TENNIS: To shake off the overwhelming sense of inevitability has been difficult these last two weeks. Roger Federer's profile dominates the Wimbledon skyline as imperiously as Centre Court.

Whoever does what, whatever happens to whom on the grass, it does not register as significant when compared to the grandeur of Federer's game and the breadth of his ability. Against his imperial standard, others measure.

Yesterday the player, who two times Wimbledon finalist Pat Rafter amiably named a mongrel, was dropped into the Centre Court pit with the Swiss number one. Of all the competitors here, it was Lleyton Hewitt's scavenging aggression, his rock hard temperament that might have exposed a weakness in the champion's game or drew him out into beatable territory.

Hewitt, the number two-ranked player in the world, quickly found that demand beyond his reach. As others have discovered since, Federer began his 35 match-winning grass streak two years ago, he does not appear to have a weakness. He can serve well on both deliveries, he can forehand and backhand players into submission from the base line. He can volley or slice them out of the draw and he can mix it all up mid-match if it's not working out.

As Hewitt found out over three sets, Federer is also mentally tough and he rarely makes mistakes. As the Australian observed afterwards, the critical part in the evolution of the champion's game in the past two years is that he no longer gives away free points. Over three sets, which Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 7-6, not once was the mongrel thrown a bone.

Afterwards, Hewitt was asked if it was difficult being one of the best players in the world when a 'freak like Roger' comes along.

"A little bit," he said. "You try and look for answers I guess. But it's not easy. I've got no doubt I'm the second best player going around right at the moment. It's just that the best player going around is pretty, bloody good."

Hewitt's first set promised that Federer's drive for his third successive final would not be processional. Broken in the second game, the Australian hit back to break the Federer serve immediately and around the stadium crowd the belief was that at least he had fractured Federer's unbeatable veneer.

Imperceptibly, the 23-year-old raised the level of his game and as Hewitt fought and retrieved it was clear who was controlling the points. Finally another break point fell to the champion and with it he claimed the set.

There were no more displays of human frailty on the Federer serve. Over the next two sets Hewitt did not earn one break point, his opponent winning three in the second set for 6-4 and two in the third, Federer finally winning the match on a tiebreak.

Perhaps prematurely, Federer is again being compared to Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, but his instincts are to down play the suggestions that already he has successfully entered the pantheon of great tennis players.

The superlatives have been heaped on him for the past two years, but he still walks the fine line between honesty and false modesty.

"I don't hear the commentary when I'm playing; I haven't seen or heard anything," he said when asked about his reaction to the admiration people have for his talent. "But I've gotten many, many nice things said about me and my game and everything. Definitely appreciate that. At the beginning I thought it was quite difficult to get all the praises. But then I still hadn't achieved anything. Now it suits me better."

Federer will not know who he faces in the final until today when Andy Roddick and Thomas Johansson complete their semi- final. Once again rain interrupted play yesterday afternoon with Roddick leading 6-5 in the first set.