Murray, Federer feeling the pressure heading into semifinals

LONDON -- It's not like there's any pressure on Andy Murray.

On Wednesday, Prince William and his wife, Kate (sans infant Charlotte), sat in the Royal Box and applauded the 28-year-old Scot's every minor triumph. And when Murray bent a few forehands away from Vasek Pospisil, David Beckham nodded his regal head in approval. So did Billie Jean King. About 500 who began queuing across the street two days earlier, most of them Murray fans, had managed to secure Centre Court tickets, while thousands more toasted him on the big screen out on Henman Hill.  

But no one wants to see Murray win this Wimbledon more than Murray himself. It has been two years since the Scot ended a 77-year Wimbledon title drought of British men, and a second championship would mean the world to him and his rabid faithful.

"On the court," Murray said of Wimbledon, "it's fairly stressful."

Of course, it's stressful for all of he remaining players. The formalities are over. Here are the reasons why each semifinalist is desperate to prove himself:

No. 1 Novak Djokovic, to find redemption for falling short in Paris

In 2011, Djokovic joined Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the rare, rare air of the three-majors-in-one-season club.

Since then, he has been to 10 Grand Slam singles finals and won only four titles -- one per year.

Djokovic went into the French Open as the player to beat, and sure enough, he defeated Nadal in the quarterfinals, handing the Spaniard only his second-ever loss at Roland Garros. But after Murray pushed Djokovic to the limit in the semifinals, he didn't have enough energy to subdue Wawrinka in the final. It was all lined up for the world No. 1 to bag his first French Open title and complete the career Grand Slam, but it didn't happen.

To reach this Wimbledon final, Djokovic defeated Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Cilic, the reigning US Open champion, has some ugly history with Djokovic. This was his 13th loss to Djokovic -- without a victory. Closing fast are Gael Monfils (0-11 versus Djokovic) and Andreas Seppi (0-10).

"Very solid performance after a tough five-set fourth round against Kevin [Anderson]," Djokovic said. "Didn't know how my body was going to feel. I was hoping I played well, which I have done."

No. 2 Roger Federer, to end his three-year Slam drought

The seven-time Wimbledon champion is contemplating the delicious possibility of an eighth title, which would break the record he shares with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.

The No. 2-seeded Federer beat No. 12 Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 in 94 minutes.

It was three years ago to the day that Federer won his most recent Grand Slam singles title -- right here, in four sets against Murray.

Can Federer, who turns 34 next month, win another Slam and add to his all-time total of 17? A lot of folks working the fortnight at the All England Club believe this is Fed's last great shot, but didn't he play for the championship last year, too?

In his news conference, Federer fondly remembered that 2012 final.

"There was a lot on the line with Andy," Federer said. "I think he was going for his first Wimbledon. So obviously it was always going to be tough. He had lost some majors before that. But I knew it was going to be difficult for me, too, because we were both playing very well.

"Very much at home on Centre Court, on grass."

That's almost too modest. Federer has the best grass-court record among active players (141-19) and is second in Open era victories at Wimbledon, only six behind Jimmy Connors' 84.

No. 3 Andy Murray, to get back Slam mojo

He finally won this thing in 2013. And then?

He underwent back surgery at the end of the 2013 season and split with his coach, Ivan Lendl, who had helped convince Murray he was worthy of being a Grand Slam champion. Murray has failed to win another major in his past seven tries.

He managed to beat Pospisil, the only unseeded player in the quarters, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

After a lost season, when he reached only three major quarterfinals and a semifinal, Murray looks ready to win a Grand Slam again. He made the final in Melbourne, where he lost to Djokovic, and the semifinal in Paris, when he extended Djokovic to five sets before falling.

"I've always played some of my best tennis here," Murray said later. "I hope I get to the final, but it's going to be tough."

That's because he'll be playing Federer, who holds a tenuous 12-11 head-to-head advantage.

No. 21 seed Richard Gasquet, to live up to his potential

Here is your outlier, the one who wasn't supposed to get there.

Three different times, the Frenchman finished the year as a top-10 player, but the past two years have been something less. Increasingly, the third round at the majors has been his usual exit point. Yet here he has flourished (once again) on the lawns of the All England Club.

Against French Open champion Stan Wawrinka, though, Gasquet seemed to be overmatched. He lost two of the first three sets but rallied into a fifth. He had the match on his racket, at 5-3 in the fifth, but lost his serve. And apparently, his nerve.

Wawrinka, fueled by momentum, leveled the match at 5-all, but Gasquet persevered. He won 11-9 in the fifth in a tense, taut match that clocked at 3 hours, 28 minutes.

"Of course it was tough after 5-3," Gasquet said afterward. "I really wanted to win it. I was very, very aggressive. It's a great match and I'm happy with the way I played."