Tennis
PREVIEW: Federer pleased to find Safin in his Wimbledon semi-final
By DPA
Jul 3, 2008, 17:59 GMT

London - Roger Federer is pleased to see fellow Grand Slam champion Marat Safin across the net when the pair meet in a Friday Wimbledon semi-final.

But while the smooth Federer's game is purring, streaky Safin, his occasionally tortured Russian mind spinning at full throttle, wonders why he's gone this far.

'I'm playing semifinals, but that doesn't mean that I have a chance,' said the number 75 who once stood number one and claimed titles at the 2000 US Open and the Australian Open three years ago.

'The guy has won how many times already here? I mean, five times already, and he's on the way to win his six title?'

Safin, who has only just begun to find his smile after slogging through the season and making an unexpectedly good showing on the grass that he's never truly liked, can possibly take heart from his 2005 Melbourne semi-final win over Federer on the way to the title.

But then again, maybe not:

'To beat Federer you need to be (Rafael) Nadal and run around like a rabbit and hit winners from all over the place.

'But why not? It's another chance for me. But I think it's just a little bit too difficult for me to beat him.'

If Nadal isn't' optimistic, 12-time Grand Slam winner Federer most certainly is after not dropping a set so far into the final four.

'It's important to be able to rely on a good game, day in, day out,' said the player who has not lost on grass in six years. 'That's what I've been able to have the last years now, and also this tournament.

'I've been playing very consistent, been moving great. This is obviously a perfect situation, looking at the semis.'

Safin, a 2001 quarter-finalist who never got out of the third round until this edition, admitted he is surprised to have come good on the grass.

'I'm happy because it's also big relief for me that I'm 75 in the world and now I'm top 50, I'm climbing back. I want to climb back to the top 20. That's my goal right now.'

The Swiss holds a 9-2 record in the series, with the pair last meeting in the 2007 third round at the All England Club.

'I never looked at Marat like number 89 in the world, that's ridiculous,' said Federer. 'He's finally showing again what he can do.

'It's just quite surprising he does it here at Wimbledon in some ways, because he used to dislike playing on this surface.

'He's been disappointed with the way he's been playing lately, but hopefully he's got a second thing going here in his career. I'm looking forward to playing him.'

Rafael Nadal is sure to be the more rested when the on-fire Spaniard plays after a day of rest against Rainer Schuettler.

It took the 32-year-old German, two days, five hours, 12 minutes and two Thursday rain interruptions to finally complete a marathon victory over Arnaud Clement 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (7-9), 8-6, third-longest in Wimbledon history.

Nadal, meanwhile, had blown past Andy Murray a day earlier, putting his feet up while his opponent had hard work to complete.

'I don't know if this year I'm gonna have more chances to win the title,' said the losing finalist the last two years to Federer. 'I'm only in the semis.

'I have to play very well if I want to win this tournament. I am playing well, but I don't know if is enough.'

Schuetter lost the 2003 Australian Open final to Andre Agassi then fell off the radar a few season later through injury, illness and poor form.

He returns to the sharp end of the tournament ranked 94th and never before surpassing the fourth round.