Federer to face Djokovic in semis

Wimbledon, England — Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have a common nemesis when it comes to Grand Slam finals, where they always seem to find themselves playing Rafael Nadal.

Their own rivalry goes way back as well, but rarely gets as much attention since it has largely taken place in semifinals of the major tournaments. They’ll go at it again at Wimbledon on Friday — their ninth meeting in the last four of a Grand Slam since 2008.

Federer and Djokovic easily set up another highly anticipated matchup Wednesday as the Swiss six-time champion wrapped up a dominating 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Mikhail Youzhny of Russia just a few minutes before the top-ranked Serb finished off a 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Florian Mayer on Court 1.

It will be the 27th meeting between the two, but the first at Wimbledon.

“It is our first grass-court match. We don’t know quite what to expect,” said Federer, who leads their head-to-head series 14-12. “I feel it’s a bit of an even ground.”

It should certainly be more evenly matched than their quarterfinals.

Playing in front of Prince William and his wife Catherine in the Royal Box, Federer looked every bit the 16-time Grand Slam winner against Youzhny, a player he has now beaten 14 times in as many meetings.

At one point, with the frustrated Russian running out of ideas of how to stop the onslaught, Youzhny looked up in despair toward the Royal Box to jokingly ask Andre Agassi — who was also sitting in the front row — for advice. Not even Agassi could help him, though, and Federer wrapped up the win in 1 hour, 32 minutes.

“It was pretty funny,” Federer said. “Mikhail is a great guy.”

Djokovic didn’t need much longer than Federer to beat Mayer despite getting off to a shaky start, trailing by a break in the first set. He broke right back, though, and held his serve the rest of the way to set up another meeting with Federer.

The good news for the winner of that semifinal is that Nadal will not be waiting in the final this time.

With the second-ranked Spaniard having been eliminated in the second round, either Andy Murray of Britain or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be playing in their first Wimbledon final.

Murray rallies

past Ferrer

Murray rallied from a set and a break down to beat No. 7 David Ferrer of Spain 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4), while Tsonga ousted first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2.

As always at this point in the tournament, “Murray Mania” is setting in at Wimbledon.

Murray is in the semifinals for the fourth straight year, giving him one more chance of becoming the first British man since 1938 to reach to the final. The last British man to win the title was Fred Perry in 1936. And with Nadal out of the way, the expectations on Murray are higher than ever.    /ap