WIMBLEDON, England — Five-time champion Roger Federer outclassed Mario Ancic — the last man to beat him at Wimbledon — in straight sets Wednesday to reach the semifinals and extend his grass-court winning streak to 64 matches on the first day of significant rain delays at the All England Club.
Riding his dominant serve and punishing forehand, Federer put on a masterful performance to beat Ancic 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 and move another step closer to becoming the second man in history to win Wimbledon six years in a row.
Federer served 15 aces, and finished with three straight in the final game — including with a second serve on match point. He won 61-of-71 points on serve, including his last 16, for his 39th straight win at Wimbledon.
“I’m playing great, serving excellent,” said Federer, who hasn’t dropped a set all tournament. “Many aces is always helpful. Some rain delays broke my momentum a little bit. I got back into the match and played really well all the way through.”
Federer will next face Marat Safin, who served 18 aces and overcame Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-3 to become the first Russian man to make the Wimbledon semifinals in the 40-year history of the Open era.
In the bottom half of the draw, No. 2 Rafael Nadal edged closer to a third consecutive Wimbledon final against Federer by blowing away Britain’s Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
The quarterfinal between 94th-ranked Rainer Schuettler and No. 145 Arnaud Clement was suspended at one set apiece because of darkness.
