Federer Overcomes Injury to Advance to Wimbledon Quarterfinals
July 2, 2012 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer shrugged off a rare medical time-out to defeat Xavier Malisse, 7-6 (7), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Monday to reach a 33rd successive Grand Slam quarter-final.
Federer now goes on to face either Russian 26th seed Mikhail Youzhny or Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan for a place in the semi-finals and had to come back from two sets to love down to see off France’s Julien Benneteau in the last round.
He appeared to be in serious trouble again after taking a 4-3 lead in the first set against Malisse. He had to leave Centre Court to take a medical time-out where pain-killers were given. After the match restarted, he stepped carefully and slowly around the court but went through the first set on a tie-break easily.
The only obstacle he was then facing was the weather. Rain drove the players off for 40 minutes, although the roof on Centre Court remained open. Back on court, Federer broke Malisse three times in the second set, taking the set 6-1.
The 31-year-old Belgian, whose only win in 10 previous meetings against Federer came in their first clash during the 1999 Davis Cup. He battled with a break in the first game of the third set on his way to reducing the deficit. Malisse broke again in the first game of the fourth and Federer had evened it up in the fourth game where he hit 44 winners leading him comfortably back in charge.
He broke again for a 4-2 lead and defiantly earned his two hour and 11 minute win giving him his 850th career triumph.
