Wimbledon, England -- (Sports Network) - Rainer Schuettler outlasted Frenchman Arnaud Clement, and some rain on Thursday, to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon, where the veteran German will face two-time runner-up Rafael Nadal of Spain on Friday. The other semi will pit five-time champion Roger Federer against former world No. 1 Marat Safin on Centre Court at the All England Club.

Schuettler and Clement split a pair of sets before their quarterfinal encounter was suspended because of darkness here on Wednesday. On Thursday, the two veterans resumed play with what would turn out to be a 5-hour, 12- minute marathon on Court 1.

The 32-year-old Schuettler wound up with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (7-9), 8-6 decision on the hallowed lawns.

It appeared as though Schuettler would get past the 30-year-old Clement in four sets on Day 10, but the German wound up blowing a 4-1 lead and saw Clement fight back to ultimately force a 16-point tiebreak, which was won by the pesky Frenchman.

In the fifth set, the 2001 Australian Open runner-up Clement managed to get himself a match point while leading 5-4, but the 2003 Aussie Open finalist from Germany fought it off and wound up holding his serve for a 5-5 deadlock.

Following back-to-back service breaks by the two vets, rain interrupted the action, knotted at 6-all, deuce. When they returned to the court, following what was a second rain delay, Schuettler broke for a 7-6 edge and then held his serve to complete the epic victory, which featured 15 services breaks, including eight by the German.

Schuettler is now 5-1 all-time versus Clement, including a victory at this year's Australian Open.

The other men's quarterfinals were completed here on Wednesday, with wins coming for Federer, the four-time French Open champion Nadal and Safin.

Schuettler will appear in his first-ever Wimbledon semifinal and his second career major semi. He's 1-3 lifetime against Nadal, who is 10 years his junior. Nadal will compete in his third straight semi at the All England Club, where he's dropped only one set so far this year.

The 22-year-old Nadal is currently riding a torrid 22-match overall winning streak, including his first-ever grass-court title, in London, three weeks ago and a pasting of Federer in last month's French Open final.

Friday's marquee semi will be Federer-Safin.

Federer is 8-2 lifetime against Safin, including 2-1 at Grand Slams. The Swiss drubbed the Russian in the third round here at Wimbledon last year and also beat Safin in the 2004 Aussie Open finale. Safin upset Federer in an incredible semifinal match at the 2005 Aussie Open.

The top-seeded/world No. 1 Federer, who has yet to drop a set at this particular fortnight, will appear in his sixth straight Wimbledon semifinal. The reigning five-time Wimbledon champ has won 39 straight matches here and 64 straight on grass, dating back to 2002. The 12-time Grand Slam champion, who beat Nadal in the last two Wimbledon finales, is closing in on Bjorn Borg's record winning streak here, as the iconic Swede nailed down 41 straight wins from 1976-81.

The 26-year-old Federer will appear in a record 17th straight Grand Slam semi.

For the former world No. 1 Safin, he'll play in his first-ever Wimbledon semifinal and seventh career major semi. His last Grand Slam semifinal came at the 2005 Australian Open.

The 28-year-old currently 75th-ranked Safin is a two-time Grand Slam champion, with the big wins coming at the 2000 U.S. Open and the '05 Aussie Open.