Twice defending champion Roger Federer and former world number one Andy Roddick will square off in a mouthwatering US Open final on Sunday after rolling over Russians in their semi-finals.
Federer needed an hour and 43 minutes on Saturday to breeze past iron man Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 to become the first man in the Open era to reach six straight Grand Slam finals.
Roddick recovered from a first-set wobble to oust unseeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-7, 6-0, 7-6, 6-3 and reach his first Open final since winning the tournament in 2003.
Also read: Paes-Damm win US Open men's doubles
"I'm going to enjoy this for about five minutes and then eat a lot tonight, try to get some sleep, and then try to win the US Open tomorrow," Roddick told a cheering, capacity crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Number two seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who like Federer has reached the finals in all four majors this year, was to meet number three Maria Sharapova later on Saturday in the women's final.
Federer has a 10-1 record against Roddick, the lone setback in 2003 on a hard court in Montreal. The Swiss has won both times they have met in grand slam finals, both at Wimbledon.
"Totally different, grass and hard court," said Federer. "I think it's obviously more difficult here because of the crowd and the whole finals situations, playing an American.
"And the only time I lost against him was on a hard court. It wasn't here, but it was on a hard court."
WINNING STREAK
Federer has a 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows and has lost just one set, a tiebreaker, in his six matches on the Open hard courts this year.
Davydenko, a tireless 25-year-old baseliner who has taken just two weeks off this year, has now lost to Federer in all eight career matches.
The Russian was beaten by Federer in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 but this time offered less resistance.
"In Australia, I had control from the baseline but today he was hitting too fast," Davydenko said.
"He was returning (serve) good and played very good from the baseline, forehand and backhand. He played the backhand well. That was surprising. He made no mistakes."
Ninth seeded Roddick won the Open three years ago but despite reaching two straight Wimbledon finals has failed to capture any Grand Slams since and slipped out of the world's top 10 this year.
SUPERB PLAY
Roddick made just 18 unforced errors in the match but the 54th-ranked, 24-year-old Youzhny took the first set tiebreak 7-5 with some superb all-court play.
The American roared back to take the second set in just 22 minutes and, after taking the third set tiebreak 7-3, broke once in the fourth to secure the victory.
Youzhny, who produced the most shocking upset of the fortnight when he knocked out number two seed Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, was satisfied with his results.
"If somebody two weeks ago told me I would be leaving two weeks later, on Sunday, I would have said, 'Hey, is joke, is joke of the year.'"
After hiring five-times Open champion Jimmy Connors as his coach this summer, the 24-year-old has been rejuvenated and reached the final with the loss of just three sets.
"I'm just gonna go out and throw it all at him," Roddick said of his match with Federer. "I'm just going to go for it. Just play the way I have.
"If the guy plays too well, then he plays too well. But I'm not going to lay down. I'm going to go out there and try to win the US Open."
Federer said he will not be bothered by what is sure to be a pro-Roddick crowd at the National Tennis Center Sunday.
"I think it's more enjoyable if the crowd really gets into it," said 25-year-old Federer.
"Here, it's automatic that you'll have the crowd support for the Americans. I've seen it how it was with (James) Blake and with (Andre) Agassi over the years.
"I don't think there will be any difference in the final."
© 2024 Rediff.com -