Roger Federer beats Tomas Berdych to seal Wimbledon final date with Marin Cilic

Roger Federer is one step away from winning a record eighth singles crown at Wimbledon and a 19th Grand Slam title overall. The resurgent Swiss will face Marin Cilic in his 11th (16 July) career final at SW19 on Sunday (16 July) after battling to a tougher-than-expected 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 straight-sets triumph over a spirited Tomas Berdych.

Australian Open winner Federer, whose last Wimbledon success came back in 2012, has still not dropped a set at this year's tournament and, at 35, now sits behind Ken Rosewall as the second oldest player ever to make the final.

"I feel very privileged to be in another final," he told the BBC. "I've got the pleasure to play on Centre Court another time.

"I can't believe it's almost true again. I'm happy to have a day off to reflect on what I've done at the tournament."

Berdych, who progressed to the last four after Novak Djokovic retired hurt from their quarter-final clash, was forced to save an immediate break point on Centre Court and fended off another in game number five before the graceful Federer edged ahead with a wonderfully precise volley.

Undeterred, the beaten 2010 finalist hit straight back when his illustrious opponent unusually double-faulted on break point and suddenly found himself serving to stay in a close first set. He did so twice before forcing a tiebreak, which a passionate Federer claimed 7-4 when Berdych fired well wide.

Berdych utilised his serve to save two break points and level the second set at two games apiece. He could not take advantage of his own opportunity at 3-3 but fought admirably to another tiebreak, which Federer initially dominated with several forehand winners only to wobble slightly after another double fault before again persevering by a 7-4 margin.

Berdych had never previously overturned a two-set deficit to win a Grand Slam match and that looked unlikely to change when Federer brought up another break point chance while tied at 2-2 in the third. He engineered two of his own soon after, yet they were gone quick as a flash as the seven-time champion held thanks to four successive beautifully placed serves.

Federer gained another crucial break at 3-3 when Berdych struck another shot wide and he served out the match in typically emphatic style.

Cilic beats Sam Querrey

Federer will meet Cilic in this weekend's showpiece after the 2014 US Open winner followed compatriot Goran Ivanisevic as only the second Croatian ever to reach a Wimbledon final.

The seventh seed's clash with fellow big-server Sam Querrey - conqueror of Andy Murray - was a predictably tight affair between two power players who had never previously made it past the quarters, with Cilic blowing a 4-1 lead in a first-set tiebreak by losing seven of the next nine points.

His break in game number seven of the second set, the first of the match, was enough to level proceedings at 1-1. Cilic then held his nerve in another tiebreak after the duo exchanged breaks early in the third and he later recovered from a break down in the fourth to seal a satisfying 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-5 victory that gives him the chance to claim a second major title.