This was the match Wimbledon had been waiting so long for.

Eleven years on from their last meeting on the Centre Court grass – that remarkable 2008 final – Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with 38 Grand Slam titles between them, were back.

Their semi-final had its own hashtag, #FEDAL40, celebrating their 40th meeting. Henman Hill was so full that cordons were put in place to help ease overcrowding.

The queue for the resale ticket office was hundreds long yet there was little chance of any of the near 15,000 people on Centre Court budging from their seats.

David Beckham was back in the Royal Box for a second successive day to see his fellow sporting legends, Sir David Attenborough was on the edge of his seat and actors Jude Law and Hugh Grant were mesmerised by the unfolding drama.

This, as it proved and always was going to be, was one of those “I was there” moments.

It may not have been as dramatic as the 2008 final but the final stages were full of tension, with Nadal saving four match points. But it was Federer who clinched a 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-3 6-4 victory and the chance to take on defending champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday.

• Djokovic battles into Wimbledon final
• Federer beats Nadal in Wimbledon thriller
• Stars are aligned right now – Federer
• Relive the action as Federer beats Nadal

‘It was a masterclass from Federer’

Eight-time champion Federer is just four weeks shy of his 38th birthday but his performance against Nadal demonstrated just why, if not yet confirmed, he is considered the greatest tennis player to ever step foot on a court.

Swiss great Federer’s backhand has often been considered his weakness, as he has previously said himself, yet his work to improve this area of his game was evident with several sublime winners.

His movement, his resilience, his shot selection – they all point to a player at the peak of his powers, albeit one who is inevitably nearing the end of his career. But Spaniard Nadal – four years his junior – still came unstuck.

“Nadal dug his toes in, he knew he had to make Federer serve it out. We know they’re both very resilient players,” said former British number one Tim Henman on BBC Two.

“What surprised me was when the rallies extended out, it was Federer who was coming out on top. He was driving in, looking to finish the points at the net, and for three of four sets it was a masterclass from Federer.

“Historically we’ve seen Nadal dominate when he extends the rallies. At 37, Federer – you felt – might get tired but it was just phenomenal.

“Nadal was always playing catch up. Federer on his serve was always up 15-love you felt, Nadal was never really up love-15 and able to get the crowd on side.”

Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles are more than any other man in history and if he beats Djokovic he will match Martina Navratilova’s success in women’s singles.

His performance against Nadal perhaps set a precedent for what is to come on Sunday, but in Djokovic he faces a defending champion eager not to relinquish his title.

“It was surprising how aggressive and how consistent Federer was,” added Henman.

“On the back of that performance, it’s going to be very interesting to start thinking about the dynamics of the final.”

The stats

• Roger Federer has an 11-1 win-loss record in Wimbledon semi-finals. His only defeat in the semi-finals here came against Canada’s Milos Raonic in 2016
• At 37 years 340 days, Federer becomes the third oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final in the open era
• Federer is making his 21st consecutive Wimbledon appearance and his 77th Grand Slam
• Federer holds the open era record for the most career grass-court titles with 19 titles on the surface

What they said

Pat Cash: A near flawless #Federer defeats #Nadal to get into yet another #Wimbledon final! Godlike tennis from the 37-year-old. Unreal stuff!

Greg Rusedski: Roger Federer was absolutely brilliant today. His second serve stat for points won and his backhand were incredible today. What a champion performance. Credit to Nadal as well who gave everything.

Katie Boulter: What a privilege to still be watching these two men. Incredible.

What you said

KayK: That backhand of Federer should be declared as the eighth wonder of the world

Tom Brown: I do love Roger Federer. For me, he is the greatest sportsman of all time.

Marc Nash: The tennis world will never ever be the same when these guys are not around anymore. Two of the best sportsmen I’ve ever seen and they are now relatively old and still nobody can get near them.

Karl Bristow: Sometimes it feels like the game needs young stars to come through. But when you watch a high-quality match like that, you want Federer vs Nadal at Wimbledon forever.

Philip West: Federer has just laid the ghosts of 2008 to rest, and if that’s the final time he and Nadal play each other at #Wimbledon, what a match to close it out.

Now for Djokovic…

Federer and Djokovic’s last meeting came at the Paris Masters last year but not since the 2015 Wimbledon final have they gone head-to-head on grass. Their last two meetings on this surface have resulted in Djokovic victories.

In fact on all surfaces, eight of their last 10 meetings have gone the Serb’s way. But Federer is someone who can never be written off.

“It’s just staggering. Nobody has really shown this sort of longevity – not at this level anyway,” said BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller.

But are there chinks in Federer’s armour?

“The only thing that slightly concerns me was that he admitted he was exhausted at the beginning of his interview,” added Fuller. “That must have delighted Novak Djokovic.”

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Roger Federer moved to within one win of a record-equalling ninth Wimbledon singles title as he beat long-time rival Rafael Nadal to set up a final against another old foe Novak Djokovic.

Swiss second seed Federer won 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-3 6-4 against the Spanish third seed before an enthralled Centre Court.

Federer took his fifth match point for a shot at a 21st Grand Slam, while denying Nadal the chance of a 19th.

Federer, 37, will meet Serbia’s top seed Djokovic at 14:00 BST on Sunday.

Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles are more than any other man in history and if he beats Djokovic he will match Martina Navratilova’s success in women’s singles.

“I’m exhausted. It was tough – at the end Rafa played some unbelievable shots to stay in the match,” Federer told BBC Sport.

“I had spells where I was serving very well and probably the biggest points in the match went my way.

“That first set was huge, to get the lead and try to protect it. It was a joy to play.”

Defending champion Djokovic, 32, goes for his 16th Grand Slam triumph after beating Spain’s 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut in four sets earlier on Friday.

Djokovic’s win ensured it would be a major final between two of the ‘Big Three’ in the men’s game for the first time since the Serb beat Federer in the 2015 showpiece at the All England Club.

• Djokovic battles into Wimbledon final
• Relive the action as Federer beats Nadal

‘Fedal’ produce another memorable Wimbledon evening

Anticipation was high for the meeting between two of the men widely considered among the greatest – if not the greatest – to have played the game, particularly because it was their first Wimbledon showdown since an epic 2008 final.

The names of Federer and Nadal, along with #Fedal40, dominating social media sites signified how the match had captured the attention of fans across the world, while a Royal box featuring stellar names such as Sir David Attenborough, David Beckham and Hugh Grant brought an added sprinkling of stardust.

That 2008 match, played over almost seven hours because of rain delays and ending in virtual darkness in front of a mesmerised Centre Court, is regarded as one of the sport’s all-time great matches and it would have taken something extraordinary for the pair to recreate another occasion of such reverence.

Nevertheless, the pair – with a combined age of 70 – did produce a match which will live long in the memory.

Lengthy baseline rallies featuring flawless groundstrokes, supreme athleticism belying their advancing years and scintillating winners – particularly from Federer’s backhand – left the 15,000 crowd captivated.

Federer was locked into the match from the moment he delivered an ace with the first ball and, apart from that dip in the second set, neutralised Nadal’s weapons throughout.

After missing four match points, a dramatic ending saw Federer clinch victory in three hours and three minutes when Nadal whacked a backhand long.

Federer’s emotion was clear as a manic celebration – at least by his composed standards – greeted the math-winning point, raising both hands to the sky before wildly punching the air.

‘Surprising how aggressive and consistent Federer was’ – analysis

Tim Henman, former British number one and two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist:

Historically we’ve seen Nadal dominate when he extends the rallies. At 37, Federer – you felt – might get tired but it was just phenomenal.

Nadal was always playing catch up. Federer on his serve was always up 15-love you felt, Nadal was never really up love-15 and able to get the crowd on side.

It was surprising how aggressive and how consistent Federer was.

On the back of that performance, it’s going to be very interesting to start thinking about the dynamics of the final.

More to follow.

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Serena Williams will need to deal with “pressure times 100” when she faces Simona Halep in Saturday’s Wimbledon final seeking to equal the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles.

This is the challenge that got her back out on to the court after almost dying giving birth and the one that keeps her motivated at the age of 37.

“Serena has already beaten a lot of records but this is the ultimate one,” coach Patrick Mouratoglou told the BBC.

The final starts at 14:00 BST.

Australian Margaret Court set her record for singles titles between 1960 and 1973 – at a time that spanned the amateur and Open era.

Williams already holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open era with 23 but it is not enough for her.

Standing in her way is 27-year-old Romanian former world number one Halep, who says she has a new-found love of grass courts and a belief she can beat anyone and win a second Grand Slam title.

Serena ‘calm’ in chasing record

Williams has been stuck on 23 Grand Slam titles since winning the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant.

Since coming back from maternity leave in March 2018, she reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year.

In the defeat by Angelique Kerber here 12 months ago, her lack of mobility around the court was exploited, while against Naomi Osaka in New York the American lost her cool in dramatic scenes.

Here she has been calm and happy, which Mouratoglou says makes her “much more dangerous”.

“I definitely feel like I play better when I’m calm,” Williams said. “But it’s definitely an effort. Not getting over-pumped, but at the same time not getting under-wound. I have to be in that right space.”

Mouratoglou said that despite Williams claiming she was not thinking too much about the record, it was something they would be focussing on before the final.

“To possibly break a record and make history, the pressure is times 100,” he said. “If you try to put it aside it will come back and hit you stronger so you have to accept it, deal with it and talk about it. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Serena’s ‘weapon of mass destruction’

Williams came into the tournament after an injury-hit year, where she she was forced to withdraw from three tournaments in a row.

But here she has looked strong and says she has even been helped by playing mixed doubles with Britain’s Andy Murray and getting more match time and volleying practice.

She has dominated with her serve – having notched 45 aces so far – and her percentage of first-serve points won reached almost 90% in her semi-final win over Barbora Strycova.

“You can’t get to the big points because Serena is always ahead. It’s the weapon of mass destruction I call it – the Serena serve,” nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova said.

How can Halep stop her?

This will be the 11th meeting between Halep and Williams, with the American having won nine of their previous encounters.

But the Romanian says that over the years she has learned that she will have her chances, and plans to take them.

“Of course, I respect a lot what she has done and what she’s doing, but now I feel stronger mentally facing her,” the seventh seed said.

“I think it’s a great feeling to face Serena in a Grand Slam final. If you are able to win, it makes it sweeter.”

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, who beat then defending champion Williams in the fourth round in 2011, said the best way to beat the American was to try to keep the rallies going as long as possible and hope she tires.

Before her semi-final victory over Barbora Strycova, Williams had completed 75% of her points within four strokes.

“The biggest chance is to extend the rally and, if you get a shorter ball try and attack it,” Frenchwoman Bartoli told BBC television.

“Serena has to be fatigued to take some of the sting out of her serve.”

“You have to try and hold your ground but it is so difficult. You feel like you are moving backwards because the ball is coming at you so hard.”

Halep has her own point to prove

While Williams is chasing a place in the history books, Halep has her own points to prove.

She finally silenced the ‘she’s number one, when will she win a Grand Slam?’ questions last year when she won her maiden major at the French Open, which came after three final defeats and with a reputation as a choker.

But since then she has lost the number one ranking and not come close to another Grand Slam title, falling in the third round at last year’s Wimbledon and being stunned in the first round defeat of the US Open.

Her Roland Garros title defence ended with a straight-set defeat by unseeded American teenager Amanda Anisimova.

“She finished the year number one twice in a row. I feel like she’s back. She wants to prove that she can do it again,” Williams said.

“You can’t underestimate her. She’s like a little powerhouse.”

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