Federer on course for fifth victory 

Roger Federer remains on course for a fifth straight Wimbledon title after beating France's Richard Gasquet in the semi-finals today.

Federer was made to fight hard in the first set before finding top gear to ease to a 7-5 6-3 6-4 victory and his ninth consecutive Grand Slam final.

It was the defending champion's 53rd consecutive victory on grass, 33 of those coming at the All England Club, and sets up a repeat of last year's final against French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

'I was thinking he was going to play very, very well and I was ready for that,' Federer said.

'The first set was crucial, he should have got to a tie-break if not even won it, but I came out somehow and played really for ten minutes and it was pretty much it after that.

'The first final is still the most special, I played incredible tennis that day.

'Now it's become sort of a routine but I'm so excited to be back into the finals.'

Gasquet initially showed no ill-effects of last night's thrilling five-set victory over third seed Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals, forcing Federer to save three break points to keep his nose in front in bright sunshine on Centre Court.

But as soon as Federer raised his game when it mattered most to break in the 12th game of the set, the Frenchman looked a broken man, not helped by the noon start time today.

He did it in some style as well, two running forehand winners down the line coming either side of another winner cross court which had Gasquet simply shaking his head in disbelief.

When he held serve to love in the next game Federer had won 16 of the last 18 points and it was beginning to look ominous for his 21-year-old opponent, making his debut in a grand slam semi-final.

Gasquet, a child prodigy in his native France, had come back from two sets to love and 4-2 down against Roddick late last night, and there were occasional glimpses of the stunning backhand passes with which he destroyed the former US Open champion.

Federer remained secure on serve however, and closed out the set 6-3 to take a two sets to love lead.

As if things were not bleak enough for Gasquet, the 12th seed then called for a medical time-out after the second set to receive treatment on his left ankle.

It did not appear initially appear to be too serious, especially when he produced a running forehand winner which had Federer raising his eyes skyward in disbelief, but the Swiss star responded with six aces in his next two service games to remain on level terms at 3-3.

A moment of pure class, a sublime backhand passing shot down the line, then gave Federer the vital break of serve, and it looked like the match would be over in perfect time for the women's final, which had been scheduled to start not before 2pm.

Gasquet held serve to force Federer to serve out for the match and he duly obliged to seal victory in one hour and 44 minutes.