Federer and Nadal storm into final

Source: Agencies  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Switzerland's Roger Federer plays against Russia's Marat Safin during their Wimbledon semifinal match yesterday. More in photo gallery

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ROGER Federer beat Marat Safin in straight sets yesterday, leaving him one win from his sixth consecutive Wimbledon title and 13th grand slam championship.

Later, Rafael Nadal set up a third successive final against champion Federer after brushing aside German Rainer Schuettler 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.

The Spanish second seed and French Open champion raced through the first set, taking it in just 23 minutes when the world number 94 netted a backhand.

Schuettler, who had less than 24 hours to recover from his five-hour 12 minute quarterfinal against Arnaud Clement that spanned two days, broke in the third game of the second but let the advantage slip when he was serving for the set and allowed Nadal to break back. Nadal was dominant in the tiebreak and continued the momentum for an early break in the third.

The Spaniard has lost to Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals.

Federer, who hasn't dropped a set all tournament, never lost serve as he outplayed the Russian 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4 with a nearly flawless performance for his 65th straight win on grass and 40th in a row at the All England Club.

"It's great, a beautiful feeling, being able to get the opportunity to win the title again," Federer said after the clinical 1-hour, 42-minute victory. "It means so much to me."

Federer, who beat Safin for the ninth time in 11 matches, advanced to his 16th grand slam final.

"It's a huge thrill every time when I get to another Wimbledon final," he said. "It's a great occasion."

Watching in the Royal Box was Swedish great Bjorn Borg, with whom Federer shares the modern era record of five consecutive Wimbledon titles. The only man to win six in a row was Willie Renshaw in the 1880s, and he had to win only one match to defend his titles.

There had been pre-tournament suggestions that Federer was more vulnerable this year after failing to win a major title this season and losing in a lopsided final to Nadal at the French Open.