Roddick Finally Puts the Hammer Down on Hewitt

Andy Roddick didn’t break anymore service records on Saturday at Queen’s, instead, the 21-year-old broke longtime nemesis Lleyton Hewitt. The top-seeded Roddick needed just 75 minutes to dispatch his Australian mate 7-6(7), 6-3, to set up a title clash with fifth-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean in a rematch of the 2003 Queen’s Club championship match.

“I think he played a better first set than I did today, but he played a pretty sloppy game when he served for it at 5-4,” said Roddick who was 0-3 against Hewitt entering the match. “It gave me a chance and I played a really solid tie-break. In the second set, I was very pleased with the way I played.”

Roddick began the affair misfiring as Hewitt mounted a break advantage and then served for the first set at 5-4. Hewitt cued a few errors and the next thing the Australian knew he was playing tennis roulette in the tiebreaker. After 14 straight service holds in the tiebreak, a Hewitt forehand error opened the door for Roddick.

In the second set, the Kid with the Golden Arm, showed why he is the most feared server in the game smacking two more 153mph blasts to cruise to a 6-3 second set result over the dispirited Hewitt.

“Overall, I’m a better player than last year,” assessed Roddick. “I thought I played great here last year, and my form this time kind of matches that. But I’m better between the ears than I was a year ago. I’ve got more confidence on a day to day might lose tomorrow, but it wouldn’t shock my confidence as much as it maybe would have done a year ago.”

Earlier in the day, Grosjean came back from a set and 4-1 down before booking a place in the final for the second consecutive year with a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over Korean qualifier Hyung-Taik Lee. Grosjean, who last won a grass title in Nottingham four years ago, is through to his first ATP final since Tokyo last year.

In Halle, Mardy Fish advanced to the final after posting a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4) win over No. 2 seed Rainer Schuettler in a thrilling semifinal. Out of the 194 total points played in the two-hour, five-minute match, Fish won 98 points, Schuettler 96. On his way to the title match, the American who has been battling a right hip injury has fired 45 aces in four singles matches. Welcome to grass court tennis folks. In the final, Fish will battle World Numero Uno Roger Federer, who needed just 53 minutes in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 3 seeded Czech Jiri Novak in only 53 minutes.

Said Federer of his showdown with The Fish: “He was the only guy who tooka set of me last year in Wimbledon. I’ve played him in Indiam Wells this year. I’m not surprised that he is in the final because he is a good grass court player. He has got a very good serve, which he can use very effectively on grass. It’ll be a tough match tomorrow.”

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
In Birmingham, the 2004 DFS Classic final will be an all-teen affair with Maria Sharapova (17 years, one month) and Tatiana Golovin (16 years, four months) winning three-set semifinal matches on Saturday. In terms of the combined age of the finalists (33 years, five months), it is the third youngest final in the Open Era. Sharapova defeated No.2 seed Patty Schnyder 61 67(3) 63, having served for the match in the second set. Golovin advanced to her first ever Tour singles final with an equally tough 63 57 75 win over fellow Frenchwoman Emilie Loit. Get the cameras and the handycams ready for that one.

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Andy Roddick hit two more 153mphs serves on Saturday against Hewitt fueling further speculation of the accuracy of the records. A day after Sebastien Grosjean questioned the validity of a few of his service speeds, Lleyton Hewitt got into the ring: "He (Roddick) has a huge serve, no doubt about that, but 153 out wide? The faster serves are going to be down the middle." Expect Roddick to break the 153mph mark at Davis Cup in September…Entering Wimbledon, Roger Federer is the 6/5 favorite. Andy Roddick is second at 4/1, Tim Henman third at 5/1 and Lleyton Hewitt is a 8/1…Roger Federer has won 17 straight matches on grass…Thanks to a fatter public, Wimbledon will widen Center Court seats by 10% when renovations begin in 2006…After her results this week, rising diva Tatiana Golovin has played her way into the Top 50 and onto the French Olympic team…French Open winner Anastasia Myskina and Chanda Rubin will bag the Eastbourne event next week. Myskina citing exhaustion and over shock at being a Slam winner while Rubin has a bum knee…Matt Cronin of tennisreporters.net questions the selection of Shanghai as the new host of the Masters Cup: “Should the above-mentioned tennis leaders, all of whom hail from democracies, be auctioning off a prestigious tournament to a non-democracy? Is North Korea next?”...Guillermo Coria has ended his coaching relationship with Fabian Blengino, who began working with the Argentine in February. Rumors about Coria hooking-up with Agassi trainer Gil Reyes linger...Kim Clijsters underwent surgery on her left wrist effectively ending her hopes of playing this summer.  Then Belgian is hoping to return in late September...Still suffering from blisters on his hand, Marat Safin has pulled from 's-Hertogenbosch event which starts on Monday.