ROGER Federer is within one match of a record-equalling sixth successive Wimbledon title after reaching Sunday's final with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 defeat of Marat Safin. Federer's phenomenal Wimbledon count has now climbed to 40 consecutive wins - and this one, like so many before it, was never in doubt.
Safin was Russia's first men's semi-finalist, but he was not about to become the first man to beat Federer on any grasscourt in 65 matches. The imperious Swiss was again immaculate from the first point, and has dropped no sets and just two service games in six matches.
"It's great. It means too much to me, and playing against Safin is always a pleasure," said Federer, who celebrated his final backhand winner with a yell and a jump and then a clench of his fist. "It's been a great win for me and I'm really, really happy."
Federer led throughout, and a break in the second game was all he needed to secure the first set against an oddly benign Safin - who broke one racquet, but not until late in the third set. The top seed played superbly, perhaps more decisively that the score would suggest, making just one unforced error to 11 winners in the 24-minute first set.
Safin was not terrible but nor was he at his best. He did earn two break points in the fourth game of the second set, as the Swiss appeared to turn down the heat from boiling to simmering, and Safin began to play himself into the match. Well, as much as he was ever going to, which was not all that far.
The second set tiebreaker was decisive, for there had been no service breaks in the previous 19 games, and Safin had earned two break points to Federer's one during that time. But the Russian netted three backhands in the first four points, and the damage was done.
Safin is, of course, an outrageously talented shot-maker, and one of the opponents Federer has always admired most. He has also won two grand slams, and spent time at No.1, but injuries have intervened since he ripped the Australian Open from Lleyton Hewitt's clutches in 2005, at the tournament that also marked the last of his two victories against Federer in, now, 11 attempts.
Safin said pre-match he was surprised to be among the last four, and so was everyone else. In recent times, the world No.75 has not even been the best-performed player in his family, with little sister Dinara emerging from his hulking shadow to come-of-age on clay and reach the French Open final.
But, predictably, it was Federer who strolled off to prepare for Sunday's sixth final in as many years. Too warm to bother with his cardigan as he left, he will nevertheless be expecting a hotter contest in the championship decider, when more history could be made.
■ Although a mortified Elena Dementieva did not mean the words as they sounded, Venus Williams never wants to hear any hint of the vile suggestion again. Dementieva said the outcome of the third all-Williams final at Wimbledon would be "a family decision". Old wound. Still tender. Ouch.
Except that the Russian insisted later she had actually only been talking - in her third language - about how difficult she imagined it would be to play against a family member, and what a unique "family situation" the Williams sisters face: siblings playing off for the biggest title that, once again, one is guaranteed to win.
The problem was that the normally placid Venus only heard the clumsy quote second-hand, and took immediate offence to the American reporter who revisited the still-sensitive subject of whether a family conspiracy is hatched before the sisters meet on the court - as they will for the 16th time.
"The main thing is that I find the question pretty offensive because I'm extremely professional in everything that I do on and off the court," Venus said. "I contribute my best in my sport, and I have a ton of respect for myself and my family. So any mention of that is extremely disrespectful for who I am, what I stand for, and my family."
Indeed, it is some time since the topic has been raised, and five years since they met in the most recent of their six grand slam finals. That was at the All England Club, when Serena needed three sets to beat Venus in the final for the second consecutive year. Their most recent meeting was in Bangalore in March, when the younger sister broke a 7-7 career deadlock. In major finals, injuries and indifferent form have often intervened.
Few of their matches have been classics, and only five of the 15 have gone to three sets. And as Venus remarked, once into the final: "It's every Williams for themselves."