BRITISH hope Andy Murray and five-time champion Roger Federer charged headlong towards a Wimbledon final showdown Wednesday while two of the game’s wiliest campaigners were conspiring to gatecrash the party.

The top seeds recorded emphatic victories on another sun-baked day on Center Court, as Tommy Haas stunned fourth seed Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick was the last man standing in a gripping four-hour gunfight with old foe Lleyton Hewitt.

Less than 48 hours after putting his mother, girlfriend, 15,000 Center Court fans and millions of British television viewers through the wringer with his electrifying five-set win against Stanislas Wawrinka, Murray produced a no-nonsense 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 win over Juan Carlos Ferrero.

While the authoritative exhibition gave Murray a place in the last four at Wimbledon for the first time, the sight of all-conquering Federer at the tail-end of a Grand Slam is taken for granted these days.

The world No. 2 reached his 21st successive major semi by dousing the fireworks of Croatian ace machine Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5, 7-6.

Federer’s win may not have raised many eyebrows but Haas’ 7-5, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Djokovic certainly provided the biggest shock of the men’s tournament.

At 31, Haas was the oldest man in the last eight but he buzzed around Court One and stung Djokovic with a string of winners to reach the last four at Wimbledon for the first time.

(SD-Agencies)