WIMBLEDON, England — Obliged to hit the road and make the exotic trek to No. 1 Court at the All England Club, Roger Federer probably did not realize that his journey on Wednesday had only just begun.
What looked at first like another straightforward, straight-set victory over Kevin Anderson, the big-hitting South African veteran, eventually morphed into a five-set Wimbledon upset for the ages.
By the end of this quarterfinal, a stiff drink seemed more appropriate than a serving of strawberries and cream. Nerves and serves were severely tested in the afternoon sunshine, but Anderson, a 32-year-old who has cracked at such moments in the past, was the one who held firmest this time.