Federer Straight-Sets Hewitt to Gain Wimbledon Final

"The longer the match went, the better I felt I hit the ball and got into the match," said Hewitt, who by all accounts did not play aggressively enough or attempt to give the Swiss different looks. "I had a couple of love-15 chances, and I just didn't quite go after it maybe enough on those small opportunities that you get."

In a match that surely had champions of old spinning in their graves, both players stayed back for the majority of the match, with Wimbledon officials slowing the grass to the point that anything but a solidly-placed serve or volley would be answered with an immediate pass from both players.

"Definitely I think I can come more to the net, but it's not so easy," Federer said. "You try it out sometimes, and every time you get passed, it's not really helping out your confidence very much...That's something I would like to do more, but it's not easy."

Familiar with the Aussie's game to the point of recording numerous bagels over the past two years, Federer says playing Hewitt is not the most stressful of situations these days.

"I have the feeling I can always hang with him," Federer said about the counter-punching Aussie. "I always have the feeling if I'm good from the baseline, I'll get a chance also to break him. You know, it seems like he's having a hard time to break my own serve, which always keeps me level with him. Eventually I think with the variation in my game, you know, I get the errors out of him, too. I got the power when I need it. I think that sort of made the difference over the last few matches."

Federer's opponent in the final is yet to be determined, with rain halting the second semifinal Friday with No. 2 seed Andy Roddick leading No. 12 Thomas Johansson 6-5.

In doubles action Friday, No. 2-seeded Americans Bob and Mike Bryan reached their first Wimbledon final with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 4-seeded Zimbabweans Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett.

The Bryan brothers will be heavily favored in the final against the Aussie/South African pairing of qualifiers (first ever to reach the men's final) Stephen Huss and Wesley Moodie, who shocked No. 1 seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Max "The Beast" Mirnyi 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(4).

"We're very excited. Obviously the pressure is on them," Moodie said. "If we win, that's fantastic. If not, we come away with our best result. Today was our toughest match. They played very well so we had to bring out something special."

Mike Bryan is also still alive in the mixed doubles draw with partner Martina Navratilova.
On tap today on the men's side is (2) Roddick vs. (12) T.Johansson (to finish), and the doubles final in (2) Bryan/Bryan vs. (Q) Huss/Moodie.