Federer seeks Australian title
Published:Thursday | January 29, 2009 | 5:36 PM
Roger Federer moved within one victory of his 14th Grand Slam title with another dominating victory, ousting Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 today to reach the Australian Open final.
Roddick, who undertook a rigorous off-season training regime designed to help him beat Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, was in good form.
But second-ranked Federer outplayed him in every phase of the game.
Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, will face the winner of tomorrow\'s semifinal between Nadal and fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco.
The women\'s final matchup was set earlier in the day. Serena Williams was calm, collected and cool with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed to keep out Melbourne\'s oppressive heat wave to end Olympic champion Elena Dementieva\'s 15-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
All that stands between her and a 10th Grand Slam title is third-seeded Dinara Safina, who is hungry to take home her first major trophy to go along with the two that brother Marat Safin has earned.
Safina ousted fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 in the other semifinal.
The winner Saturday also will rise to the Number 1 ranking.