Federer Storms Into Seventh Wimbledon Final in a Row

Reuters Created: Jul 3, 2009 Last Updated: Jul 3, 2009
Roger Federer plays a forehand during the men's singles semi final match against Tommy Haas at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. (Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
LONDON—Roger Federer stood one match away from a record 15th grand slam title after he snuffed out the challenge of Germany's Tommy Haas 7-6 7-5 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon final on Friday.

The five-times champion edged his 31-year-old rival in a display of sheer brilliance before a mesmerised Centre Court crowd, ending the match with a brilliant slam-dunk smash.

By downing Haas in just over two hours, he became the first man to reach seven successive Wimbledon finals since the abolition of the Challenge Round in 1922.

The rest of Britain will now wait to see if Andy Murray can join Federer in the final when the Scot takes on American sixth seed Andy Roddick in the second semi-final.