After a false start thanks to the shorter-than-expected rain delay, Federer and Cilic are back on the court and ready to begin their own semifinal. Federer is to be heavily favoured, but what a shocking thought the mere possibility of a Nishikori-Cilic US Open final is.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 6-4 FEDERER. GAME, SET AND MATCH! One ace, two aces, three aces! The Croat switches things up on match point by missing his first serve and crushing a backhand winner to seal up an incredible performance on surely one of the most shocking day’s in the history of men’s tennis.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 5-4 FEDERER. A strong service game of Federer, with four booming serves of his own to swiftly throw all the pressure back on his opponent’s shoulders. Now he must turn to prayer.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 5-3 FEDERER. After breaking the champion’s serve, Cilic only responds by finding his best service game in a long while. Four typically stratospheric serves later, it’s over and he is within a game of the US Open final.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 4-3 FEDERER. BREAK! Cilic leads by two sets and a break! After the brief lull, Cilic is on the prowl as he brandishes big backhands and gets up in Federer’s grill enough to elicit a few errors. A break point comes his way, but his backhand return flies well long. Cilic simply dusts himself off and crushes a backhand return on the second. This time, there’s no hesitation as the laser forehand of ser one returns to find every line. Soon enough, he’s two games from the US Open final.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 3-3 FEDERER. Another not entirely convincing service game for Cilic, but from 15-30 he connects on some bombastic serves to scupper the danger. As has been his modus operandi in this match, Federer helps out where he can with a few errors, and soon enough Cilic levels it up.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 2-3 FEDERER. Federer shakes off the disappointment of throwing the break back into the Croat’s outstretched arms, and puts together another quick, efficient service game. Before Cilic can even begin to think about continuing his run of games, Federer is marching to his seat with his nose ahead.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 2-2 FEDERER. It’s still a bit harier on Cilic’s serve than it was half an hour ago, but the lightening first serves are his route through to game points once more. On the first, he pounds a forehand inside out to hold with aplomb.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 1-2 FEDERER. BREAK! Well, that lasted long. Down 1-2 and under the stern gaze of some more good Cilic returning, Federer fires an easy forehand well wide to set up double break point. On the second of the two, Cilic connects with his favoured backhand shoving Federer off the baseline and pummelling him into submission. The Federer serve falls without even consolidating once, and we’re all square.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 0-2 FEDERER. The crowd sense something brewing, and get behind Federer as a couple of awkward returns from the Swiss champion lead to nervy Cilic unforced errors. A backhand into the net brings up a break point, and for once Federer pulls the trigger with his own backhand, searing one up the line and taking the early break with an exclamation mark.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 0-1 FEDERER. This time, Federer manages to avoid a damning opening service game, finding his first serve to easily navigate his way to 40-0. A horror drop volley from Cilic offers him the hold to love, and a temporary sigh of relief.

CILIC 6-3 6-4 FEDERER. SET! Well, there it is. With so much control that he even allowed himself to dump a silly forehand into the net, Cilic storms through to take an incredible two-set lead on Federer. Can he, unlike Monfils before him, close this out?

CILIC 6-3 5-4 FEDERER. Federer is still doing what he does – serving brilliantly and sweeping to the net as frequently as possible. Some good returns from Cilic bring him to deuce, but the Swiss calmly holds serve.

CILIC 6-3 5-3 FEDERER. Once more, Cilic marches his way through another dominant service game, mixing up between wide serves, down the T and a potent body serve. This one isn’t quite as pristine as the others, but a hopeless Federer forehand into the bottom of the net helps him to a hold without have to dealing with the dreaded deuce.

CILIC 6-3 4-3 FEDERER. Cilic can only watch as Federer assaults him with big serve after big serve, holding with haste to keep himself vaguely within touching distance. But as the pair march to their seats, only one man is happy right now.

CILIC 6-3 4-2 FEDERER. The holds seem to only be easier for Cilic. He so simply smashes down three big serves to streak to 40-0. When the first serve is missed and Federer comes storming in behind a slice, he calmly picks his spot and slots a backhand down the line past the incoming champion.

CILIC 6-3 3-2 FEDERER. The Fed is certainly looking more energetic now, steadily winning more and more neutral points off the ground. After a few big serves, he demonstrates this by supremely turning on an inside-in forehand to capture the set. The crowd roars, but they know any real hope is still far away right now.

CILIC 6-3 3-1 FEDERER. Federer has his most convincing return game, cutting out the slicing and plucking away a couple of strong forehand returns. The problem is, it only gets him to 30-30. A couple of massive Cilic serves later, the game is over and he does not have anything close to resembling a break.

CILIC 6-3 2-1 FEDERER. Federer finally manages to open up the court a little, manoeuvring Cilic out of position with a couple of width-heavy crosscourt forehands. His serve does the rest to bring him a set, but things still look incredibly ominous.

CILIC 6-3 2-0 FEDERER. Cilic isn’t just demolishing Federer on serve. The very few times he has had to move, he has proved very competent for his height, producing screaming passing shots and recovering back into points with deep, strong replies. The latter forces an error out of a Federer who thought he was on the front foot, and the Croat consolidates the hold with ease.

CILIC 6-3 1-0 FEDERER. BREAK! If anyone thought a new set would change proceedings, evidently think again. The Croat comes out and crushes down a few more brilliant returns, ambushing another Federer service game and finishing by forcing a backhand error.