Federer: Perfect service game

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Champion Roger Federer produced a magnificent display of serving as he beat Mario Ancic in straight sets to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The five-time winner stepped up his bid for a record sixth successive title with a 6-1 7-5 6-4 victory on Centre Court.

After Federer breezed through the first set in just 20 minutes, the match was held up for two hours by a series of showers.

Ancic fared better when the two men returned to action at around 4.30pm, but Federer made the decisive breakthrough in the 11th game of the second set.

Another break in the fifth game of the third set then enabled the top seed to cruise into the last four.

Ancic won only 10 points against the Federer serve, while the champion did not face a single break point.

Nerveless display

The world number one showed no trace of nerves against the last player to beat him at Wimbledon as he won the first set at a canter.

Ancic beat the Swiss star in straight sets back in 2002, but Federer showed all the grass-court nous which has brought him five consecutive titles at the All England Club.

Federer began in ominous fashion, producing a pair of aces and a backhand volley to hold the first game to love, then a sweet backhand pass from Ancic's first service point.

The Croat came to the net behind every point, but sent a backhand volley into the net to give Federer two break points - and did the same again to hand his Swiss opponent the game.

Ancic held his next service game and finally took a point off the Federer serve in game five, but it was the smallest of victories.

Federer held to 15 and passed Ancic at will in the next game for his second break of the match, before serving out to love to take the first set in 20 minutes.

Rain intervened after two games of the second set, with the players taken off court for around two hours.

When they returned, the set went with serve until the 11th game, when Federer clinched the decisive break on a double fault.

That was enough for the five-time champion to wrap up the set.

Federer continued to hit some sumptuous winners in the third set and he sealed a break in the fifth game to end Ancic's resistance.

Two aces helped the champion to earn three match points, and he wrapped up the win with a second-serve ace down the centre.