Tennis: An American journalist took a call from her office on the steps to the press box just outside Centre Court. "Yeah," she said to her colleague, "Iaindee's gettin' his ass kicked by Radgerr."

Her naked summary described a perfectly pitched Wimbledon semi-final from Switzerland's Roger Federer, who took the brash, full-on game of America's Andy Roddick and decommissioned it. Then cut him to ribbons.

Roddick's new coach, Brad Gilbert, could only sit and stare impassively. Blanked out to the world behind wraparound shades and a wide-brimmed hat with "Metallica" stamped on the front, he watched as Roddick's heavy-metal game buckled more and more as the heat intensified, until he finally fell 7-6, 6-3, 6-3. The 20-year-old's confidence may well need reconstruction after this Independence Day party.

He was crushed by Federer in the second part of a whirlwind few hours in which both semi-finals lasted only three sets. It is the first time since 1982, when John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors breezed into the final, that the men's semis have been completed so quickly.

In the other match Australia's Mark Philippoussis once again defied his ranking of 48 and a rickety knee to push out a low-watt Sebastien Grosjean, also by 7-6, 6-3, 6-3, in a "Boys' Own" run to his first Wimbledon final.

Philippoussis may well watch Federer's match against Roddick and wince at the fluidity, power and astonishing accuracy of the 21-year-old, who at the end was given a standing ovation.

"I don't think I've been beaten that convincingly before when I felt I went into the match thinking, 'okay, I'm playing well'," said Roddick.

"There's not much he doesn't have. Now it seems like he's putting it together upstairs. It's weird. I mean as far as talent goes, I don't know if there is anybody out there more talented."

Federer took the first finely balanced set on a tiebreak, an important foothold for the renowned front-runner. "How many people have beaten Roger when he's a set up?" asked Roddick gloomily after the match. Roddick did have a set point but wound up a huge forehand into the net to allow Federer recover. Two points later the American was stung for the set.

Thereafter Federer brought his level up, breaking the famed Roddick serve for 2-0 in the second set, then holding until he served at 5-3, icing two huge forehands to send Roddick back to his chair shaking his head.

Federer was comfortable backcourt or at the net with his seamless game but his ability to return Roddick's heavy deliveries had the young American scrambling for much of the third set.

One break for 3-2 and another for 6-3 and Roddick's hopes evaporated. It was not so much the end of a match for Roddick as it was respite.

"I feel I can return his serve," said Federer. "I'm not scared of his serve because every time I play him, I read it well. He gets kind of frustrated because I read it. Then he has to adjust."

The 6ft 4ins Philippoussis used his right arm to great effect against a tired looking 5ft 9ins Grosjean. Grosjean had no answer to the Australian's relentless serve and attack from the net. A tiebreak started the roll for the 26-year-old before Grosjean's passing shots deserted him and the match was finished briskly 6-3, 6-3.

"I've been through a lot but everything in life happens for a reason," said Philippoussis, who is now in his second Grand Slam final.