Federer and Hewitt set up Wimbledon showdown

Federer and Hewitt, who have monopolised the title in last 3 yrs, will clash in an epic semi-final on Friday.

Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt, who have monopolised the Wimbledon title in the last three years, will clash in a potentially epic semi-final showdown on Friday.

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The match-up will be the latest in a long-running series of bruising encounters stretching back to 1999 and featuring 16 clashes with double defending champion Federer ahead 9-7.

Federer, the winner here in 2003 and 2004, reached the semi-finals by racking up a 34th successive grasscourt win courtesy of a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) win against Chile's Fernando Gonzalez.

Hewitt, the 2002 champion, booked his place in his second career Wimbledon semi-final seeing off Spain's Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

"I played a great match today," said Federer who hasn't lost to Hewitt since a 2003 Davis Cup tie where the Australian came back from a two-set deficit.

"It's my third semi-final in a row and Wimbledon has been good to me so far."

Federer beat Hewitt here in the quarter-finals in 2004 but the third-seeded Australian is relishing renewing his rivalry with the Swiss world number one.

"It's great to reach my second semi-final here. The last time I went on to win the tournament so hopefully that's a good omen," said Hewitt.

"It will be a tough match against Federer, he's the world number one, it will be like a final.