London: Wimbledon's Centre Court will be packed to the rafters later Friday when defending champion Rafa Nadal takes on local hope Andy Murray in their eagerly-awaited Wimbledon semi-final.
Second-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic battles France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first last-four clash with the Serb extra wary after the number 12 seed upset six-times champion Roger Federer in the quarter-finals.
Empty seats and some poor quality tennis marred Thursday's women's semi-finals but the second men's encounter will certainly capture the public's imagination at the grasscourt grand slam in southwest London.
Fourth seed Murray is bidding to be the first British man in 75 years to win Wimbledon and the home fans will be roaring on the 24-year-old in a repeat of the semi-final he lost last year.
Spain's top seed Nadal, nursing a minor foot injury, also beat the Scot at the same stage of this year's French Open.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, July 01, 2011, 08:47