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Roger Federer took another giant stride towards tennis immortality with an at-times breathtaking Australian Open semi-final win over Andy Roddick on Thursday night.
Federer outgunned Roddick 6-2 7-5 7-5 to close to within one tantalising victory of equalling Pete Sampras’s all-time record 14 grand slam titles.
The Swiss freak will now await the winner of Friday night’s all-Spanish semi-final between world No.1 Rafael Nadal and 14th seed Fernando Verdasco.
The fiercely competitive Federer conceded it would be extra special if Nadal could join him for his date with destiny on Sunday night.
The two great rivals have fought out six of the past 11 grand slam finals, with Nadal holding a 4-2 edge in major deciders.
Who better for Federer to conquer for the record than the man who stole his long-held top ranking and Wimbledon crown from him last year.
“I’d like to play Fernando because he’s never played a grand slam final before. I have an edge there,” Federer said.
“Playing Rafa is obviously more exciting because of the history we have playing in so many grand slam finals.
“Him being the best player in the world at the moment, it would make it a very intriguing match.”
A beaten semi-finalist at last year’s Open as he suffered unknowingly from mononucleosis – a debilitating virus similar to glandular fever – Federer has played like a man on a mission at Melbourne Park.
After clawing back from two sets down against Tomas Berdych in the fourth round, the second seed destroyed Juan Martin del Potro 6-3 6-0 6-0 in the quarter-finals before setting his sights on Sampras and 14-times major golf champion Tiger Woods.
A good friend of Federer’s, Woods has been in regular text contact with the Swiss superstar during the Open.
“He’s happy for me that I’m doing well. He loves when I dominate so he’s hopefully pumped up for me,” Federer said.
“So hopefully I can equal his 14, and Pete’s 14 as well.”
It seems only Nadal can stop him.
Contesting his 19th consecutive grand slam semi-final – another of his countless records – Federer at times toyed with Roddick.
He nabbed the first set with two easy service breaks in just 32 minutes and yet was even more comfortable in the second, despite almost being pushed into a tiebreaker.
The three-times champion conceded a meagre three points in six service games for the set and took a stranglehold on the match when he pocketed the set on a Roddick backhand error.
Growing increasingly frustrated as his title hopes slipped further and further away, Roddick engaged in a running battle with chair umpire Enric Molina and, at one stage after disagreeing with a call, told the Spanish official to “have some sack, dude”.
His taunt, though, and anything else he tried, didn’t work as Federer struck again with another demoralising 11th-game break in the third set to complete his 16th job on Roddick two hours and seven minutes.
Federer said he could never have imagined he would rack up so many slams and be in a position to match the world-record tally.
“I’m being completely honest, you dream of playing the big tournaments. Your dream, I guess, is to win Wimbledon,” he said.
“If then No.1 comes around, it’s too good to be true. Then, I guess, you want more of it.
“But to just extend, dominate tennis and play at the highest level for so, so long is something that I never thought possible.
“I guess I’m living the dream.”
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