Roger Federer swatted aside Fernando Gonzalez 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 on Centre Court on Wednesday, leaving only two players between the world number one and a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles.
It was a magnificent machine-like quarter-final performance from the Swiss grass master, who had already beaten Gonzalez once this month on the Chilean's favoured clay surface in the third round of the French Open.
The 24-year-old Gonzalez, with his big forehand and useful serve, was the only man to reach the last eight without dropping a set.
But every time he looked like getting a foothold in the match, Federer simply selected another weapon from his armoury.
Mostly the pair traded punches from the back of the court. Gonzalez even managed to break back in the seventh game of the first set after Federer had taken a 4-2 lead.
The Swiss always had the advantage of serving first and he upped his pace, advancing to the net in the 12th game to take the set on his second set point when Gonzalez put the ball in the net.
The second set was something of a formality. Gonzalez turned up the volume on his explosive sighs and grunts of exertion as Federer pushed him round the court, breaking his serve in the second and last games. He needed only one set point.
The Chilean fought hard in the final set staying with the Swiss until the tiebreak. There was always the impression that Federer was playing within himself, however, and he wasted no time in the decider, winning 7-2 with an ace on matchpoint.
"I'm feeling happy and satisfied with the way I played -- I knew he was going to be dangerous," Federer said as he came off court.
Ominously, he added: "I can beat any player with this level of play."
The next opponent in Federer's sights is Australia's 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, whom he beat in last year's quarter-finals.
Hewitt reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the second time with a ruthless 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 victory over 26th seed Feliciano Lopez on Centre Court.
The 2002 men's title winner displayed his usual brand of gutsy tennis to end the surprise progress of his Spanish opponent.
Lopez, the first Spaniard in the men's quarter-finals for 33 years, broke the third seed early in the first set but he gifted Hewitt a break back with a double fault. Two netted Lopez volleys at 5-6 allowed Hewitt to clinch the first set.
The Australian was rock solid on serve in the next two sets, pressurising the left-handed serve and volleyer when it mattered to secure the victory in just under two hours.
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