Federer-Roddick blockbuster semi on tap in Oz

Jan 24, 2007, 23:42 GMT

Melbourne, Australia - Defending champion Roger Federer and former world No. 1 Andy Roddick will square off in a marquee semifinal bout Thursday night (local time) at the Australian Open.

The top-seeded/current world No. 1 Federer and sixth-seeded Roddick will meet for a 14th time, with the mighty Swiss holding a laughable 12-1 lifetime advantage. Federer has won their last eight encounters, including six finals, and is a perfect 4-0 versus the American in Grand Slam play. They've never met at the Australian Open.

Roddick beat Federer in an exhibition final at Kooyong here in Melbourne just two weeks ago, but that was an unofficial match. Roddick's last official victory in the series came four long years ago in Montreal.

The 25-year-old Federer has won his last 12 matches at the Aussie Open and captured his last 34 matches overall, dating back to last season. He's one win away from his personal record of 35 consecutive match victories. The super Swiss owns nine career Grand Slam titles, including a pair of victories here in Melbourne. He beat Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in last year's finale here and also captured this hardcourt major in 2004.

Federer has yet to drop a set at this particular fortnight and is, of course, the reigning Aussie Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champ.

The 24-year-old former U.S. Open champion Roddick will continue his push to a first-ever Aussie Open title. He captured the U.S. Open in 2003, has twice been the runner-up to Federer at Wimbledon and lost to the Swiss in last year's U.S. Open finale.

Federer is 2-1 in his previous Aussie Open semis, while Roddick is 0-2. The incomparable Swiss is trying to reach his seventh straight Grand Slam final and will appear in an Open Era-record 11th straight Grand Slam semi.

The other men's semifinal will be staged here on Friday, when 10th-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez takes on 12th-seeded German Tommy Haas. The lucrative final will be held here on Sunday night.

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