Preview: Modest Federer still holds edge over Roddick for final

By Bill Scott Sep 10, 2006, 2:44 GMT

New York - Roger Federer is discounting his pair of Wimbledon finals wins over Andy Roddick when the pair meet for the US Open title on Sunday in the American's hotbed.

'It's totally different, grass and hard court,' said Federer, who stands 11-1 over Roddick, his lone loss three years ago in a Montreal semi-final.

'It's obviously more difficult here because of the (New York) crowd and the whole finals situations, playing an American and everything. The only time I lost against him was on hard court.'

Federer's state of mind was fragile at best then, only days removed from the tragic South African car crash death of his first coach.

The Swiss should be holding all the cards against the poker- playing Roddick, whose nearly year-long slump in form was cured last month by the Cincinnati title.

That success came just a few weeks after the arrival on the scene of legend Jimmy Connors as a well-paid advisor.

Under the former bad boy of the game, Roddick has now gone 18-1 as he beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny in their Saturday semi-final 6-7 (5- 7), 6-0, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Federer snuffed out the hopes of Nikolay Davydenko with minimal fuss, earning a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win to reach a record-setting sixth consecutive Grand Slam final.

He last failed to reach the title match at a major when he was beaten in the Paris semis by Rafael Nadal in 2005.

The ice-calm Swiss 25-year-old will need all of his concentration when he faces the local hero in the boiling cauldron of the 23,000- seat Arthur Ashe stadium.

'The mental part of the game is getting more and more important,' said the eight-time Grand Slam winner Federer. 'Before, maybe talent and physical strength was important. Now I think it's the mental part, because margins are so small these days that it makes a huge difference if you got that edge over an opponent.

'I try to stay relaxed on the court, don't go through too many emotions. I used to feel totally exhausted after each and every match I played. I had to relax a little bit.'

Roddick will be in a rush to recover for the late Sunday afternoon date, squeezed in after the American football telecasts. His win over Youzhny, while not a marathon, did take it out of him.

Knowing that the man who humiliated him at Wimbledon in 2003 and 2004 is waiting can only add to the psychological burden - even for a brash American.

'I'll eat and then try to sleep and come out and try to win another US Open tomorrow,' said the 2003 champion, hoping that was the formula for success.