The nerve-wracking tension aside, Roger Federer says overcoming Gael Monfils in a five-set midnight thriller was the ideal preparation for his US Open semi-final against Marin Cilic.
Federer plays Cilic on Saturday (Sunday morning AEST) feeling fortunate to still be in the draw after saving two match points and recovering from two sets down to deny Monfils 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2 in a quarter-final heartstopper.
“Not sure I have ever saved match point before in a slam,” he said.
“It’s not something you ever get used to. The margins are so, so slim at that point that. It’s not really in your control really anymore. He needs one net cord or something so silly.
“It’s not a great feeling, so I’m very, very happy to have found a way.
“I definitely got lucky.”
But having been on the wrong side of the tennis gods in the past at Flushing Meadows, twice blowing two match points in back-to-back semi-final losses to Novak Djokovic in 2010 and 2011, Federer is happy for a change in fortunes.
And now that he’s through, the five-time champion believes finding a solution against the free-wheeling Frenchman was a nice tune-up for Cilic, the Croat back with a vengeance after missing last year’s Open while serving a reduced four-month suspension for testing positive to a banned substance.
Seeking a record sixth title in New York, Federer made 53 successful forays forward against Monfils and won 57 baseline rallies. He says he’ll need to mix it up just as much to combat Cilic.
“I know that Cilic is going to stay on the baseline and dictate play as much as he can,” the second seed said.
“Otherwise he’s actually quite similar to Gael: he’s tall, got a big serve, can return well, got a big reach.
“From that standpoint, I guess it was actually good playing Gael ahead of the match against Cilic.”
Federer has won all five previous meetings with Cilic, but needed multiple match points to clinch their last encounter just last month in Toronto.
“He’s playing really nice,” Federer said.
“I must say he’s really cleaned up his game. I mean, he’s done well in the past. It’s not like, he’s come from the top 50 player to all of a sudden knocking on the top 10 door.
“He’s been there before.”
The 25-year-old 14th seed made the last four of the Australian Open in 2010 and quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows in 2009 and 2012 before having to sit out last year’s final major.
Cilic maintains he tested positive for a banned stimulant contained in a supplement bought over the counter by one of his staff and is hungry to hit back with a breakthrough slam.
“Of course (it) was a huge motivation for me when I came back,” he said after dispatching Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in his quarter-final.
Federer, 33, is eyeing a seventh final in New York – but first since falling in five sets to Juan Martin del Potro in 2009 – in his quest to become the oldest Open champion in 44 years.
The other men’s semi-final features the top-ranked Djokovic against Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori.
Djokovic, the 2011 champion, is into the last four for the eighth straight year, while Nishikori is contesting his maiden grand slam semi-final after staging consecutive five-set comeback wins over fifth seed Milos Raonic and Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka.
