Lleyton Hewitt [Images] will ignore recent history and undertake the seemingly impossible task of defeating defending champion Roger Federer [Images] in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday.

Federer has won his last seven encounters with the Australian third seed and is on a 34-game winning streak on grass, but Hewitt is promising a Centre Court battle worthy of the final itself.

"From the way I'm hitting the ball, [there are] little areas that I think I might have a slight advantage," said the unfazed 24-year-old.

"You've got to believe in yourself. I believe I'm capable of winning the match. It's not going to be easy, and I've got to play one of my best matches that I've got. But I believe that I can do it."

Hewitt is still miffed by the fact that he has to play Federer in the semi-finals. The 2002 Wimbledon champion is the third seed despite being ranked number two in the world.

It is the first time since 1989 that the top two in the world rankings have met in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

"It's a strange situation. I don't know how many times it would have happened that the top two ranked players would be playing in a semi-final in a Slam.

"I would definitely like it to have been the final, obviously. But for me it will be like playing a final, going out there."

"It's a huge opportunity. I do like playing the big matches when there's a lot of emotion out there, a great atmosphere.

"Come Friday, it's going to be no different."

Federer, chasing a hat-trick of Wimbledon crowns, beat Hewitt in four sets in the quarter-finals last year but the 23-year-old will not under-estimate the Australian.

"He's beaten me enough to believe in his chance," said the Swiss, who only leads their overall head-to-head 9-8.

"On grass I think anything can happen against him. He knows how to win the title here. I'll just take it a match at a time but I think it's a tough match ahead of me."

Second seed Andy Roddick [Images] is likely to be awaiting the winner. The American faces 30-year-old Swede Thomas Johansson, whom he beat in the second round at Wimbledon in 2001.

WARY RODDICK

Roddick has come through two five-setters en route to the last four, the most recent being his semi-final win over Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean.

Like Grosjean, though, Johansson is no fool on grass and Roddick is wary. "I'm not very surprised [he's in the semi-finals]," he said. "He's the type of guy, when he starts playing well, he plays really well.

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"He's won Masters Series events, he's won a Slam. He's won titles on this surface before. So I'm not super-surprised."

"He's a very tough player. He serves well, he returns well. He's a very complete player. He doesn't have any glaring weaknesses.

"It will be tough but I feel good about the way I'm playing right now."

Johansson, the 2002 Australian Open champion, is seeking to become Sweden's first Wimbledon men's finalist since Stefan Edberg in 1990.

"A lot of people say this is just once in a lifetime," he said. "But I do not feel like that.

"I know that when I play my best tennis, I can compete with the big boys. After Australia, I know what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

"Now the last four guys in the draw, we're all Grand Slam champions. It's pretty interesting."

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