Nadal and are centre of attention

have any relevance? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Who cares? It’s about how has he played so far, how have I played. I hope it goes my way.

“He has improved so much over the years on grass. I remember back in the day how he used to serve, and now how much bigger he’s serving now, how much faster he finishes points.

“It’s going to be tough. Rafa can hurt anybody on any surface. He’s that good.”

Nadal will be looking to reach his first Wimbledon final since 2011 after fighting back when injuries seemed set to wreck his career.

The record between the two giants over 39 matches reads 24 wins for Nadal, 15 for Federer – with the Spaniard leading 10-3 in Grand Slams.

The in-form Nadal will be looking for his third Grand Slam final of the year and his 19th title – which would put him one behind Federer.

He said: “It’s a great feeling to be back in the semi-finals – just to be playing at this level of tennis.

“Roger and I have played a lot of good matches. Here at Wimbledon we played especially two great matches – in 2007 and 2008. Personally, 2008 was a little bit more emotional for me!

“Playing against Roger is unique on this court. This means a lot for me and probably for him. I always say the same – the opportunities to play against each other every time are fewer, but we are still here.

“I just expect to play against probably the best player in the history of the game on this surface and know that I have to play my best if I want to have a chance to be in that final.”