer has a good chance to win what would be a record eighth Wimbledon title, as well as an unprecedented 18th Grand Slam. As Federer said: "I prefer to be here [still in the tournament] than booking a jet, that's for sure."
With ambitions of becoming the oldest men's champion of the professional era, Federer doesn't want to disappear just yet.
