Rain delays Federer’s final step

Rain is also expected on Saturday when the women’s final between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova is scheduled to take centre stage.

After two days were lost to the weather in the first week, forcing organisers to schedule games on the middle Sunday, the first two days of the second week escaped the rain.

Despite rain on Wednesday and Thursday, the tournament was back on schedule to finish with the men’s finals on Sunday before Friday’s disruption.

In the women’s semi-finals played on Thursday, the iron will of defending champion Serena Williams gave her a titanic 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over luckless Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo and a place in her third successive Wimbledon final.

In a fluctuating semi-final, Serena fell a set and 3-1 down but recovered to book a meeting with Russian teenager Maria Sharapova in Saturday’s final when she will seek to complete a hat-trick of Wimbledon singles titles.

On the other hand, raw desire, an indomitable spirit and a forehand like a mule’s kick swept 17-year-old Siberian Sharapova on to Serena’s path.

The ice-cool Russian shoved former world number one Lindsay Davenport another step nearer retirement with a 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 win on Centre Court.

A lengthy rain-disruption just after the start of the second set came to the rescue of Sharapova, who had earlier appeared overawed at playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final.