By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Wimbledon
Richard Gasquet fought back from two sets down to stun Andy Roddick and reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Gasquet is a former junior world number one
The French 12th seed looked to be out of it against the American two-time finalist before winning two tie-breaks.
The decider went with serve until game 14 when a Roddick double fault set up the break to seal an inspired comeback 4-6 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-3) 8-6.
Gasquet will now face reigning champion Roger Federer, who saw off Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-1 6-3.
Former junior world number one Gasquet, 21, came of age against Roddick after the American failed to serve out when leading by two sets and a break.
Some breathtaking shot-making in the tie-breaks particularly left even Roddick shaking his head in disbelief.
By the end of the match Gasquet had racked up a phenomenal 93 winners, primarily off his backhand.
"After losing two sets I decided to play more aggressive, to play with my backhand, to go to the net and serve better," said Gasquet.
"I had nothing to lose. I played with no pressure and it was incredible for me to play like that."
A disappointed Roddick admitted it was as hard a defeat to take as any he had experienced and said: "I thought I played pretty well, I thought he played very well. Credit to him, he had 90-something winners."
The pressure is always the same as defending champion at Wimbledon
Federer resumed serving at a tricky 5-5, 40-40 and raced through the first set tie-break. But Ferrero broke in game seven as he took the second set.
Thoughts of an upset did not last long, though, as Federer stepped it up and lost just four more games as the windy but dry conditions did little to hamper his progress.
Any thoughts that he might be a little rusty, having had an enforced five-day break until Thursday because of the weather, were dispelled with his opening serve of the day - an ace.
Ferrero was never in the ensuing tie-break but the former world number one, playing in his first Wimbledon quarter-final, broke for a 4-3 lead in the second set and held on to level.
After an inactive week it appeared to be just what Federer needed and he swept the Spaniard aside with two breaks in the third set and another two in the fourth.
Asked about how the five-day break had affected him, Federer told BBC Sport: "It's an advantage but also a disadvantage. I'm really happy I came through, it means I'm back in the rhythm.
"It was really, really tough conditions, very gusty wind, so I'm happy to come through it. OK, a set is lost but the match isn't lost."