by Our Sports Desk

ROGER FEDERER held serve for a record 116th time in a row before defeating Gilles Simon yesterday to book a Wimbledon semi-final with Andy Murray.

Federer extended his latest bid for a record eighth Wimbledon crown by dismissing France’s world number 13 Simon 6-3 7-5 6-2 in a commanding display of grass-court mastery.

Wimbledon’s second seed booked a 10th semi-final in SW19, eclipsing Wayne Arthurs’s 16-year-old record of 111 consecutive unbroken service games in the process, in a run that began in Germany last month.

Murray eased past Vasek Pospisil in straight sets 6-4 7-5 6-4 to meet Federer, who has never lost in Wimbledon’s last four.

Britain’s two-time grand slam champion will have to defy history to add to his 2013 Wimbledon crown, and 33-year-old Federer’s fine form.

Grass king Federer still covets that elusive eighth Wimbledon title that would push him past Pete Sampras into outright ownership of the greatest men’s haul at the All England Club.

His imperious form in south-west London so far this year suggests only a performance of true magnitude will deny him that acclaim.