WIMBLEDON, England — The enticing semifinal match that could have been staged on Centre Court at the All England Club, if only the seedings played out according to form, would have featured Andy Murray against Rafael Nadal.
That matchup did not happen, but the two players who took the court instead on Friday provided a captivating encounter of their own.
Marin Cilic and Sam Querrey gave the fans a compelling performance, pounding serves, driving ground strokes with authority and, when necessary, demonstrating a feathery touch at the net.
Neither had ever made a Wimbledon final, and Querrey, the 29-year-old from California, was in dogged pursuit of his first final at any Grand Slam event after entering 42 of them.