Rejuvenated Roddick has a chance to make up for all the losses to Federer in today's semis
Roger Federer
Rejuvenated Roddick has a chance to make up for all the losses to Federer in today's semis
When Andy Roddick won his first Grand Slam at the 2003 US Open, he was being seen as the man who will continue the legacy of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi for the Americans.
Unfortunately, Roger Federer crossed Roddick's path much too often for his liking keeping Roddick's Grand Slam tally to just one. In 2004, Roddick made the final at Wimbledon for the first time but Federer beat him to the title. The same happened at Wimbledon the next year and he also lost to the Swiss in the 2006 US Open final.
By then, many had started saying that Roddick will never be able to beat top ranked players like Federer and Rafael Nadal and might never win another Slam.
When asked once what it would take for him to win another Grand Slam, Roddick had said ruefully, "Kill Roger."
But since mid-2008, Roddick started planning his comeback.
Roddick shed seven kilos in the off-season under new coach Larry Stefanki, who believed he was too slow for the fast-paced modern game.
In shape
The 26-year-old is reportedly happy with his new physique, eying himself in the locker-room mirrors and showing off his bronzed six-pack during practice.
Once a superstar and now a fringe figure, the slimmed-down, faster American has been one of the tournament's revelations, scything through the draw almost unnoticed to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final in two years.
u00a0
And his surprising career revival faces the ultimate test today when he comes up against old nemesis Roger Federer, who is closing in on a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title.
Roddick, who spoke earlier of his desire to be mentioned among the game's leading lights, admitted he was happy to stay out of the limelight as attention focuses on the current big names.
"I'm probably the least favoured of anybody to make it to the semis here. I'm just going to keep going and keep my head down and keep working," Roddick said.
"I'm not going to get too excited. I'm just going to go about it and try to work through it."
Roddick ended a run of 11 straight defeats to Federer in Miami last year but still trails the second seed 15-2 in career meetings. The Swiss appeared delighted with the semi-final match-up.
Super
"Sometimes people expect him to win 25 Grand Slams, and he's one of my generation who was able to stay at this level for five or six years now," Federer said.
"That's rock-solid. That's why I'm excited to play him and seeing him create an upset in a big tournament. That's what's been missing for him in the big tournaments lately."
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