Roger Federer saved two match points to defeat Gael Monfils 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 and reach his ninth US Open semi-final against Marin Cilic on Thursday, keeping alive his dream of a sixth title. (All images AFP)

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Roger Federer saved two match points to defeat Gael Monfils 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 and reach his ninth US Open semi-final against Marin Cilic on Thursday, keeping alive his dream of a sixth title. (All images AFP)

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Roger Federer's win was his ninth from two sets to love down and first at a major since he had to engineer a similar Houdini act against another Frenchman, Julien Benneteau, at Wimbledon in 2012 on his way to his 17th and most recent major title.

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As Monfils opened-up a two-set lead, Federer was in danger of falling to pieces.

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But eventually it was Monfils, playing in his first US Open quarter-final since 2010, who suffered the most serious power loss with his failure to convert his two match points in the 10th game of the fourth set leading to a brief final set which saw Federer sweep to victory.

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The victory was Federer's 26th in 27 night-time matches in New York and put him just one win away from a career 600 victories on hard courts, a landmark he can reach if he defeats Marin Cilic to make the final.

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Croatian 14th seed Cilic toppled sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) earlier Thursday to reach his first US Open semi-final.

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Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2012, said he served "horribly" nor could he make many inroads on Cilic's.

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Cilic has matched his best Grand Slam performance -- a semi-final run at Australia in 2010.

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Cilic also became the first Croatian since Goran Ivanisevic in 1996 to reach the final four at Flushing Meadows, and he pulled off the upset under the watchful eye of Ivanisevic, now his coach. Cilic was ecstatic!

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US Open: Federer Sets Up Cilic Semifinal After Great Escape

Roger Federer saved two match points to defeat Gael Monfils 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 and reach his ninth US Open semi-final against Marin Cilic on Thursday, keeping alive his dream of a sixth title. (All images AFP)