Roddick Sets Finals Date With Federer
03 July 2004
by Barry Newcombe
Second seed Andy Roddick of the USA clinched his place in his first Wimbledon final today with victory over the 20-year-old unseeded Croatian, Mario Ancic.
The match was spread over two days because of rain delays before Roddick, already the US Open champion, reached his second Grand Slam final. He took the match 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a total match time of two hours and 58 minutes.
Now Roddick faces the defending champion Roger Federer in the final. He said: "I am so excited. He is the best and I want to go up and match against him."
Play restarted today almost 17 hours after the match was rained off on Friday evening. Roddick, already a break of serve ahead in the second set, had to defend a break point at the start and dropped serve immediately to a smash by Ancic.
Ancic held to 5-4 and took full advantage in the next game when Roddick double faulted to go set point down. A winning service return on the backhand side took Ancic to the set 6-4 to level the match.
Roddick again had difficulties on serve in the third set. At 0-1 he began with a double fault and had to save five break points. Then Roddick missed the chance of a break in the third game when he was beaten by a volley from the Croatian.
Ancic, serving first, maintained the lead in the third set to 5-4 when rain stopped play before Roddick had started serving in the 10th game.
The rain delay this time was 45 minutes and Roddick held to 5-5. Next, Roddick took Ancic's serve on his first break point when Ancic lost control in a rally. Two big serves from Roddick and a missed backhand by Ancic gave Roddick three set points. He finished the set with an ace to lead by two sets to one. Then rain halted play for a second time today.
The break this time was 21 minutes. Ancic held serve to start the fourth set after a closely-fought deuce game with two break points. Roddick went to 40-30 on serve with two winning volleys, Ancic made deuce with a diving volley, and Roddick held for 1-1.
The next chance was for Ancic when Roddick double-faulted to give Ancic a break point for 5-3. But Roddick saved that.
At 5-5 Ancic double faulted to concede two break points. He saved one with a service winner but double faulted again for Roddick to break through for a lead of 5-4 - and the chance to serve for the match.
Ancic had fought a fine match and the crowd had lifted him through the fourth set. But now the man who had defeated British favourite Tim Henman in the previous round was under real pressure.
From 30-30 Roddick reached his first match point after he had picked up a net cord from Ancic. But a forehand error put that chance away.
A second match point came from a service winner but an error followed. A break point followed and that was saved by a service winner. A third match point was gained by a forehand and another winner followed and the 21 year old Roddick had realised his dreams.