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The world number one Roger Federer beat Mario Ancic 6-1 7-5 6-4 to reach the Wimbledon semifinal.
"I played great today. I served excellently with many aces which is always important against a player like Mario," said Federer, who fired down 15 aces.
"It was a tough day. There was a rain delay which broke my momentum a little bit because I had started really well but I got back into it and played really well."
Federer would meet Marat Safin in the next round, who served 18 aces and overcame Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-3 to become the first Russian man to make the Wimbledon semifinals in the 40-year history of the Open era.
"Look, I'm playing semifinals, but that doesn't mean I have a chance here," he said, his face impassive. "The levels are a little bit different. To beat Federer, you need to be Nadal and run around like a rabbit and hit winners from all over the place."
He added: "It's my first semi-final, so the levels are a little bit different. It's another chance for me. But I think it's just a little bit too difficult for me to beat him."
Rafael Nadal, who lost to five-time defending champion Roger Federer in the past two Wimbledon finals, reached the semifinals at the All England Club on Wednesday with a dominating performance over Andy Murray, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
What, Nadal was asked, pleased him the most about his play?
"Everything," he said. "Everything."
"I am doing a lot of things better than last year," Nadal said. "Slice better. The position on court, in my opinion, I felt like this is better. Playing more aggressive with the forehand all the time, and the backhand is feeling well, too."
"Last year was close," said Nadal, who wasted four break points against Federer in the fifth set. "Only one more point and probably I have the trophy in my home."
Before Nadal gets another chance, however, he'll have to beat Rainer Schuettler or Arnaud Clement. Their quarter-final was at one set apiece Wednesday when darkness suspended play.
"I don't want to think about the final," Nadal said. "Not yet."
(source Canadian Press, photo/ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images, GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images, Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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I enjoyed watching Marat Safin at the press conference. What an incredible run. I didn't think he'd eliminate Djokovic.
I think Federer will win the Wimbledon final, you?
Yeah, Safin made a big surprise, I think nobody expected him to beat Djokovic.
I hope Nadal will win the final, he's my favorite player!