Federer can be Bjorn again

Borg watched from the Royal Box as Federer came through a tough opening set to ease to a 7-5 6-3 6-4 semi-final victory over France's Richard Gasquet and reach his ninth consecutive grand slam final. It was the defending champion's 53rd consecutive victory on grass, 33 of those coming at the All England Club.

Federer, who has dropped just one set on his way to the final, and just six in the last five years in SW19, said: "It will be an incredible, awesome feeling for me to achieve this goal."

He added: "Never, ever - and I think the same for him (Borg) - did we think we were going to win Wimbledon so many times.

"Now I'm in the position to equal his great record. I saw him sitting there, thank God only in the second set so I could concentrate on the first set first.

"It is tricky when you see him sitting there because he is a living legend.

"It is a boost, but it can also be a negative thing if you put too much pressure on yourself. In the end you've got to block it out, whoever is sitting there.

"I have so much respect for him that it is great that he's here. I hope I can do the job on Sunday."

Making only his second return to Wimbledon since losing the 1981 final, his sixth in a row, to John McEnroe, Borg said today he believes Federer is capable of winning several more Wimbledon titles.

"It's kind of obvious, to be honest," was Federer's reaction. "I've played so well the last few years you would always put me as the favourite here at Wimbledon. But it was the same thing when Bjorn won his fourth or fifth. You would think he would also go on and win five more."