The giants of the game, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, will duke it out for a place in the Wimbledon final on Friday, 11 years after they mesmerised Centre Court in a Grand Slam championship match widely regarded as the greatest tennis match ever played.
Nadal emerged triumphant that day, winning in five sets in a four-hour 48-minute epic of fluctuating fortunes that stretched out over seven hours.
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion at Wimbledon, has the edge overall, leading his great rival and friend 24-15 and 10-3 at the Slams.
However, it is eight-time champion Federer who just edges their Wimbledon head-to-head 2-1 after winning the 2006 and 2007 finals before Nadal famously broke the spell in 2008.
Nadal, who demolished Federer in straight sets in the semifinals at Roland Garros last month on his way to a 12th title in Paris, admits his game has developed since 2008.
Federer, 37, is the oldest man in the semifinals of a Slam since 39-year-old Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.
He is in his 13th semifinal at the tournament and 45th at the majors overall.
In a career illuminated by landmarks, he became the first man to register 100 match wins at a single Slam when he came back from a set down to beat Kei Nishikori of Japan in the quarterfinals.
World no. 1 Novak Djokovic will battle surprise semifinalist Roberto Bautista Agut in the other semi.
The matches will be underway at 5:30 pm on the Centre Court of the All England Club, the venue where the prestigious two-week long Championships are held. May the rumble begin!
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