Roddick sets up dream Federer final

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) -- Swiss mastery and brute American power will collide on Sunday after Roger Federer and Andy Roddick set up a dream Wimbledon final.

Champion Federer took just 29 minutes on Saturday to complete a 6-2 6-3 7-6 victory over French 10th seed Sebastien Grosjean and secure a place in his second successive final at the All England Club.

The Swiss will now face the thunderous serve of second seed Roddick, who tamed unseeded Croatian Mario Ancic 6-4 4-6 7-5 7-5 in another rain-interrupted semi-final to reach his first title match at the All England Club.

"I'm very happy to be in the finals again and actually have a chance to defend my title," said Federer, who won the Australian Open earlier this year. "I don't know if people realise that is only my third grand slam final and I'm very thrilled."

Roddick, whose victory meant the Wimbledon men's final would feature the top two seeds for the first time since 1982, became the first American to reach the title match since Pete Sampras won the last of his seven crowns in 2000.

"I'm so happy to be playing a Wimbledon final," said Roddick. "It's amazing. I never thought I'd be playing professional tennis let alone be in the final of Wimbledon."

"I'm excited about playing Roger, he's the best and I want to go up and match up against him and it's going to be great."

Sunday's clash will also allow Roddick to avenge his one-sided 7-6 6-3 6-3 semi-final defeat to the Swiss master here a year ago.

Since then the American has matured and improved as a player and he drew on all of his experience to quell the challenge of Ancic.

Roddick started the day a set and a break up after rain halted play on Friday but within five minutes the American had lost the advantage in a semi-final which had been relegated to court one because of the weather.

The U.S. Open champion had the unenviable task of beginning Saturday's proceedings at break point down and Ancic capitalised on the situation to level the set with a thumping smash.

The American's fourth double fault two games later handed set point to Ancic, which the Croatian converted with a cracking passing shot just inside the baseline.

NO ACES

Ancic, the world number 63, is the last player to have beaten Federer on grass, in 2002, and his serve-and-volley game had Roddick on the ropes at times on Saturday.

The 20-year-old had five break points in the second game of the third set but he was unable to convert any.

Roddick, who had failed to serve a single ace in the opening set, unleashed his rocket-like deliveries to squeeze out of trouble and gain the psychological edge.

The American kept his focus despite two more rain disruptions and a thunderous 133 miles per hour (214 kph) ace gave him the set.

Roddick kept up the pace in the fourth to seal victory with a whipped forehand winner on his third match point after two hours and 51 minutes.

Up two sets and 4-3 overnight, Federer made a hesitant start on Centre Court. Grosjean had looked distinctly second best before rain interrupted the match on Friday but broke to lead 6-5 on Saturday.

Federer immediately broke back but was 4-0 down in the tiebreak before recovering to seal an 8-6 victory and the match with a sumptuous smash.

It was Marseille-born Grosjean's fourth defeat in four grand slam semi-finals. The 26-year-old also lost in last year's Wimbledon semis, to Australian Mark Philippoussis.

Federer's win took one hour 59 minutes in total, meaning he has been on court for only 10 hours and two minutes in winning his six matches to reach the final, dropping only one set -- a tiebreak loss to Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals.

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