Roger Federer versus Tomas Berdych

Roger Federer was already the favorite coming into this year's Wimbledon, and with all that has transpired through the quarterfinals, he is now a very heavy favorite to take the title.  He is the only member of the Big 4 remaining in the draw, but as a seasoned veteran, he knows he cannot take anything for granted.  That includes his semifinal against Tomas Berdych, a dangerous foe, who would love to add to the string of late upsets.

Berdych is a formidable adversary on just about any surface, but especially so on the quicker ones.  He gets a lot of pop off the ground and hits pretty flat, allowing his ground strokes to really penetrate the court.  He possesses a decent serve on both the first and second delivery as well, which when not earning him points outright, tends to at least put him in the driver's seat in the rallies.  He also is competent up at the net, and though he is not known for his defense, it is above average for a man his size.  Altogether, his skill set once took him all the way up to Number 4 in the world in 2015, and it has earned him a multitude of impressive victories over the sport's greatest.

The challenge facing Berdych is that, outside of perhaps the backhand return, Federer does everything better than him.  He may not always hit as big on the serve, but he is superior at hitting his marks and reaping the rewards because of it.  His whipping forehand is even more penetrating than the Czech's, as is his backhand when he is taking it early and timing it well.  Furthermore, both his net play and defense are better than the eleventh seed's, and he boasts far more versatility in his arsenal, which not only allows him to keep Berdych off balance but also enables him to change things up if he does not like how the match is unfolding.

Federer does not just enjoy the benefits of having the more complete game, however.  He also has a sizable mental edge as well.  He leads the Czech in their rivalry 18-6 with two of those victories coming earlier this year.  He has also defeated him in their last seven meetings, and there is no discounting the plethora of experience he has at this level.  There is the possibility that he could succumb to the pressure of now being such a heavy favorite with his main rivals having already been dispatched, but given that he got a bit of a monkey off his back by winning that eighteenth major down in Melbourne, that scenario is a little less likely than it might otherwise have been.

While fans believe they know what they can expect from Federer, the jury is out on how Berdych will approach this match.  There is certainly some scarring there from his recent defeats to Federer, especially since it has been such a lopsided rivalry.  He has also been here far less than the Swiss, and the knowledge of knowing there would not be another member of the Big 4 waiting in the final could be enough to make him press.  That said, this is the site of Berdych's lone major final appearance, so he can draw on some fond memories from that.  He also defeated Federer on his way to that final, so he knows he can pull off the upset here.  Additionally, although he lost to the third seed in Miami, it ended in a very close third set tiebreak.  In short, while it is an uphill battle, he should be able to find hope that an upset is still within his grasp.

But in his grasp or not, an upset is not likely.  Federer does everything better than the Czech.  He has been building confidence and momentum all season, and he should be fresher given that he has had to play far less tennis to reach this juncture.  Berdych has a chance, as always, but unless he can successfully red-line his game and get a little help from the Swiss, Federer is going to find himself one step away from an amazing eighth Wimbledon crown.

Marin Cilic versus Sam Querrey

When folks were filling out their brackets before Wimbledon got underway, few if any would have penciled in this semifinal.  Marin Cilic has frequently been a favorite dark horse pick at this tournament but that Sam Querrey would be the one to join him in the final four can only be described as shocking.  Yet both men now find themselves just two wins away from a first Wimbledon crown, but only one of them will have the opportunity to vie for that coveted prize.

Not surprisingly, as the man most often looked at as a dark horse here would be the player many are picking to advance to the final.  Some of the reasoning for that stems from his game, which is well suited to the grass.  He has a big serve and a decent second delivery, and his ground strokes are not only powerful but also fairly flat.  He regularly looks to charge the net, but he is deceptively good from the back of the court.  His backhand, in particular, can be a weapon from the baseline, and for a man of his stature, his defense is exceptional.

One aspect that makes this match so intriguing though is that Querrey shares a lot of the same strengths.  Like the Croat, he boasts a notable serve that garners him a fair share of free points over the course of a match.  He also goes big from the ground, particularly from his forehand wing, and he is always making a concerted effort to move forward.  His backhand and movement are areas where he is weaker than the seventh seed, but when his weapons are firing on all cylinders, he can often remove those liabilities from the equation.

While it should be entertaining to see which man can use his game to greatest effect, the more interesting element of this contest stems from which is ready to step up and own the moment.  Here again, it is so easy to assume it will be Cilic.  He is the higher seed.  In addition to that, having come in off a win over Gilles Muller, another player who competes similarly to Querrey, he is unlikely to be phased by what the American throws at him.  Then there is the fact that he has never lost to Querrey in their four prior meetings.  But Cilic is a player who has struggled with nerves throughout his career, and the combined pressure of making his first Wimbledon final along with being the favorite could prove too much for him to handle.  He will be sorely tested if the sets remain close, so his best bet is to try and get himself a lead where he has far less reason to feel nervous.

As for Querrey, there is no data to refer to when trying to determine how he will react to Friday's match.  This is completely uncharted territory for him, and one must wonder if the realization of what he is so close to achieving will dawn on him and wreak havoc on his game.  There is also the fact that he has had to complete three consecutive five-setters to get here, so there is bound to be some wear and tear not just physically, but mentally as well.  Of course, sometimes being tired and not thinking too much can be a blessing in that it simplifies things and eases the pressure.  He has the advantage that comes with being the underdog, and although he has a dismal record against Cilic, the fact that he has defeated both Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray on these courts should be ample evidence that he can do the same to Cilic.

All told, this one could easily be closer than it would appear on paper.  Both of their prior meetings at Wimbledon have gone the distance, including a 17-15 fifth set in their match from 2012.  But both of those meetings came in the first week.  There is a lot more at stake this time around, so there is no telling what, if any effect that will have on how competitive this latest encounter is.  Game execution will be important, but steeling the nerves in the tight moments will be most essential.  Querrey has surprised all tournament, but even so, the slight nod goes to Cilic to make his first Wimbledon final.