ATP - SEMIS: HERE WE COME

AUGUST 10, 2007
Roger has brushed aside Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-final of the Montreal Rogers Masters. Hewitt had no answer to our defending champ, going down 6-3, 6-4.

Hewitt may have managed to break Roger during the match for the first time this tournament, but Roger shrugged off the setback and proceeded to march on towards a semi-final showdown with Czech Radek Stepanek.

"I think it was a tough match," said Roger.

"Maybe the score and everything, it looked like I was pretty much in control. If you look at the first set, it took 45 minutes. We had our chances, both of us, on both serves. It went my way in the end because I served well in the important moments. I think the second set, once he broke back, I knew this was going to be now one of those tough matches against Lleyton again. (Luckily) I played a good game to break him. In the end, really, I served well. I was just more consistent from the baseline."

Roger has now won 10 straight meetings with Hewitt since 2004, which included a 6-0 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 dismantling in the final of the U.S. Open three years ago but this loss was Hewitt's first defeat since teaming up with Roger's previous coach Tony Roche.

**Look at Federer's picture above...he's making the Go USTe cheer.. (.^__^.)..cutie!**

Going for 50!
SEMIFINALS August 11

Roger hammered his 12th and 13th aces to secure a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win Saturday over Radek Stepanek at the Montreal Masters, moving within one victory of his 50th career trophy.

Our number one will be able to relax while second seed and hot rival Rafael Nadal and Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic prepare for an evening match-up to provide an opponent for the final. Roger will be playing in his fifth final in his last six events, the only blemish on his recent record from an upset loss to Italian Filippo Volandri in May at the Rome third round.

"I was very happy the way I played," said Roger.

"It was a tough match with a lot of crucial points, a lot of shots played on reaction. I couldn't really dictate play. He kept coming at me, but I came up with some really nice passing shots when I had to."
Go get em, Roger!

Federer, the world No. 1, took a step toward a third Rogers Cup title with a methodical 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the early semifinal of the $2.45 million Masters Series event.

"Novak's absolutely a tough player at this moment," Federer said. "He's got a good serve and return and he always makes you work hard."

Federer reached his seventh final in 10 tournaments this year. The Rogers Cup is his first tournament since taking his fifth straight Wimbledon title on July 8.

"I was very happy with the way I played," he said. "It was a tough match with a lot of crucial points and a lot of shots played on reaction."

The 26-year-old will be going for his 50th title against the third-seeded Djokovic, who has lost to the Swiss ace in all of their four previous matches.

Federer has won 16 straight matches at the Rogers Cup, with tournament wins in 2004 and 2006 in Toronto.

Federer and Stepanek held serve through the first set, but Federer was down 0-40 in the seventh game. He took charge and won four straight points, two on aces, and saved the game.

"That was the key to the match," Stepanek said. "I didn't use that chance."

Federer let three set points slip away in the tiebreaker, but then ended it with a backhand return.

Stepanek was broken twice in the second set as Federer clinched the win.

It was the first time since 1989 that the top three seeds reached the semifinals in Canada. The last time the top two seeds played the final was 2004, when Federer beat Andy Roddick.