Wimbledon 2016: Results, Highlights, Friday Scores Recap from London
The men's final at Wimbledon 2016 will be contested between Andy Murray and Milos Raonic after the 25-year-old Canadian dumped Roger Federer out of the competition in the semi-final on Friday.
The sixth-seeded Montenegro-born player outworked the Swiss legend to capture the win in a gripping five-set match, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Murray destroyed Tomas Berdych in straight sets in the second semi, prevailing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, as he took care of business with ease.
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The Scot made his third-career final at Wimbledon, as the watching home crowd celebrated.
Here are Friday's results:
| (6) Milos Raonic def. (3) Roger Federer | 6-3, 6-7 (3), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 |
| (2) Andy Murray def. (10) Tomas Berdych | 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 |
Friday Recap
Murray put in a regulation day at the office to sweep past the No. 10 seed Berdych—always a step ahead of his opponent in a one-sided affair.
The Scot blasted through the first two sets, winning them both 6-3 in just over an hour of play.
The Czech improved in the third set, but Murray could smell blood, as he looked over to trainer Ivan Lendl in the stands.
Murray rushed to a 5-3 lead in the final set, and Berdych looked broken, as the British athlete attacked.
He wrapped up the set, winning 6-3, and he strolls into yet another Grand Slam final with a straight-sets victory under his belt.
Federer was shocked by the athletic Raonic in the first semi-final on Centre Court—overpowered in the final set of a physically demanding contest.
The No. 6 seed kept Federer quiet in the opening exchanges but was forced to dig deep, as the Swiss improved to trigger a comeback.
Raonic claimed the first set 6-3 as a surprise result appeared on the cards, but a tiebreak win for Federer levelled the scores.
The iconic sportsman comfortably grabbed the third set, 6-4, but it was downhill from that point, as his opponent put in the performance of a lifetime.
Federer looked odds on to take a place in the final, as he attempted to close out the fourth, but Raonic forced an unexpected break of serve to win the set 7-5 and level the match at 2-2.
The 34-year-old struggled out of his chair to his feet at the start of the fifth set after calling out the trainer for treatment, and he dramatically fell to the floor in the early exchanges, as his opponent increased his power game.
Raonic earned another break of serve to make it 3-1 in the final set, and the contest looked over, as Federer physically wilted.
The Canadian becomes the first player from his country to reach a men's Grand Slam final, and his performance thoroughly deserved plaudits.
Wimbledon highlighted the winner's statistical impact on Centre Court after hiring a tennis legend as his coach:
Federer did not appear comfortable at this year's event and looked like a faded force at times in the semi.
However, the Swiss said he would be back next year to increase his trophy haul, per the BBC's Sonja McLaughlan:
Raonic was emotional after his shock victory, and he explained how new coach John McEnroe has improved his game, per Piers Newbery of BBC Sport:
"What he [McEnroe] told me was to go out and leave it all out there.
I showed a lot of emotion, always positive. Mentally, I had one of my best matches of my career. He gave me plenty that helped today, so did Carlos Moya. I hope they have a lot more to give me.
I'll focus on the task at hand. I've by no means done what I came here to do.
"
Raonic is a burgeoning talent, but he proved how the ageing legs of a genius can affect a result. The Canadian was completely aggressive, as he searched for winners in the final two sets, and the Swiss had no answer deep into the encounter.
Despite Raonic's career-defining performance, Murray will sleep well, safe in the knowledge his opponent has no experience in a major final.
The Scot is a veteran of the final stages of competition, and he has the expertise to overcome Raonic in Sunday's main event.
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