Blockbuster Federer-Roddick, Clijsters-Henin Finals Sunday

Posted on August 21, 2005

Federer, Roddick Square Off in ATP Cincinnati Final

World No. 1 Roger Federer and former No. 1 Andy Roddick will renew their rivalry for the first time since the Wimbledon final on Sunday in the championship match at the ATP Masters Series-Cincinnati.

Federer lost the first set against unseeded wildcard entrant Robby Ginepri but prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 after getting a little help from the nervous American, and Roddick Babolat-battered Lleyton Hewitt, who he had beaten only once in their last seven meetings, 6-4, 7-6(4).

Roddick needed a new look against Hewitt after winning only one of seven meetings, and the beginnings of a beard and an ultra-aggressive attitude from the baseline garnered the American his first win over the Aussie since last year on grass at Queen's.

"I had three break point chances in the first set, but I wasn't able to take them. He used his backhand well," said Hewitt, who appeared less animated than in previous encounters with Roddick. "I was a bit tired, I didn't have as much energy as I would have liked."

Roddick, after turning things around against Hewitt, sees the same opportunity against Federer.

"I want a shot at him," Roddick said. "Maybe I can turn the momentum in the series with one win -- you never know what happens. And I just want to keep trying. I want to measure myself against the best, and he's the best right now."

Ginepri won the first set against Federer, but folded in the second with a nervous backhand in the net to give Federer the set, with much of the same in the third.

"When the nerves are even bigger, somehow it seems like I can even play better," Federer said.

With his dominating career record against Roddick and Hewitt, the Swiss said he wasn't sweating facing either of the two in the final.

"I'm not overconfident, I'm very confident," Federer said. "I just know what I have to do. I know my game's in place now. Once I win a certain amount of matches, my level of play, I know what I can do, what I can't do. And so I play the percentages I think extremely well in finals, and on big points usually I'm -- well, I've been unbeatable, you know, so that's always what I'm looking for."

The Sunday doubles final in Cincy will be (2) Bjorkman-Minryi (d. (3) Knowles-Nestor in the semis) against (4) Black-Ullyett (d. Frenchmen (6) Llodra-Santoro from a set down).

Federer has won an ATP-record 21 straight singles finals dating to 2003, including eight this year.

I'm excited," Roddick said on facing Federer, a man he has beaten once in 10 meetings. "I'm going to have to play aggressive like I did today.

Clijsters, Henin in All-Waffle Final at WTA Toronto

The slumping, mentally-fragile Russian Anastasia Myskina was no match for the hottest player on the WTA Tour this summer, Kim Clijster, with the former No. 1-ranked Belgian advancing to the final at the WTA stop in Toronto with a 6-4, 6-1 win over the former French Open champ.

"I was starting to feel better and better the longer it went," said Clijsters, aiming for her third title in four events. "This is my first final in Toronto, and I am really happy to be in it."

Myskina noticeably fatigued in the second set, with the Russian nursing an injured ankle.

"She did a good thing to move me around," Myskina said. "Then I got really tired by the second set. If I would have won the first set, maybe that would be different in the second."

In the all-Belgian final Clijsters will face fellow former No. 1 countrywoman Justine Henin-Hardenne who outlasted another former No. 1 in Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

"I had a lot of ups and downs, but when I was good in the match I played very well," said the 2003 Toronto winner Henin-Hardenne. "I think I lost a lot of my energy in the second set but I just kept fighting, tried to stay in the match. She pushed me very hard in the match, but I'm very happy to be back in the final again in Toronto."

The early-goings of the match featured an entertaining battle of two all-court players looking to leverage their advantage at the net. Mauresmo broke serve to begin the third set but after a contentious call in the third game went away, with the Belgian winning the final six games.

"Before coming into the US Open I still have a few things to work on," Mauresmo said.

Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne are tied 9-9 in career meetings, with their last confrontation a year and a half ago at the 2004 Australian Open where H-H won in three sets.

"She's probably the best defending player out there at the moment," Clijsters said on Henin-Hardenne. "She's very fit. She just has this incredible touch with her hands, especially with her slice. I mean, she can just keep getting those balls back. It's not like they float up. You have to be always there expecting every ball back against her."

The doubles final will be (6) Groenefeld/M.Navratilova (d. (4) Hantuchova/Sugiyama in the semis) against Spaniards (3) C.Martinez/Ruano Pascual (d. Asagoe/Garbin from a set down).

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