Roddick Hopes to Channel Connors Mojo Against Youzhny

Posted on September 8, 2006

Andy Roddick came from two sets down to beat Mikhail Youzhny at the 2003 Australian Open. Their most recent meeting was last year, when the American again was forced to come from a set down for the win at Cincinnati.

Roddick has always struggled against Youzhny, with the two splitting their four career meetings dating to 2001 when the Russian won their first encounter on grass at Queen's.

On Saturday, when the two meet for the fifth time in the semifinals of the US Open, Roddick will look to ride the euphoric wave of his partnership with part-time coach Jimmy Connors that has brought surprisingly speedy results.

"I actually just asked Jimmy that," said Roddick on the pair's success. "Icareer meetings. Concerning the lone loss in the semifinals at Montreal in 2003, Federer has since admitted choking that match knowing that a win would have him ascending to No. 1 on the ATP Rankings for the first time. Roddick ended up finishing the year No. 1 in 2003, with Federer dominating men's tennis ever since.

Federer said he would enjoy facing the American on his home turf on Sunday.

"Andy and I look like the big favorites, but we have seen what happens to big favorites sometimes so we have to be careful," Federer said.

Richard Vach, Tennis-X.com senior writer, can currently be seen on The Tennis Channel's "Tennis Insiders: Super Insiders" episodes, and was awarded "Best Hard News" story for 2005 by the United States Tennis Writers Association.