Can Roddick recover?

Time on Schuettler's side ahead of semifinal

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Rainer Schuettler is six years older than Andy Roddick but time is on his side.

With stirring campaigns, Schuettler and Roddick will play their first Grand Slam semifinals Friday for a place in Sunday's Australian Open final.

In any Grand Slam, the conservation of energy becomes a crucial facet as players get deeper into the second week and this is the biggest question facing Roddick.

The 20-year-old American has spent 13 hours and 55 minutes on court in his five matches, including a near five-hour epic against Younes El Aynaoui which ended in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Schuettler has scurried through the draw with the same speedy efficiency he shows across the baseline. Aided by a walkover against injured Marat Safin, the 26-year-old German has clocked up 7:53 on court -- six hours, two minutes fewer than Roddick.

"What, did he play about six hours in this whole tournament? That's nice," said Roddick after clawing his way past El Aynaoui.

While Schuettler played early Wednesday, and had his semifinal spot wrapped up by 4:30 p.m. local time, Roddick didn't drag himself off center court until eight hours later.

He planned a day of R and R on Thursday before the Friday night clash, but did have a light hit up in the afternoon.

"I plan on sleeping sometime between now and then (and) eating," he joked, in the manner of a condemned man.

"I'm going to get a couple of massages, try my best. I don't want this to be the end of the tournament for me. Sera, sera, I played five hours. That being said I have another match to play."

Roddick, who beat Schuettler last year in their only meeting, has shouldered plenty of pressure as the United States' best player since Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

Suggestions he is poised to assume their mantle have irritated him.

"I'm coming up and it's a hard act to follow," he said last week. "It's tough being in the shadow of Pete and Andre. I don't think anyone can assume their mantle, they have, what, 21 Slams?"

Roddick has attracted attention at every Grand Slam and expectations are high.

By comparison, Schuettler has virtually ghosted through the draw. He overcame high profile American James Blake in four sets and then conquered a tired David Nalbandian in five.

He has little flair and no inclination to pretend he does.

There are no dreadlocks: the hair is short. His shirt has sleeves. He has yet to scream abuse at an umpire, as Roddick did in his quarterfinal when, voice breaking, he urged the official to "grow a spine".

And Schuettler sees no reason to change.

"I don't want to do anything right now," he smiled. "I'm pretty happy right now."

Schuettler is enjoying the ride and understands his place in the scheme of things, both internationally and at home.

What, he was asked, has the reaction in Germany been to his success?

"I mean, my parents are happy, my sister ... A lot of friends called me," he said.

So far there's been none of the wide adulation afforded Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan in his homeland, or medals from the king as El Aynaoui was recently awarded.

"Of course players like Agassi and Hewitt get more attention because they have been there for a couple of years ... they've won Grand Slam tournaments. It's my first time, so maybe after this I'll get more attention."

Schuettler knows he's surprised everyone.

"I'm surprised," Schuettler said. "But right now I think I deserve to be in the semifinals."

 

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