Federer: It gets tough from here

Roger Federer is keeping thoughts of making tennis history firmly in the back of his mind.

The second seed reached the Wimbledon semi-finals with a convincing 6-3 7-5 7-6 (7-3) victory over big-serving Ivo Karlovic on Centre Court.

It ensured a 21st consecutive appearance in the last four of grand slams for Federer.

And he will break the record he shares with Pete Sampras of 14 grand slam titles if he lifts the trophy on Sunday.

"I'm happy with the way I'm playing, which is always most important," said the five-time Wimbledon champion.

"I just won my quarters, so my mind has not started wandering yet. I think tomorrow I'll prepare for a tough weekend ahead of me."

"It would be writing in the history books of tennis but it's not there yet. It's still far away - many points, many serves, many forehands."

Karlovic had blitzed his way through to the quarter-finals - serving 137 aces and dumping out top-10 duo Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fernando Verdasco in the previous two rounds.

But it took only four games for Federer to break the 6ft 10in Croatian for the first time in the tournament, and he was rarely troubled thereafter.

"He's got a phenomenal serve," said 27-year-old Federer. "The way he backs it up with his volleys, it's quite something."

"It's not easy to return it but it's thrilling because at some stage it's going to get close and that's why I was very happy the way I was able to play against him today."

"I still got 23 aces (from Karlovic) but where I'm definitely good is when it really matters, and you get maybe only a couple of chances a match."

"I thought it was an excellent match. I'm relieved I'm through."

Karlovic admitted Federer had been just too good, especially in that fourth game.

"He returned a few shots unbelievably and I could not really react on it," said the 22nd seed. "And there was also a little bit of a problem with the sun in my eyes."

"I was a little bit nervous in the beginning. In the first two (sets) he was playing unbelievably. He almost did not give me any chance."

The only sniff of a break Karlovic had was in the sixth game of the third set but he pushed a volley long at 0-15 and some good serving from Federer ensured he did not face a break point.

"In the third set, he went a little bit down and I started playing better," continued Karlovic.

"I had my opportunity in that one game when I could have broken him. But I missed an easy volley, and that was it."

"When I look at it, I did everything right. I don't know what else I could do. Every opportunity I tried to hit the best I can. He was just better today."

Karlovic has long been touted as a dark horse at the All England Club because of his huge serving but he had never previously been past the fourth round and had gone out in the first round for the last four years.

Of his run this time, he said: "It's a great confidence boost. It is my first quarter-final (in grand slams). I'm really happy for that."

"Of course, after you lose, I'm not very, very happy. But after a few days, when I realise that it is a great accomplishment, it will be