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Federer to play Baghdatis in Aussie final
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-28 08:48
MELBOURNE, Australia - Roger Federer spent some time chatting with Rod Laver
on Friday afternoon, then went out and showed the tennis great why he's
dominating the sport right now.
Switzerland's Roger
Federer raises his arms as he celebrates his win over Germany's Nicolas
Kiefer in their semifinal at the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne,
Australia, Friday. Federer won in four sets 6-3 5-7 6-0 6-2.
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Federer spoke with Laver — who twice completed Grand Slam seasons in the
1960s — for the first time just hours before his Australian Open semifinal
against Nicolas Kiefer.
Apart from a minor lapse while serving to stay in the second set, the
top-ranked Federer was imperious as he advanced 6-3, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 to Sunday's
championship match against 54th-ranked Marcos Baghdatis.
He hit 39 winners and had 33 unforced errors — 20 fewer than Kiefer, who was
playing in the semis for the first time in 34 majors.
"It's fantastic to play in front of him," Federer said of Laver.
He remained composed despite acknowledging some pre-match anxiety about the
prospect of getting so close, yet still being so far from a seventh Grand Slam
singles title.
In the fourth game, Federer scrambled to retrieve a Kiefer drop shot,
sprinting from the baseline, and punched a backhand around the net post for a
clean winner. Kiefer watched it land, nodded and dropped serve to fall behind
3-1.
And there were frequent slice backhands that hit the court and spun off
sideways, making Kiefer's life much more difficult.
Federer and Laver shared a courtesy car at the U.S. Open once before, but
Federer said he'd been too awe-struck to talk.
Germany's Nicolas
Kiefer right, congratulates Switzerland's Roger Federer after their
semifinal match at the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne, Australia,
Friday, Jan. 27, 2006. Federer won in four sets 6-3, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2.
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"We talked this time, not purely about tennis," Federer said of his meeting
with the California-based Australian. "He was really what I expected — a great
person, great man."
Kiefer competed for two sets, but was outclassed in the third and fourth.
After a volatile five-setter against Sebastien Grosjean in the quarterfinals,
when he tossed his racket over the net and was warned twice for using obscene
language, Kiefer barely raised his voice, except for occasional disputed line
calls.
"I tried to stay in the whole time, but I just couldn't make it. In the end,
he was just too good," Kiefer said. "I lost to the best player in the world and
he showed it in the big moments."
Federer is aiming for his third consecutive major after winning at Wimbledon
and the U.S. Open in 2005.
Laver completed Grand Slams — winning the Australian, French and U.S. opens
and Wimbledon — in 1962 and 1969 and retired with 11 singles titles at the
majors.
Laver didn't offer any gems of wisdom to Federer, with the 24-year-old Swiss
star saying "just more the moment I think will be remembered by me."
"It was a great honor to meet him," he said. "I hope there's going to be many
more times."
Federer won the Australian title in 2004 and was upset in the semis by
eventual champion Marat Safin last year. Still, his conversion rate is good —
he's won six of the last 10 majors and reached the semifinals two other times.
The center court at Melbourne Park is named in Laver's honor. The 67-year-old
Australian was supposed to present the trophy to the men's winner at the
centenary Australian Open last year, but was unable to attend because his wife
was ill.
He's in Melbourne this week to present the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup to
the men's winner, and Federer is an odds-on favorite to be the recipient.
He's 3-0 against Baghdatis, the 2003 junior world champion, including a win
in Doha at the start of the month, where Federer successfully defended his
title.
Federer has been as surprised as anyone by Baghdatis' run, saying it was rare
for young players to jump straight into success on the pro tour.
"In two weeks he's improved incredibly," he said. "I think we're all
surprised he got so far, because there's other very talented youngsters who I
thought will make the break before him.
The 20-year-old Cypriot upset No. 2 Andy Roddick in the fourth round, No. 7
Ivan Ljubicic in the quarterfinals and rallied from two sets down to beat No. 4
David Nalbandian, the Masters Cup champion, in the semifinals.
"He proved us all wrong — he beat quality players and he totally deserves to
be in the final," Federer said.
Earlier Friday, Yan Zi and Zheng Jie became the first Chinese players to win
a Grand Slam title, beating Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3
in the women's doubles final.
Martina Hingis, returning from a three-year layoff, reached Sunday's mixed
doubles final with India's Mahesh Bhupathi. They beat Stosur and fellow
Australian Paul Hanley 6-3, 6-3 and will face sixth-seeded Daniel Nestor and
Elena Likhotseva.
Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo was to play 2004 Australian champion Justine
Henin-Hardenne in Saturday's women's final. Henin-Hardenne, who missed last
year's tournament due to injury, is on a 13-match winning streak in
Melbourne.
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