Thursday, July 6 2006 14:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Roger Federer was handed the perfect platform for an assault on a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title when he eased into the semi-finals while former champion Lleyton Hewitt crashed out

. Federer, who put out the dangerous Croatian Mario Ancic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a sublime Centre Court demolition, was then buoyed by seeing Hewitt knocked out by Marcos Baghdatis while second seed Rafael Nadal was left kicking his heels in the locker room after rain washed away nearly three hours of play.

Nadal will have to play his quarter-final against Finland's Jarrko Nieminen on Thursday. If he gets through that he would have to take on Baghdatis on Friday, an opponent who would have had an extra day's rest.

Federer will face Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman for a place in the final, boosted by having won all their previous three encounters and safe in the knowledge that his performance against Ancic was his best of this year's tournament.

"I've been serving excellent, I've been returning good, and especially the passing shots have been incredible," said Federer who has now won 46 matches in a row on grass. Ironically, Ancic was the last man to beat him here in 2002.

"It's the passing shots which have surprised myself the most," he said.



Federer, who has now reached a ninth successive Grand Slam semi-final, also believes he is playing with a greater freedom.



"You get to feel that you're absolutely in control. You're not afraid to try anything, you're not afraid to hit the ball hard, you're not afraid to go for aces," he said.



"That's the sensation you get when you're playing so well. That's exactly what I felt today," he said.

Ancic, who was also beaten by Federer in the French Open quarter-finals, admitted that the Swiss star was virtually unplayable.

"There were winners coming from nowhere," said the 22-year-old.

"He was faultless. He's Roger Federer. What else can you say?" he said.

Baghdatis sent Hewitt crashing out with a 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 quarter-final win.



Hewitt, the sixth seed, was subdued throughout the two and a half hour Centre Court clash and his service was broken in the opening game in each of the first three sets.

"I played really good and I feel great," said the 21-year-old Baghdatis, the 18th seed and Australian Open runner-up.

"I was a set and two breaks ahead and I got tight but I came through it and I have unbelievable emotions right now, " he said.

Bjorkman became the oldest Wimbledon semi-finalist since Jimmy Connors in 1987 when he overcame Czech 14th seed Radek Stepanek in five gruelling sets.

The 34-year-old Swede saved a match point in a fourth set tiebreak before finally claiming a 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 victory after four hours and three minutes of play that was spread over nearly seven hours because of the two rain interruptions.