Flawless Federer ready for final fight

RAFAEL NADAL stands between Roger Federer and a fourth successive Wimbledon title after the world’s leading pair came through contrasting straight-sets semi-finals.

While Federer played some “flawless” tennis to thrash veteran Swede Jonas Bjorkman 6-0 6-2 6-0, Nadal was forced to produce a series of acrobatic heroics to bring down a battling Marcos Baghdatis by 6-1 7-5 6-3 in a match that thrilled the Centre Court crowd for two-and-a-half hours.

Federer was on court for just 77 minutes and allowed the 34-year-old Bjorkman to play just four games in what is thought to be the heaviest semi-final defeat since records began in 1922.