FEDERER: Andy Roddick stands between the world No 2 and a title which will establish him firmly as the greatest player of all time. Simon Cambers reports

For the second time in a month, Roger Federer stands on the verge of greatness. At the French Open, he needed the title to complete a set of grand-slam crowns. Today he stands just one win away from winning his sixth Wimbledon title and a record 15th grand-slam victory.

For the second time in a month, the man staring at him from across the net is not the one he expected to face when the tournament began. While Robin Soderling, of Sweden, took care of Rafa Nadal in Paris, so Andy Roddick ended the hopes of Andy Murray, who everyone, perhaps Roddick included, thought would have made it to the final.

Murray has beaten Federer six times in their eight meetings and seems to have got inside the Swiss master's head, to the extent that Federer went out of his way to point out that he thought Murray would have come through to the top of the game sooner than he has. Roddick, on the other hand, has won just twice in 20 contests with the world No 2.

Bettering the 14-slams mark he shares with Pete Sampras is only one of many records Federer is proud of. The Swiss has made it to the semi-finals or better in 21 consecutive grand slam events - an astonishing achievement that is testimony to his consistency and fitness - while he is appearing in his sixth straight grand-slam final and his seventh consecutive Wimbledon final.

Victory for Federer today would also give him back the No 1 ranking he relinquished to Nadal after last year's epic final. The top spot is likely to change hands a few times before the end of the year, but getting it back would be a considerable effort from Federer, who 12 months ago looked like a broken man. It is an opportunity he is unlikely to miss.

"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved, because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," Federer said. "I would have been happy winning a couple of tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon, sort of achieving the dream scenario, but not really all those records.

"It's quite staggering. I think it's my sixth straight grand-slam final as well. Having so many things going for me again, and an opportunity again, it's fantastic. It's quite amazing to be back in the Wimbledon final already because it seems like all of a sudden everything happened very quickly."

Federer is a keen student of the game and admits that the records mean more to him now than they did when he won his first Wimbledon title in 2003.

" You don't know all the records when you haven't been there," he said. "You know who won Wimbledon a ton of times, who's been No 1 in the world for a certain number of weeks, who's won X number of titles. Those are the big stats you might know if you're interested.

"But then there are so many other records out there that people don't know except if you reach them yourself or if somebody reaches it. It's nice that they talk about them, because it gives me even more of an incentive to do well for myself.

"I love playing against the younger generation, trying to beat those and then the next generation again and playing for the history books, but especially also playing for myself. There's a big incentive. I really enjoy that part of the game right now."

Federer said he expected to feel less pressure in the final than he did in Paris last month, or even than in 2007 when he won his fifth straight Wimbledon title, equalling Bjorn Borg's achievement of 1976-1980.

"For some reason that meant the world to me," he said. "I was like in a bubble for two weeks, just trying to achieve it.

"So this time around I think I'm much more relaxed. Maybe it's also because of Paris. But I really think that experience, trying to go for my fifth Wimbledon was a really big one. That's why I might be actually a bit more relaxed this year."

A quick look at his head-to-head record with Roddick should also put him at ease. The American has managed to win just twice in their 20 meetings, once in 2003 and last year in Miami when Federer was going through a relative dip in form.

"I've played him 20 times, so I've had plenty of time to study his game, to understand his game," Federer said.

"He's always played me quite differently every single time I've played him. In the beginning of his career, I remember back in 2003, he was sometimes standing way back on the return. But then I played him one year, not on grass, but let's say in 2004, he chipped and charged a lot, came to the net a lot. I've also played him when he's serve and volleyed on the first serve and also sometimes on the second."

"I've had many different looks against Roddick. I enjoy how he leaves everything out on the court. I can only marvel at how incredible his serve is. I like playing against him, not only because of the record."

Watching Federer over the past few months has been a fascinating exercise. When he was struggling last year, his forehand - once the most feared shot in tennis - was misfiring and even wild at times. Recently, he has reined it in, cutting down the errors and becoming much more effective. It is not the weapon it was, but it is no longer a liability.

Federer said his record against Roddick would mean little when the two men step out on the court today, saying they "start from zero".

"At the end of the day, you have to let the racquet do the talking," he said.

"I'm happy where my game's at right now. It's a big one. I know what's on the line. I hope I can play another good match."

With no Murray to worry about, Federer just has to cope with Roddick, but if the American plays as well as he did in the semi-finals, then it may not be quite the one-sided affair many anticipate.

Under the guidance of Larry Stefanki, the American coach who helped John McEnroe, Tim Henman, Marcelo Rios and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, he has added some much-needed variety to his game, coming to the net a lot more than in the past and improving his net coverage.

His serve is arguably the best in the game - he made 75% of his first serves against Murray - and if he can match that, then he has a chance. Not a big one, but a chance, which is more than can be said for either of their two previous meetings in the Wimbledon final, in 2004 and 2005.

"I know how tough it is," the 26-year-old said. "But I'm excited about this one. I didn't know if I was ever going to get the chance to play in a final at Wimbledon again. I'm certainly thankful to have that opportunity.

"Obviously you can't really say enough to signify what Roger's career has been to this point. I'd love to delay it for another grand slam."