Underdogs aim to take bite out of Federer & Roddick

Sebastien Grosjean and Mario Ancic plan to shatter the golden vision of a glamour title showdown between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick.

Underdogs Sebastien Grosjean and Mario Ancic plan to shatter the golden vision of a glamour title showdown between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick when the Wimbledon men's singles semi-finals take place on Friday.

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Unseeded Croatian Ancic and Grosjean, the 10th seeded Frenchman, stand in the way of a Sunday final between the two top seeds and both men know they have nothing to lose.

"Roger is the best player on the tour, especially on grass," said Grosjean who faces defending champion and top seed Federer in his semi-final.

"He didn't lose a match on the surface last year but I have nothing to lose against him. In the semi-finals, anything can happen.

"I have to try and be aggressive and enjoy it."

Grosjean has a 2-1 career record against the top seed, but they haven't met since 2001 in the days before Federer blasted off into a different orbit to his rivals.

The Swiss 22-year-old stretched his grasscourt winning streak to 22 matches with his battling quarter-final win over Lleyton Hewitt but the Australian, at least, found a few chinks in the Federer armour.

Although he was beaten, Hewitt still managed to become the first man to break the Federer serve since the 2003 quarter-finals and the first to pinch a set since Mardy Fish who took a set off the champion in the third round last year.

"He's been going through the draw quite comfortably and he's a tricky play to face," said Federer of Grosjean.

"He returns well and his first serve is very good and he also moves well. It's a dangerous combination. He has a lot of weapons."

Ancic, just 20 and ranked 63 in the world, put in a breathtaking display to destroy Tim Henman's latest Wimbledon dream with a stunning 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-2 quarter-final win and is now planning another upset against second seeded Roddick.

"I feel like I am playing better with each match I've played," said the young Croatian who has served and vollyed his way to the last four.

It's a surface which suits him - two years ago, he qualified for Wimbledon and knocked Federer out in the first round.

"It will be extremely difficult because Andy is higher ranked than me and I will have to perform at the same level to beat him," admitted Ancic.

Roddick, the US Open champion and second seed, hasn't dropped a set at this year's Wimbledon and has won the pair's only previous meeting - a tough three-setter on grass at Queen's last month.

Ancic, the youngest semi-finalist here since his illustrious countryman Goran Ivanisevic in 1990, will call upon the expertise of the former champion to cary him through to what would be a shock result.

"When I was small, I was playing from the baseline and he told me to keep improving my volley, keep going to the net," recalled Ancic.

"He also said when I was 12: 'Keep on breaking racquets', things like that."

Roddick, a beaten semi-finalist here last year, said Ancic is a dangerous opponent as he plays with neither fear nor pressure.

"He's serving great," said the American.

"He's playing better now, he has a lot more experience and he's committed to every shot. There's not a lot of indecision in his game."