Federer, Roddick Square Off in ATP Cincinnati Final

Posted on August 21, 2005

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.