Federer aims for Rod Laver's record

Paris: Roger Federer's eight consecutive trips to the semi-finals at Grand Slam tournaments is the second-longest streak in the Open era.

It's not, however, the accomplishment he's aiming for. Federer wants two more match victories at the French Open so he can be the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four majors in a row.

And if he really has his way, Federer will be across the net from defending champion Rafael Nadal in Sunday's final.

"Yeah, I'd like to play him," Federer said. "Look, I think we all would love to see me playing Rafa in the finals."

First things first, though. After beating Croatia's Mario Ancic 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, the top-ranked Federer must face David Nalbandian in the semi-finals.

Nalbandian defeated No 6 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to reach his second French Open semi-final.

Nalbandian - a semi-finalist at all four majors and the 2002 Wimbledon runner-up - won six of his first seven career matches against Federer, but the Swiss star is 5-1 against the Argentine since.

In Wednesday's quarter-finals, Nadal faces Novak Djokovic of Serbia-Montenegro, while Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia plays Julien Benneteau of France.

Federer has won seven of the past 11 majors, including the last three. He's never won the French Open, though, and is trying to join Laver, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Fred Perry and Andre Agassi as the only men to win a career Grand Slam.

The victory over Ancic was Federer's 26th in a row at majors, moving him past Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras and alone into second place. Laver holds the record of 29.

So how does Federer do it?

"Talent with hard work: Without one or the other, you're not going to get anywhere these days, anymore," he said.

"Thank God I realized in time what I needed to do. I got my game into a position where I can play aggressive, I can play defence, and I can play counter-attack, which is very good to know."

He appeared to be in a tough spot in the second set, trailing 3-1 against Ancic, the last man to beat Federer at Wimbledon, in 2002.

But Ancic needed a massage behind his right shoulder during a changeover, and Federer won the last five games of that set. Ancic was visited again by the trainer and tournament doctor in the third set, and Federer pulled away.

"For 1 and a half sets, it was a very, very close match. Could have been ... the other way around, too," Federer said. "After that, I was pretty much in control."