<p class="title">Eight-time champion Roger Federer was sensationally knocked out of Wimbledon by South African giant Kevin Anderson while Rafael Nadal edged Juan Martin del Potro in a Centre Court epic and will meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Defending champion Federer yesterday lost a Court One thriller, 2-6 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 6-4 13-11 as 32-year-old Anderson became the first South African in the Wimbledon semi-finals since Kevin Curren in 1983.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Down two sets to love I tried my best to keep fighting. Beating Roger Federer here at Wimbledon will be one I remember, especially in such a close match," Anderson said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I kept telling myself to keep believing. I said today is going to be my day." In a nail-biting four hour and 13-minute classic, it was 36-year-old Federer's earliest exit at the All<br /><br />England Club since his shock second-round defeat against Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2013.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sometimes you don't feel good, and you try your best. Today was one of those days. I didn't see it coming," said Federer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had moments where I was great, I felt like I was reading his serve, other moments where I don't know where the hell I was moving to." Eighth seed Anderson will play American ninth seed John Isner tomorrow a place in Sunday's final.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Three-time champion Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, reached his first semi-final at the majors in more than two years by seeing off Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-2.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 12-time Slam champion will face old rival and world number one Nadal who saw off Del Potro 7-5 6-7 (7/9) 4-6 6-4 6-4 after four hours and 48 minutes on Centre Court to reach his sixth Wimbledon semi-final and 28th at the majors.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For the only the second time at Wimbledon, Federer was beaten after holding a two-set lead, with his previous loss from that position coming against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 quarter-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 20-time Grand Slam champion appeared to be moving towards his fifth successive Wimbledon semi-final after taking the opening two sets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That initial burst gave Federer 34 successive sets won at Wimbledon, equalling his own record set between 2005 and 2006.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But, playing on Court One for the first time in three years, Federer was unusually error-prone.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Anderson had failed to take a single set off Federer in their previous four meetings. Yet once he had ended Federer's run of holding serve for 85 consecutive games -- a streak dating back to last year's semi-final -- Anderson's confidence soared.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only once before had Federer played more games at a Grand Slam and on that occasion, he prevailed 16-14 in the 2009 Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick. But this time Federer cracked, serving his first double fault at 11-11 in the decider to give Anderson the crucial break that ushered the Swiss to the exit door.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Victory yesterday gave Nadal his 11th win in 16 meetings against the fifth seed Del Potro as the Spaniard stayed on course for an 18th Grand Slam title.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think it was great quality tennis and in the final set there were some amazing points," said 2008 and 2010 champion Nadal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sorry to Juan Martin, he's an amazing opponent and player. In some ways, he deserves to win as well.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Anything could have happened, so this is a big achievement for me to get to the semi-finals at Wimbledon.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In the last set there was a little of everything, great points, great rallies, he was hitting crazy with his forehands." Djokovic, who leads his epic head-to-head rivalry with Nadal 26-25, reached his eighth Wimbledon semi-final and 32nd at the majors after a stormy Centre Court clash against Nishikori.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It will be the 31-year-old Serb's first semi-final at a Slam since the 2016 French Open when he completed the career Grand Slam.<br /><br />Unnecessary warnings<br /><br />The 12-time major winner prevailed despite picking up two code violations and accusing umpire Carlos Ramos of "double standards".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think the first warning was unnecessary," said Djokovic, who was sanctioned in the second set for spearing his racquet into the court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It didn't harm the grass. Kei did the same in the fourth set but wasn't warned.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The umpire said he didn't see it. I don't think it's fair but it is what it is."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Despite his anger -- and picking up a time violation in the fourth set -- 12th seed Djokovic still reeled off 10 of the last 12 games.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US ninth seed Isner made the semi-finals of a major for the first time with a 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 6-3 win over 2016 runner-up Raonic.</p>
<p class="title">Eight-time champion Roger Federer was sensationally knocked out of Wimbledon by South African giant Kevin Anderson while Rafael Nadal edged Juan Martin del Potro in a Centre Court epic and will meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Defending champion Federer yesterday lost a Court One thriller, 2-6 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 6-4 13-11 as 32-year-old Anderson became the first South African in the Wimbledon semi-finals since Kevin Curren in 1983.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Down two sets to love I tried my best to keep fighting. Beating Roger Federer here at Wimbledon will be one I remember, especially in such a close match," Anderson said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I kept telling myself to keep believing. I said today is going to be my day." In a nail-biting four hour and 13-minute classic, it was 36-year-old Federer's earliest exit at the All<br /><br />England Club since his shock second-round defeat against Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2013.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sometimes you don't feel good, and you try your best. Today was one of those days. I didn't see it coming," said Federer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had moments where I was great, I felt like I was reading his serve, other moments where I don't know where the hell I was moving to." Eighth seed Anderson will play American ninth seed John Isner tomorrow a place in Sunday's final.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Three-time champion Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, reached his first semi-final at the majors in more than two years by seeing off Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-2.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 12-time Slam champion will face old rival and world number one Nadal who saw off Del Potro 7-5 6-7 (7/9) 4-6 6-4 6-4 after four hours and 48 minutes on Centre Court to reach his sixth Wimbledon semi-final and 28th at the majors.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For the only the second time at Wimbledon, Federer was beaten after holding a two-set lead, with his previous loss from that position coming against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 quarter-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 20-time Grand Slam champion appeared to be moving towards his fifth successive Wimbledon semi-final after taking the opening two sets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That initial burst gave Federer 34 successive sets won at Wimbledon, equalling his own record set between 2005 and 2006.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But, playing on Court One for the first time in three years, Federer was unusually error-prone.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Anderson had failed to take a single set off Federer in their previous four meetings. Yet once he had ended Federer's run of holding serve for 85 consecutive games -- a streak dating back to last year's semi-final -- Anderson's confidence soared.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only once before had Federer played more games at a Grand Slam and on that occasion, he prevailed 16-14 in the 2009 Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick. But this time Federer cracked, serving his first double fault at 11-11 in the decider to give Anderson the crucial break that ushered the Swiss to the exit door.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Victory yesterday gave Nadal his 11th win in 16 meetings against the fifth seed Del Potro as the Spaniard stayed on course for an 18th Grand Slam title.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think it was great quality tennis and in the final set there were some amazing points," said 2008 and 2010 champion Nadal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sorry to Juan Martin, he's an amazing opponent and player. In some ways, he deserves to win as well.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Anything could have happened, so this is a big achievement for me to get to the semi-finals at Wimbledon.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In the last set there was a little of everything, great points, great rallies, he was hitting crazy with his forehands." Djokovic, who leads his epic head-to-head rivalry with Nadal 26-25, reached his eighth Wimbledon semi-final and 32nd at the majors after a stormy Centre Court clash against Nishikori.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It will be the 31-year-old Serb's first semi-final at a Slam since the 2016 French Open when he completed the career Grand Slam.<br /><br />Unnecessary warnings<br /><br />The 12-time major winner prevailed despite picking up two code violations and accusing umpire Carlos Ramos of "double standards".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think the first warning was unnecessary," said Djokovic, who was sanctioned in the second set for spearing his racquet into the court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It didn't harm the grass. Kei did the same in the fourth set but wasn't warned.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The umpire said he didn't see it. I don't think it's fair but it is what it is."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Despite his anger -- and picking up a time violation in the fourth set -- 12th seed Djokovic still reeled off 10 of the last 12 games.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US ninth seed Isner made the semi-finals of a major for the first time with a 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 6-3 win over 2016 runner-up Raonic.</p>