5-4 - First smashed racket of the day from Marat! He refused to change the racket and take the penalty, though there was a definite crack in it. Federer holds to 15 and on Safin's way to the chair he smashes it against the chair cleanly. The umpire gives him a code violation in the end, and doe so as gingerly as possible.

4-3 - Federer back into first-set service mode where he was nearly untouchable. The Swiss holds to LOVE.

3-2 - Safin is in disbelief at Federer's forehand winner down the line after a stupendous shot into the corner from the Russian. The Swiss holds to 30 and leads 3-2 in the third.

40-40 - Safin saves a critical BREAK POINT with the service winner.

2-1 - As Federer gets to 40-0, Safin shrugs and then lets out that massive Charlie Brown-esque "ARGHHHHHH!!!" we've been waiting for. An effortless volley winner and Federer holds to LOVE.

1-0 - All of that being said, Federer again holds with ease, to 30 this time, to start off the third set.

----- - ROB in RUSSIA has some interesting, if confusing, words for Ralph: "Ralphy had 3 eggs instead of 2 this morning - ignore him. The Fed is maintaining the interest Rate before giving us a nice CUT and an INSIDE BREAK and as much as my home fans love the MAT - he aint got the puff and steam to dispense with the FED. MAT will fold to 6-0 in the third and another 3 brocken smassssssssssssssssssed raquets." The egg thing must be a Russian thing.

TB2-6 - Federer gets to four SET POINTS with a wonderful forehand winner down the line that inspires a "COME ON!" from the normally stoic world number one

TB0-3 - Safin drops his first point horribly with a sad backhand approach into the net. Federer already in total control of the breaker.

5-6 - A lovely backhand slice volley completely wrong-foots Federer and Safin throws down the gauntlet with his own hold to LOVE. Each man has one challenge left now.

4-5 - A comfortable hold to 15 for Safin. Federer will serve to stay in the second set.

30-30 - Safin sees the serve-and-volley and hits a very low return to force Federer into the net. Smart play. He then gets to 30-30 by pressing the Swiss into another error.

40-40 - Marat is now forced to save his own BREAK POINT. Which he does with an ace out wide. At least after earning a few BREAK POINTS of his own Safin can start to feel like Federer is NOT invincible on serve. DEUCE.

----- - If you're bored by our game-by-game comments you can click on Simon Reed's preview on our tennis page because "ralph r" is giving his own little running commentary on how this match is going. Here's what he said at the start of the set: "first three games of 2nd set much tighter, we could have a real dog fight on our hand. WOOF WOOF" To get involved either click on the story and respond to the thread or email me at jstahl@eurosport.com.

2-2 - Federer survives with a couple of huge first serves, but that was an encouraging return game for the Russian.

40-40 - Safin goes up 30-15 on Federer's serve to take a lead on the Swiss's serve for the first time this match. Federer responds with a gorgeous forehand winner down the line. But he then hits a backhand error into the net to give the Russian his first BREAK POINT chance!! Federer dominates the next point to save at the net.

----- - Simon Reed made a fairly standard prediction for todayÂ’s semi-finals (Federer and Nadal to win with ease). Our head commentator's thoughts on the first semi: "Marat Safin's done really well, and he played superbly against Novak Djokovic, but I just can't see him getting past Federer. Three years ago he survived a match point when the pair played out a fantastic semi-final in Melbourne, and went on to win the Australian Open. After that he disappeared into the wilderness, but he's fought his way back. Federer is in another league, however, and I expect him to stroll through in straight sets."

0-1 - While that first set took less than 30 minutes, Marat Safin is serving much better now and he finishes off a hold to 15 with a huge ace down the T.

6-3 - And of course it goes to Federer. The Swiss creates a SET POINT with a gorgeous ace out wide, his third, and then wraps up the hold with a service winner. It's difficult to imagine anyone beating Federer when he's serving like this, save for possibly Rafael Nadal.

5-3 - Safin holds to 15 with some big first serves and a fine serve-and-volley. Still, Federer will serve for the opening having dropped just two points on serve so far this match. The crowd starting to get behind the Russian a bit.

5-2 - Safin starting to look far more at ease. Just as we say that he shanks a forehand horribly and shrugs in disbelief. Federer then hits the service winner to go up 40-15 before finishing off another hold to 15 with another service winner. Safin will serve to stay in the set.

4-1 - Federer rushes through another comfortable hold, though the Russian finally takes one point off of his serve. Safin slams his racket into the ground in trademark fashion and 14 minutes in this is still a one-way match.

3-0 - Fderer swatting backhand winners with ease in the early going, earns another LOVE-Service game after the forehand error from the world number 75, and has yet to drop a point on serve. Safin already down 3-0 in just eight minutes of play.

40-40 - The big Russian, who did not sound super confident coming today, has already handed his rival an opening BREAK POINT with a long forehand error. Safin has to be relieved as he saves after Federer sends his own backhand error wide. DEUCE.

0-0 - We're underway! Safin won the toss, and elected to receive. Federer serves first.

----- - In the ten lifetime meetings between these two men, Federer has won eight including a 6-1 6-4 7-6(4) victory in the third round of Wimbledon last year and a 6-4 6-7(6) 6-4 win in the Halle final of 2005 in their only other meeting on grass. But their most memorable meeting was probably the one before that when Safin claimed an epic 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6(6) 9-7 triumph in the 2005 Australian Open semi-finals.