Roddick stranded as rain pours

Roddick's rain-jinx struck again when showers halted his semi-final against Johansson, with him leading 6-5 in the first set.

Andy Roddick's rain-jinx at this year's Wimbledon struck again Friday when the weather halted his semi-final against Thomas Johansson of Sweden with the American leading 6-5 in the first set.

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Roddick has already borne the brunt of the raindrops with his second round tie against Italian Daniele Bracciali being forced into a second day and his quarter-final against Sebastien Grosjean twice delayed.

And should he reach the final for a second straight year, Roddick will have an added disadvantage as top seed and title-holder Roger Federer was safely through after a straight sets win over Lleyton Hewitt ahead of the rain.

In a match dubbed "the other semi-final" in deference to the star attraction of Federer against Hewitt, Roddick started as a strong favoirite despite his own struggles to win through to the last four.

But last year's runner-up was made to fight all the way in a tough first set which stayed on serve until 6-5 for the American when the light rain halted play.

Three hours later Wimbledon organisers called play off for the day sending the Roddick v Johansson clash into Saturday on Centre Court that was also to stage the women's final between Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams.

Federer was not complaining.

"I think it's definitely an advantage...gives me more time to relax in between," he said."