Roger Federer has reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time since 2011, but he sure had to do it the hard way. Federer saved two match points and rallied from two sets down to defeat enigmatic Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2 in a late-night thriller in New York. The two played in Cincinnati just a few weeks ago and Monfils stretched Federer to a deciding third set. He was even closer to upsetting the 17-time grand slam champion under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, holding two match points on Federer's serve at 5-4 in the fourth.
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Roger Federer rallies from two sets down to beat Gael Monfils in New York
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Monfils held two match points on Federer's serve at 5-4 in the fourth set
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The Swiss next meets resurgent Croatian Marin Cilic in the semifinals
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Serena Williams plays Ekaterina Makarova in the women's semifinals Friday
"I got off to a good start, so I was actually feeling alright, but then when I was down two match points, that's when I wasn't feeling so great anymore," @placeholder, 28-1 in night session matches at the U.S. Open, said on court afterwards.
"I got off to a good start, so I was actually feeling alright, but then when I was down two match points, that's when I wasn't feeling so great anymore," Federer, 28-1 in night session matches at the @placeholder, said on court afterwards.