WIMBLEDON, England — Andy Roddick is usually quick with a quip when describing his most recent match.

After losing to Richard Gasquet in the Wimbledon quarterfinals Friday, the third-seeded American was closer to being speechless.

"I'd love to make you try to understand what it feels like in the pit of your stomach right now, but I don't know if I can do that," Roddick said. "I don't know if I'm articulate enough to really put that into words for you."

Roddick, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, came within two points of reaching the semifinals before losing 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3), 8-6 at the All England Club. He also had a winning streak of 18 straight tiebreakers snapped in the third set.

Gasquet, who had 93 winners to only 29 unforced errors against Roddick, played Roger Federer in the semifinals Saturday. No. 2 Rafael Nadal faced No. 4 Novak Djokovic in the other men's semifinal.

Three-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and Marion Bartoli were to play for the women's title on Centre Court after Federer's match.

Roddick, who won his only Grand Slam title at the 2003 U.S. Open, came close to beating Gasquet while leading 6-5 in the fourth set. But Roddick sent a forehand wide and Gasquet then held with an ace.

"When you put your blood, sweat and tears — everything you have — into something, and you can almost taste it, you envision something and it doesn't work out, it's not easy," Roddick said.

It won't be easy for Justine Henin, either.

The top-ranked Henin, trying to complete a career Grand Slam, was up a set and break against Bartoli before losing 1-6, 7-5, 6-1.

"I still don't really realize what did happen," said Henin, who lost to Amelie Mauresmo in last year's final. "I don't understand what did happen."

Bartoli also upset No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round, then beat Michaella Krajicek in the quarterfinals.

"A match can turn easily," Bartoli said. "On a good day, I can beat everybody, and I proved it today."

Williams, playing in her sixth Wimbledon final, is next.

The 31st-ranked Williams and Bartoli at No. 19 are the two lowest ranked women to reach the Wimbledon final since the computer rankings began in 1975. Williams was ranked 16th when she won Wimbledon in 2005, the lowest previous ranking.

Federer dropped a set for the first time this year at the All England Club, but still beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

"OK, a set is lost, but a match isn't lost," said Federer, who stretched his grass-court winning streak to 52.

Federer beat Nadal in last year's final and is trying to win a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, something only Bjorn Borg has done in the past 100 years.

Nadal was broken once early in the first set, but didn't faced any more serious challenges in beating Tomas Berdych 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-2. He broke the Czech in the opening games of the second and third sets.