Milos Raonic beats Roger Federer, sets up Wimbledon final date with Andy Murray

New Delhi: Roger Federer's dream of winning a eight Wimbledon title ended on Friday after losing his semi-final match to big serving Milos Raonic in five pulsating sets.

The sixth seed won the match 6-3, 6(3)-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in three hours and 29 minutes. He thus became the first Canadian male to reach a Grand Slam final in the singles event.

Eugenie Bouchard became the first ever Canadian to reach the finals of a Grand Slam in singles, at 2014 Wimbledon. She lost the title match to Petra Kvitova.

Raonic, 25, will play world number two Andy Murray of Great Britain –  the 2013 champion – in Sunday's final. Murray defeated Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic – 10th seed who lost the 2010 final to Rafael Nadal – 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the second semi-final.

Swiss great Federer, who is chasing his 18th Grand Slam title and an eighth at All England Club, fought back from one set, and took a 2-1 lead before Raonic won the last two sets.

During the match, Raonic also produced the fastest serve of the tournament, at a speed of 144mph (231.7km/h) in the fifth game of the first set.

Playing probably best tennis of his career, Raonic also registered his first win on grass against a top 10 opponent and in the process, shattered Federer`s hopes of winning a record eighth All England Club crown and 18th major.

At the start of the match, Federer's semi-final record at Wimbledon was 10-0.

The 34-year-old World number three probably took a lot of beating, physically, thanks to big serves and huge ground-strokes from the Canadian man-mounting who stands 6ft 5in tall.

Federer had already played a five-setter against another big server, Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals, saving three match points in the process.

Raonic had to save two break points in the fifth game and another in the ninth of the fourth set.

However, in a remarkable 12th game, Federer was pegged back from 40-0 after serving up back-to-back double faults and Raonic levelled the semi-final on a third set point when the Swiss meekly teed-up an opportunity for the Canadian to pass him.

Federer, bidding to become the oldest finalist in 42 years, then required treatment on his right thigh in the changeover.

The fatigued legend saved a break point at 1-2 in the decider but only after jarring his left foot and knee in an awkward fall.

A breathtaking close-up rally at the net went in the Canadian`s favour and he broke for 3-1 in what proved to be the crucial breakthrough.

Raonic, who lost the Federer at the same stage two years ago, finished with 23 aces and 75 winners while the greatest Grand Slam match winner could convert only one of nine break points.

Later in the day, a confident Murray made short work of 2010 finalists Berdych with a straight sets win in two hours to keep his dreams of winning a second title at home Grand Slam alive.

The British numbe one, who won the coveted title in 2013, dominated the play from the very outset and converted five of 10 break chances that came his way, as against Berdych's one off three.

The replay of fiery 2015 Australian Open semi-final, however, failed to replicate as the class as Murray kept breaking his opponent with relative ease. Besides, the 29-year-old home favourite made just nine unforced errors, in contrast to 30 by Berdych.

The win helps Murray overtake Fred Perry as the British man with the most major finals. Sunday's final will be his 11th.