Milos Raonic joins Eugenie Bouchard in Wimbledon semis
1st Canadian singles players to do so in Open era
On perhaps the finest day in the history of Canadian tennis, Milos Raonic has joined Eugenie Bouchard as the first Canadian singles players in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semifinals.
A few hours after Bouchard advanced, Raonic won his quarter-final match against Australia's Nick Kyrgios 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the grass of the All England Club.
No Canadian has ever won a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era, which began in 1968.
"It's another step forward," said Raonic, the No. 8 seed. "My goal is to be the best player in the world."
The Canadian's next opponent is seven-time champion Roger Federer. The No. 4 seed, who last won in 2012, defeated fellow Swiss and No. 5 seed Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
Top seed Novak Djokovic will face No. 11 Grigor Dimitrov in the other semi.
Dimitrov knocked off defending champion and third seed Andy Murray 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-2, while Djokovic prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-2 against No. 26 seed Marin Cilic.
3rd straight semi for Bouchard
Bouchard advanced to the semifinals of the women's draw earlier in the day with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 9 seed Angelique Kerber of Germany.
Bouchard, the No. 13 seed from Montreal, has now reached the final four in each of the three Grand Slam events this season.
The 20-year-old lost in the semis at both the Australian Open and the French Open.
Bouchard will now face No. 3 seed Simona Halep, who dispatched No. 19 Sabine Lisicki 6-4, 6-0.
Bouchard lost her only previous meeting against Halep, on the hardcourt surface at Indian Wells last March.
"She's a good player and I'm ready for another tough match," Bouchard said.
The other semifinal pits No. 23 Lucie Safarova against No. 6 Petra Kvitova.
Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011, and Lisicki reached the final last year
With files from The Canadian Press