Roger Federer says the "stars are aligned" after beating rival Rafael Nadal to reach the Wimbledon final.

The Swiss, chasing a ninth Wimbledon crown and 21st Grand Slam title, will face world number one Novak Djokovic after a 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-3 6-4 win.

He said his performance against Nadal in a match that "lived up to the hype" gave him confidence for the final.

"This is like a school: the day of the test you're not going to read many books that day," the 37-year-old said.

"I don't think there's much I need to do in terms of practice.

"It's quite clear the work was done way before. I think that's why I was able to produce a good result today. It's been a rock solid year of mine, I won in Halle [for a record 10th time last month], the stars are aligned right now.

"From that standpoint I can go into that match very confident."

'Age kicks in' - Federer

Federer, who turns 38 in less than four weeks' time, will become the oldest finalist here since Ken Rosewall in 1974.

While his years on the clock have not stopped him reaching a record-extending 12th Wimbledon men's singles final, they are keeping his celebrations in check after his victory over Nadal.

"Age kicks in. I know it's not over yet," said the Swiss, who is now into his fifth final at the All England Club since turning 30.

"There's no point to start partying tonight or get too emotional, too happy about it, even though I am extremely happy.

"I think I can with experience really separate the two. If it was the end of the tournament, it would be very different right now. I'd be speaking very different, feeling very different. There is, unfortunately or fortunately, one more."

He said Friday's victory over Nadal, which was their first meeting at the grass-court Grand Slam since their epic 2008 final which the Spaniard won, would go down as one of his favourites to look back on.

"It lived up to the hype, especially from coming out of the gates, we were both playing very well," he said. "Then the climax at the end with the crazy last game, some tough rallies there.

"It had everything at the end, which was great. I'm just relieved it's all over at this point."

'We are not done' - Nadal

Nadal said Federer had deserved the victory, adding he himself had not played as well as in previous rounds and by the time he started finding his game towards the end of the match it was too late.

"I think his return was better than my one this afternoon. I didn't receive well today," the 33-year-old said.

"I think today the backhand didn't work as good as in the previous rounds. I was little bit too worried about my backhand, so I was not able to move with freedom to the forehand."

Nadal managed a smile when asked - for what he sighed was the 1,000th time - about the rivalry between himself, Federer and Novak Djokovic, who between them hold 53 Grand Slam titles - and soon to be 54.

Between them, come Sunday, they will have won the past 11 major titles.

And, helped by the fact the next generation is still failing to break through in a meaningful way, they are not finished yet.

"It is great to be part of this rivalry, be in the middle of these three players that achieved that much in this sport in the same era," he said.

"It is something that is going to be difficult to see it again. We are not done, so... things continue."

Defending champion Novak Djokovic defied a mid-match slump to reach the Wimbledon final with a four-set victory over Roberto Bautista Agut.

In an agitated display, the Serb beat Spain's Bautista Agut 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2 to reach his 25th Grand Slam final.

Djokovic, chasing his fifth Wimbledon title, will face Roger Federer - who beat Rafael Nadal - in Sunday's final.

"This has been the dream tournament for me since I was a child," said 32-year-old Djokovic.

"So to be in another final is a dream come true. Regardless of the history and many finals I've played, playing finals at Wimbledon is something different so I'll definitely enjoy that experience.

"I had to dig deep. It's the semi-finals and Roberto was playing his first Grand Slam semi-final. He was not overwhelmed.

"He played really well. He was managing his nerves in the first set but later on he established himself and started to play better.

"I got a bit tight. It was a close opening four or five games of the third set - that's where the match could have gone a different way. I'm glad it went my way."

Asked if he would be watching the second semi-final between Federer and Nadal, 15-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said: "Of course I will watch it - my coaches will probably see the whole match. I'll definitely see parts of it.

"I'm a fan of that match-up as well. Federer v Nadal is one of the most epic rivalries of all time."

Djokovic stutters but battles back

Bautista Agut - who had been expecting to be in Ibiza for his stag do on Friday - had won both of his ties with Djokovic in 2019, in Doha and Miami, yet this was to be their first meeting on grass.

But he showed little sign of troubling Djokovic in the first set, having his opening service game broken as Djokovic steamrolled his way into a 3-0 lead.

Looking cool, calm and in control, the world number one broke Bautista Agut again at set point, hitting 12 winners and three aces in a 36-minute set.

But Djokovic looked unsettled in a second set in which he changed his racquet on numerous occasions, falling to an early break from which he didn't recover.

He hit 13 unforced errors as Bautista Agut twice held to love, serving out the set at the first opportunity with a little help from the net cord.

Djokovic grew more agitated in the third set, taking a swipe at the grass early on after skewing a return, but he found the composure needed to go a break up midway through.

Ending a 45-shot rally with a backhand winner allowed Djokovic to hold the following game, in which Bautista Agut had held two break points, before serving out the set.

Djokovic spurned three break points in the opening game of the fourth set, ramming his finger into his head while looking towards his box as his frustrations got the better of him.

But he quickly went a double break up as Bautista Agut started to run out of gas, before serving out the set on his fifth match point.

Bautista Agut free to go on stag party

The Spaniard, whose friends and future-wife Ana were in the players' box, later said his stag-do could still take place this weekend.

"We had everything reserved until Sunday," said Bautista Agut. "They all knew before there was a small chance to be here.

"I think they really had a good plan. They spent Wednesday in Ibiza then they came to watch a good match, the semi-final of Wimbledon.

"Maybe tomorrow we will go back (to Ibiza)."

This was the match Wimbledon had been waiting so long for.

Eleven years on from their last meeting on the Centre Court grass - that remarkable 2008 final - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with 38 Grand Slam titles between them, were back.

Their semi-final had its own hashtag, #FEDAL40, celebrating their 40th meeting. Henman Hill was so full that cordons were put in place to help ease overcrowding.

The queue for the resale ticket office was hundreds long yet there was little chance of any of the near 15,000 people on Centre Court budging from their seats.

David Beckham was back in the Royal Box for a second successive day to see his fellow sporting legends, Sir David Attenborough was on the edge of his seat and actors Jude Law and Hugh Grant were mesmerised by the unfolding drama.

This, as it proved and always was going to be, was one of those "I was there" moments.

It may not have been as dramatic as the 2008 final but the final stages were full of tension, with Nadal saving four match points. But it was Federer who clinched a 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-3 6-4 victory and the chance to take on defending champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday.

'It was a masterclass from Federer'

Eight-time champion Federer is just four weeks shy of his 38th birthday but his performance against Nadal demonstrated just why, if not yet confirmed, he is considered the greatest tennis player to ever step foot on a court.

Swiss great Federer's backhand has often been considered his weakness, as he has previously said himself, yet his work to improve this area of his game was evident with several sublime winners.

His movement, his resilience, his shot selection - they all point to a player at the peak of his powers, albeit one who is inevitably nearing the end of his career. But Spaniard Nadal - four years his junior - still came unstuck.

"Nadal dug his toes in, he knew he had to make Federer serve it out. We know they're both very resilient players," said former British number one Tim Henman on BBC Two.

"What surprised me was when the rallies extended out, it was Federer who was coming out on top. He was driving in, looking to finish the points at the net, and for three of four sets it was a masterclass from Federer.

"Historically we've seen Nadal dominate when he extends the rallies. At 37, Federer - you felt - might get tired but it was just phenomenal.

"Nadal was always playing catch up. Federer on his serve was always up 15-love you felt, Nadal was never really up love-15 and able to get the crowd on side."

Federer's eight Wimbledon titles are more than any other man in history and if he beats Djokovic he will match Martina Navratilova's success in women's singles.

His performance against Nadal perhaps set a precedent for what is to come on Sunday, but in Djokovic he faces a defending champion eager not to relinquish his title.

"It was surprising how aggressive and how consistent Federer was," added Henman.

"On the back of that performance, it's going to be very interesting to start thinking about the dynamics of the final."

The stats

What they said

Pat Cash: A near flawless #Federer defeats #Nadal to get into yet another #Wimbledon final! Godlike tennis from the 37-year-old. Unreal stuff!

Greg Rusedski: Roger Federer was absolutely brilliant today. His second serve stat for points won and his backhand were incredible today. What a champion performance. Credit to Nadal as well who gave everything.

Katie Boulter: What a privilege to still be watching these two men. Incredible.

What you said

KayK: That backhand of Federer should be declared as the eighth wonder of the world

Tom Brown: I do love Roger Federer. For me, he is the greatest sportsman of all time.

Marc Nash: The tennis world will never ever be the same when these guys are not around anymore. Two of the best sportsmen I've ever seen and they are now relatively old and still nobody can get near them.

Karl Bristow: Sometimes it feels like the game needs young stars to come through. But when you watch a high-quality match like that, you want Federer vs Nadal at Wimbledon forever.

Philip West: Federer has just laid the ghosts of 2008 to rest, and if that's the final time he and Nadal play each other at #Wimbledon, what a match to close it out.

Now for Djokovic...

Federer and Djokovic's last meeting came at the Paris Masters last year but not since the 2015 Wimbledon final have they gone head-to-head on grass. Their last two meetings on this surface have resulted in Djokovic victories.

In fact on all surfaces, eight of their last 10 meetings have gone the Serb's way. But Federer is someone who can never be written off.

"It's just staggering. Nobody has really shown this sort of longevity - not at this level anyway," said BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller.

But are there chinks in Federer's armour?

"The only thing that slightly concerns me was that he admitted he was exhausted at the beginning of his interview," added Fuller. "That must have delighted Novak Djokovic."