Roddick One Match from 3 in a Row at Queens

With a win in the final Roddick would match the accomplishments of fellow former No. 1s John McEnroe and Lleyton Hewitt who won three consecutive at Queen's.

"That would be huge," Roddick said. "I came in here a couple of years ago not ever having played well on grass. To be going for a third, that's great."

Roddick serve and return game faltered in the second set against the Czech, but the American broke for 3-1 in the third to begin his end run. In the third it seemed each player was trying to out-jerk the other, with Stepanek going through his general routine of complaining and gesturing, and Roddick at one point seeming to imitate the Czech's skipping sprint at the changeover. Stepanek also exchanged words with Greg Rusedski earlier in the tournament, but for Roddick it was all part of attempting to pump himself up after a lackluster second set.

"I played some of my best tennis at the end," Roddick said. "In the third set, I felt I returned a lot, lot better."

In the final Roddick will face the giant giant-killer Ivo Karlovic, who earlier took out No. 1 seed Lleyton Hewitt, and Saturday dismissed No. 6 seed Thomas Johansson 6-4, 7-6(7).

It will be the first meeting between Roddick, the biggest server on tour, and Karlovic, the biggest man on tour at 6-foot-10, whose delivery is equally devastating.

"It probably would be pretty boring to watch," said Roddick, going up against an opponent averaging almost 16 aces per match. "It's going to be a lot of serving, and then there are going to be a couple of moments here and there that are going to be tense."

For Karlovic it is the opportunity to break through for his first ATP title.

"I'm very excited because it's my first final of the ATP tournament, so I am looking forward to tomorrow's match," Karlovic said. "Roddick plays unbelievable on the grass and he serves excellent. So it will be a typical match. I am looking forward to it."

The doubles final will be (2) Bryan/Bryan (d. (5)Aspelin/Perry from a set down in the semis) versus the winner of (1) Bjorkman/Mirnyi vs. (6)Cermak/Friedl, with the top seeds leading 5-3 Saturday when play was suspended due to darkness.