Wimbledon: Roger Federer cruises into semi-finals with straight sets win over Gilles Simon
Wednesday 8 July 2015 16:40, UK
Seven-time champion Roger Federer reached his 10th Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday with a 6-3 7-5 6-2 win over French 12th seed Gilles Simon.
The second seed will face either Andy Murray or Vasek Pospisil in what will be his 37th Grand Slam semi-final for a place in Sunday's title match.
Federer set a new serving record as he defeated Simon, eclipsing Wayne Arthurs' 16-year-old record of 111 consecutive unbroken service games - reaching 116 in a run that began before Wimbledon, before dropping serve late in the second set.
Such was the seven-times champion's command of the match, that the only thing that could halt his charge was two separate 40-minute rain breaks on No. 1 Court.
Federer fired 11 aces and 36 winners as he secured a sixth win in eight meetings with Simon, who was attempting to reach the last-four of a major for the first time.
"The stop and go with the rain are always tough but I think I used them to my advantage. They helped me rather than hindered me," said Federer, who added that he was looking forward to a potential semi-final against 2013 champion Murray should he get past unseeded Pospisil in his quarter-final.
Federer defeated the British third seed in the 2012 Wimbledon final before Murray gained revenge just weeks later in the Olympic Games final.
"We both like to look back on that summer of 2012. If we knew I would win Wimbledon and him Olympics, I think we both would have taken it. It was a great summer for us," said the world number two.
Federer broke for a 3-0 lead in the first set against Simon before rain sent the players off Court One for the first rain delay.
When they returned, Federer swiftly claimed the opener on the back of 15 winners to Simon's four.
Streak
The Swiss was 4-3 up with a break in the second and then moved to 5-3 on his 116th consecutive service hold.
But that record was shattered in the next game when 30-year-old Simon broke the 17-time major winner, who had only faced two break points at this year's Wimbledon before Wednesday.
Federer took swift revenge, however, by regaining the advantage and he was serving for a two-sets lead when the showers returned, causing another hold-up.
It had little effect on the Swiss great, as a service winner and back-to-back aces gave him the second set 7-5.
Federer breezed through the decider with breaks in the first and seventh games.
