Wimbledon 2015: Sam Groth goes down fighting against seven-time champion Roger Federer

A HOARD of retired sporting legends witnessed Sam Groth’s fighting four-set loss to Roger Federer — a man who is set to join ‘them’ in the near future.

Day Six: The Championships - Wimbledon 2015

SAM Groth has made a strong case for Davis Cup selection after stretching seven-time champion Roger Federer in a pulsating Wimbledon clash.

Eclipsed 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 by grand slam record-holder Federer, world No 69 Groth again underlined his stark improvement with an impressive serve-volleying display

Four years after playing suburban football in Melbourne, late-blooming Groth showed he belongs at the top level — especially on grass.

Watched by Australian Davis Cup captain Wally Masur, Groth clearly left his mark on world No 2 Federer with 21 aces and 47 winners.

There was also a 236km/h bomb in the second set, the second-fastest serve in Wimbledon history behind American Taylor Dent’s 238km/h rocket.

“It’s what makes him so dangerous on grass,” Federer said.

Groth’s monster serve helped him stay in the match.

“Not just the serve but also the volley. He’s so dangerous with that serve but he’s also a good mover coming forward on the volley.”

Groth believes the experience of jousting with Federer — and taking a set off the master grasscourter — proves he can climb into the top 50.

“I’m not just here to make up numbers and I think I proved that,” he said.

“I said beforehand, I generally thought I could give him trouble and in the back end of the second set and the third set, once I settled down, I started to give him trouble.

“I was just generally nervous, just couldn’t make any feel shots.

“He’s played a few more matches out there than I have. He’s probably a little more comfortable.

“But once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.

“To take a set off Federer at Wimbledon, I don’t think too many Australians have taken a set off him a slam for a long time as well.

“It’s a big step forward for me.”

Groth was dismissive about his 236kmh blast, the fastest serve delivered this season.

“People ask me whether I was trying to break the record and I just say no,” he said.

“To be honest, it doesn’t really matter. It’s great that you get your name written somewhere, but I’d trade all of my records to win that match.”

Welcomed by “Middle Saturday’s” array of sports stars, Groth grinned as he strolled onto the sport’s most famous arena before attempting to engineer the biggest win of his career.

With Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, Geoff Boycott, Kumar Sangakkara, Andrew Strauss and Justin Rose rubbing shoulders in the Royal Box, Groth was left to find solutions to Federer’s immaculate game.

Sam Groth of Australia serves to Roger Federer.

And, throughout the third set, he succeeded with pounding serves and crisp volleying.

Making a bright start behind his crushing serve, Groth made his intentions clear before Federer found range.

The Victorian cracked in the fifth game when, after holding points for a 3-2 lead, dropped serve after jabbing a backhand volley into the net.

Trailing 3-5, Groth cajoled “C’mon mate” when he lapsed to 0-15 — and then cannoned down three successive aces and an unreturnable bazooka to hold.

In the following game, Groth had a volleying play on a top-spun Federer backhand, but chose to let it pass thinking it would carry long.

Federer was clinical when it mattered.

When the ball landed inside the baseline, Groth allowed himself a wry smile.

After securing the first set in 30 minutes, Federer snatched another service break with a reflex forehand return in the opening game of the second set.

Groth’s mountain was suddenly steeper than ever.

But when he scythed a perfect backhand crosscourt winner past Federer, the Swiss said: ‘Well played.”

Groth matched the Swiss master’s manners by repeatedly thanking ball boys each time he received a ball or towel, a habit commentator Patrick McEnroe picked up on.

Maintaining control, Federer smoothly moved to a two-set lead inside an hour before Groth began to hit his targets better.

Serving first in the third bracket, Groth three times moved to within two points of snatching the set in the 12th game.

Eventually, Federer held to force a tiebreak only to blunder with a double fault.

It was exactly the opening Groth had been searching for and after finessing a backhand drop volley and watching a Federer backhand sail wide, he had three set points at 6-3.

Federer saved the first two on his own serve before the Swiss nudged a forehand wide to concede the set.

Suddenly, centre court was abuzz.

Under siege, Federer profited from a Groth forehand error before blocking a forehand pass to lead the fourth set 2-0.

From there, the Swiss strolled to victory in 2hrs, 15 mins.

Second seed will play Roberto Bautista Agut after the Spanish 20th seed whipped Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 6-1.

World No 3 Andy Murray needed treatment and four sets to beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-1.

British tennis coach and mother of Britain's Andy Murray, Judy Murray, stands and waves in the royal box on centre court before the start of the men's singles third round match between Australia's Samuel Groth and Switzerland's Roger Federer.

The Scot has a sore right shoulder but overcame the inconvenience to advance.

Gilles Simon outlasted fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils 3-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 2-6 6-2 after the pair’s match was transferred from Court One to Centre Court.

With fading light and no play scheduled tomorrow, officials were eager to finish the match.

Serb Viktor Troicki ended German qualifier Dustin Brown’s fine run 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-3.

US Open champion Marin Cilic completed a delayed 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 12-10 victory over American John Isner.

Viktor Troicki of Serbia, left, shakes hands after defeating Dustin Brown of Germany.

Isner holds most of Wimbledon’s record from his marathon five-setter with Nicolas Mahut in an encounter stretching over 11 hours to 70-68 in the fifth set in 2010.

His latest five-setter was comparatively brief, lasting 4hrs, 21mins.

Croat Ivo Karlovic became the oldest man to reach Wimbledon’s last 16 in 39 years with a 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (11-9) success over French 13th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Karlovic, 36, hit 41 aces.