Federer Struggles, Roddick Joins Semifinal Party at ATP Masters Cup

Despite having nothing to gain with a win, Roger Federer still beat Carlos Moya to remain perfect at the Masters Cup Thursday.

World No. 1 Roger Federer struggled in his motivation Thursday against Carlos Moya, sloughing through against the former No. 1 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a match that meant the world to the Spaniard, who saw his chances of qualifying for the semifinals dim, but was almost meaningless to the Swiss.

"Today, I thought it was tough mentally, you know, obviously, to go into such a match knowing I'm qualified," said Federer, who eventually found the will to record his record-breaking 21st win in a row against a Top 10 player. "He needed it so much, and I didn't quite need it that much. I think that was felt during the play."

Moya, who came into the Masters Cup attempting to shrug off a shoulder injury, rued his chances lost during the encounter.

"I made one out of nine break points, so when you do that against Federer, you lose," Moya said. "So there's not much I can say. But all together, I think it has been a good match."

Moya's chances of qualifying for the semifinals are now in the hands of Lleyton Hewitt, with the Spaniard able to sneak in with a Hewitt loss.

Andy Roddick became the first player from the Blue Group to qualify for the semifinals on Thursday, edging Marat Safin 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in an ace-fest.

"I actually felt I was lucky to get out of the first set after having served for it and played a pretty sloppy game there," said Roddick, who threw down 15 aces during the match, one less than the Russian. "But, you know, the rest of the match I couldn't have asked for more. I thought I played pretty well. I thought it was a pretty high level of tennis."

Safin, who in the most telling stat converted only one of seven break points on the Roddick Babolat-powered delivery, was upbeat on still having his chance at reaching the semifinals.

"I'm not sad. I'm not sad. I'm still alive," said the Russian quote machine, who had to put up with Masters Cup promoter Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale in his stars-and-stripes shirt cheering for Roddick courtside. "I still have a chance tomorrow against Tim, and hopefully, the way I'm playing -- I'm really glad that I'm playing well."

The famed Safin temper emerged in the second set when the Russian failed to convert three break points on Roddick's serve, shattering his racquet on the court. Safin then picked up the racquet for a closer look, didn't like what he saw and snapped it in half.

"I didn't actually see it, but I looked up and saw two pieces of racket," Roddick said. "I'm sorry I missed it. He's up there with the best of them at breaking rackets."

30-year-old Brit Tim Henman kept his semifinal chances alive Thursday with a 6-2, 6-2 rolling of Guillermo Coria, eliminating the Argentine from the semifinals, and setting up the do-or-die encounter with Safin.

"He's obviously struggling with his serve," Henman said of the Coria delivery, with the Argentine coming off shoulder surgery. "If you just let him dictate in the rallies, he can still be very, very dangerous."

On Friday Hewitt takes on Gaston Gaudio (Argentine leads meetings 3-2) in a must-win for the Aussie, Roddick faces Coria in a match he must win to avoid potentially facing Federer in the semifinals (Roddick leads meetings 3-0), and Henman takes on Safin (2-2 career) with the winner into the semis.

"I am looking forward to it," Henman said. "Marat is a form player right now, but I am happy with the way that I have been playing."