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Federer heads champion lineup
Marc Jones
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July 01, 2005 13:04 IST

Roger Federer [Images] leads an illustrious line up of four Grand Slam winners in the men's semi-finals at Wimbledon on Friday.

Facing defending champion Federer in the first match on Centre Court, Lleyton Hewitt [Images] will attempt to reverse the recent run of results against the sublime Swiss after experiencing the bitter taste of defeat in their last seven encounters.

Federer, bidding to join Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras as the third man in the Open era to win three consecutive titles, has constructed a remarkable unbeaten run of 34 matches on grass.

The feisty Australian will have to be at the very peak of his powers if he is to extend his stay in south west London [Images] and regain the title he won in 2002.

In the second semi on Centre Court, 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick [Images] is unlikely to settle for anything less than a place in his second consecutive final when he comes up against Swede Thomas Johansson, a man he beat here as a teenager in the second round back in 2001.

Johansson is seeking to be the first Swede to reach Wimbledon men's final since Stefan Edberg in 1990 and at 30 is the oldest man in the last four.

But a seismic serve, booming forehand and a fine pedigree on the surface could stand the 2002 Australian Open champion in good stead against Roddick's distinctive staccato style.

After Thursday's rain, there is still a bit of business held over from the women's draw as Lindsay Davenport [Images] looks to turn a 6-7, 7-6, 5-3 lead over Amelie Mauresmo into a place in the final against Venus Williams [Images] on Court One.

 



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