The Hindu : Sport : It's Roddick vs. Federer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 22, 2005

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Sport

It's Roddick vs. Federer

CINCINNATI: Andy Roddick defeated Lleyton Hewitt for only the second time in eight matches to reach the final of the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament, where he will face Roger Federer, who defeated Robby Ginepri in the semifinals.

Roddick beat third-seeded Australian Hewitt 6-4, 7-6(4) on Saturday to earn his first win over the Australian since June 2004 at Queen's Club in London.

The result gives Roddick the chance to change his fortunes against Switzerland's Federer, who bolstered his own confidence with a resounding 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 comeback victory over Ginepri.

Federer, the world No. 1, has allowed Roddick just one win from 10 meetings, winning their last five including the last two Wimbledon finals.

"I'm excited," said Roddick, whose lone Grand Slam title came at the 2003 U.S. Open. "I'm going to have to play aggressive like I did today.

"But it's just great to be through into another final," added Roddick, the champion here two years ago.

Roddick rained down 23 aces, striking 43 winners and just 18 unforced errors. The win improved his record this season to 49-10 with four titles.

"I played some serve-and-volley today, and that made the difference," said the American.

With this win, Federer, now 63-3 on the season, has not lost to an American since going down in 2003 to Andy Roddick in the Montreal semifinals.

After the pair split sets, the 58th-ranked Ginepri, playing at the peak of his game, Federer began to squeeze in the third, with dark clouds gathering and thunder sounding near the stadium.

The Swiss dropped unseeded Ginepri to 20 defeats against Top 10 players with a break in the final game as the American's volley sailed out.

Federer stretched a win streak to 17 consecutive matches since his semifinal loss to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros on June 3. He last lost a final in 2003 at Gstaad against Jiri Novak.

The victory boosted Federer to 37-1 on hard courts in 2005.

All-Belgian final

Seventh seed Kim Clijsters raced into the final of the Rogers Cup at Toronto after a 6-4, 6-1 drubbing of Russian Anastasia Myskina on Saturday. She will meet her compatriot and the fourth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who beat France's Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

"I was starting to feel better and better as the match went on," Clijsters told reporters. "I'm very happy with this win."

Ninth seed Myskina again played with a splint on her sprained left ankle and appeared to run out of ideas in the second set after being hampered by the injury all week.

Clijsters, who has won two of her last three tournaments including last week's event in Los Angeles, took the opening set after breaking serve in the 10th game when Myskina hit a shot long.

"I've had a long three, four weeks but this just tops it off being in another final," said Clijsters. "It was a fun game today."

The results (semifinals): At Mason (Cincinnati Masters): Roger Federer bt Robby Ginepri 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Andy Roddick bt Lleyton Hewitt 6-4, 7-6(4).

At Toronto: (WTA Canadian Open): Kim Clijsters bt Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-1; Justine Henin-Hardenne bt Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

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