Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga produced a devastating fightback to knock six-times champion Roger Federer out of Wimbledon on Wednesday and set up a semi-final against Novak Djokovic.
The powerful 12th seed looked down and out as ice-cool Federer picked him off at will to stroll two sets up on Centre Court but he left the Swiss reeling with a ferocious
onslaught to win 3-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-4 and reach his third major semi-final.
It was the first time 16-times grand slam champion Federer had lost a match having led by two sets and put a huge question mark over the 29-year-old's chances of matching Pete Sampras's seven Wimbledon singles titles.
"It was just amazing today, I played unbelievable, everything was in," Tsonga said.
"That's crazy, he is the biggest champion in my sport, he achieved a lot of things. He is the best player in the world and I'm just so happy to beat him, especially on grass as it is one of his best surfaces."
Djokovic, eyeing his first title at the grasscourt slam, ended the dream run of Australian teenager Bernard Tomic, although the 24-year-old second seed was far from his best.
Qualifier Tomic chipped away at the Serb's confidence with some smart tennis and had plenty of chances to produce another massive shock before Djokovic's greater experience helped him to a 6-2 3-6 6-3 7-5 victory.
Djokovic is now just one victory away from taking over from Rafa Nadal as world number one even if the Spaniard goes on to retain his title on Sunday.
In the top half of the draw, defending champion Nadal was up against big-serving American Mardy Fish while home favourite Andy Murray was tackling unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
There was no hint of the drama to come on Centre Court when Federer broke Tsonga's first service game and proceeded to move smoothly towards a 29th grand slam semi-final.
The crowd were relaxing in the Centre Court sunshine and enjoying a Federer masterclass and even when Tsonga broke serve in the fifth game of the third it merely looked like they would be given a little extra value for money.
Little did they know that the match had turned inexorably in the Frenchman's favour.
The 26-year-old began to open his shoulders and belt winners past the Swiss maestro who suddenly looked powerless as Tsonga built up a head of steam.
ALMOST UNPLAYABLE
Tsonga's serve became almost unplayable and he snapped up the chances that came his way, breaking early in the third and fourth sets as, for once, Federer struggled to engage the extra gear he normally finds to fend off danger.
When Tsonga broke again at the start of the fifth set the match slipped completely out of Federer's control and he looked almost resigned to his fate long before Tsonga claimed the biggest victory of his career -- celebrating by falling to the turf, sprinting across court and punching the air.
Federer, who showed little emotion on court as the match slipped away, was sanguine in defeat.
"Except the score, many, many things went right," Federer, who played better than he did in last year's quarter-final defeat by Tomas Berdych, told reporters.
"I thought I played a good match myself. I'm actually pretty pleased with my performance today. It's kind of hard going out of the tournament that way, but unfortunately it does happen sometimes."
Djokovic was subdued against Tomic, Australia's bright new hope, and admitted he was second best for chunks of a match he described as "cat and mouse".
"I can't say I played great, but I think you have to give him credit," Djokovic told reporters. "He was playing some really great shots, great rallies.
"He was making me work very hard. In some periods of the match I was not feeling great, meaning I wasn't moving well."
After a nervy start Tomic worked his way into the match with a clever mixture of thumping down-the-line winners and fading slices that left Djokovic befuddled and agitated.
The Australian took the second set and forged 3-1 ahead in the third before Djokovic stopped the rot with a seven-game burst to regain control.
Tomic threatened to stretch the match into a fifth set when he got to 0-30 on Djokovic's serve while leading 5-4 in the fourth but he could not capitalise and Djokovic pounced in the next game with a sublime drop shot before serving out for victory.
The powerful 12th seed looked down and out as ice-cool Federer picked him off at will to stroll two sets up on Centre Court but he left the Swiss reeling with a ferocious
onslaught to win 3-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-4 and reach his third major semi-final.
It was the first time 16-times grand slam champion Federer had lost a match having led by two sets and put a huge question mark over the 29-year-old's chances of matching Pete Sampras's seven Wimbledon singles titles.
"It was just amazing today, I played unbelievable, everything was in," Tsonga said.
"That's crazy, he is the biggest champion in my sport, he achieved a lot of things. He is the best player in the world and I'm just so happy to beat him, especially on grass as it is one of his best surfaces."
Djokovic, eyeing his first title at the grasscourt slam, ended the dream run of Australian teenager Bernard Tomic, although the 24-year-old second seed was far from his best.
Qualifier Tomic chipped away at the Serb's confidence with some smart tennis and had plenty of chances to produce another massive shock before Djokovic's greater experience helped him to a 6-2 3-6 6-3 7-5 victory.
Djokovic is now just one victory away from taking over from Rafa Nadal as world number one even if the Spaniard goes on to retain his title on Sunday.
In the top half of the draw, defending champion Nadal was up against big-serving American Mardy Fish while home favourite Andy Murray was tackling unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
There was no hint of the drama to come on Centre Court when Federer broke Tsonga's first service game and proceeded to move smoothly towards a 29th grand slam semi-final.
The crowd were relaxing in the Centre Court sunshine and enjoying a Federer masterclass and even when Tsonga broke serve in the fifth game of the third it merely looked like they would be given a little extra value for money.
Little did they know that the match had turned inexorably in the Frenchman's favour.
The 26-year-old began to open his shoulders and belt winners past the Swiss maestro who suddenly looked powerless as Tsonga built up a head of steam.
ALMOST UNPLAYABLE
Tsonga's serve became almost unplayable and he snapped up the chances that came his way, breaking early in the third and fourth sets as, for once, Federer struggled to engage the extra gear he normally finds to fend off danger.
When Tsonga broke again at the start of the fifth set the match slipped completely out of Federer's control and he looked almost resigned to his fate long before Tsonga claimed the biggest victory of his career -- celebrating by falling to the turf, sprinting across court and punching the air.
Federer, who showed little emotion on court as the match slipped away, was sanguine in defeat.
"Except the score, many, many things went right," Federer, who played better than he did in last year's quarter-final defeat by Tomas Berdych, told reporters.
"I thought I played a good match myself. I'm actually pretty pleased with my performance today. It's kind of hard going out of the tournament that way, but unfortunately it does happen sometimes."
Djokovic was subdued against Tomic, Australia's bright new hope, and admitted he was second best for chunks of a match he described as "cat and mouse".
"I can't say I played great, but I think you have to give him credit," Djokovic told reporters. "He was playing some really great shots, great rallies.
"He was making me work very hard. In some periods of the match I was not feeling great, meaning I wasn't moving well."
After a nervy start Tomic worked his way into the match with a clever mixture of thumping down-the-line winners and fading slices that left Djokovic befuddled and agitated.
The Australian took the second set and forged 3-1 ahead in the third before Djokovic stopped the rot with a seven-game burst to regain control.
Tomic threatened to stretch the match into a fifth set when he got to 0-30 on Djokovic's serve while leading 5-4 in the fourth but he could not capitalise and Djokovic pounced in the next game with a sublime drop shot before serving out for victory.
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