Wimbledon: Roger Federer crashed out in the quarter-finals to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz

The Swiss master bows out in the quarter-finals to Hubert Hurkacz, but insists he won’t be rushed into retirement five weeks out from his 40th birthday.

Switzerland's Roger Federer leaves the court after losing to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz during their men's quarter-finals match on the ninth day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.

Roger Federer has lost at Wimbledon.

Incredibly, the graceful master of grass bowed out in straight sets and in what is possibly his last appearance on centre court, he failed to win a single game in the final set.

In a moving tribute the centre court crowd stood clapping Federer on his final service game, acknowledging the Swiss player’s impeccable 20 grand slam winning career and thanking him for a two-year effort from double knee surgery to make a return to SW19.

Federer said afterwards that he felt very disappointed and exhausted at the result: “I would like to play it (Wimbledon) again you know but at my age you’re just never sure what’s around the corner… it gets tough when things get really tricky physically.’’

But when asked if retirement was an “active possibility”, Federer said “no, it’s about having perspective.. where is the body? where is the knee? where is the mind? because as you can see it was a struggle for me.”

While Federer remarked that “the goal is to play of course’’, he also felt conflicted that things don’t happen naturally anymore. “I can’t do what I want to do”, Federer said.

The crowd was shocked as they witnessed the Polish player Hubert Hurkacz methodically, and authoritatively, demolish Federer in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 6-0.

Hubert Hurkacz of Poland with Roger Federer after winning their men's Singles Quarter Final match.

Federer left the court after a quick clap for Hurkacz, and a couple of waves to the crowd, rubbing his hair, bowing his head and slumping his bags over his shoulder. Hurkacz was thrilled, but tried hard to constrain his delight with short little fist pumps.

There was an air of disbelief around the Wimbledon precinct. Despite two knee surgeries, a struggle in the first round, the full house had arrived for a Federer procession into the final. For most wanted this was to be a warm-up for another Novak Djokovic - Federer classic: their 51st head to head in the Wimbledon final as Federer sought to equal Martina Navratilova’s record of nine Wimbledon titles.

Roger Federer during his men's Singles Quarter Final match against Hubert Hurkacz.

But Hurkacz had other ideas, and in his first grand slam quarter final, he was undaunted, poised and played highly intelligent tennis.

Coming regularly to the net, Hurkacz’s big serve and masterful volley game exacerbated Federer’s struggle with the blustery conditions.

Was this a generational changing of the guard moment? Thirty-nine-year old Federer’s stellar career, including eight Wimbledon wins, is fading into the twilight as Hurkacz’s star rockets on the ascendancy.

Roger Federer leaves the court after losing to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

Hurkacz is an understated 24-year-old Polish player, whose first title was winning the junior doubles at the Australian Open and then in 2019 he won the Canberra Challenger tournament. A 6’5 big server who regularly comes into the net, he came to notice at Wimbledon two years ago when he took a set off Djokovic and in this year’s championship he has beaten Lorenzo Musetti, Marcos Giron and Alexander Bublik in straight sets, and he shocked number two seed Daniil Medvedev in a fourth round victory.

Federer was unable to protect his serve against Hurkacz, who is known as “a nice guy’’, friendly and unassuming among other players. Hurkacz’s mother Zofia Maliszewska-Hurkacz was a junior Polish tennis champion and he picked up a racquet while watching her play social games. His grandfather was also sporting, playing volleyball at an international level.

Hubert Hurkacz of Poland plays a backhand during his men's Singles Quarter Final match against Roger Federer.

“It is super special for me playing on a special court against Roger, always as a kid it is a dream come true,” Hurkacz said, reflecting that Federer had accomplished many “special things he has done here through his career”.

Hurkacz will now progress to the semi-final and play the Queens tournament victor Matteo Berrettini, of Italy, who beat his friend, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in four sets.

Earlier Djokovic cruised through his match against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, winning

6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Djokovic said Shapovalov has a huge left handed serve and in recent times had improved his movement coming into the net. “I am sure he will be the biggest test I will have so far in the tournament, it will be a battle and I need to be at my best.”