Defending Champ Bounced; Semifinals Set

Last night’s U.S. Open action featured a classic five set match between defending champ and #2 seed Andy Roddick and #28 seed Joachim Johansson. I didn’t see the first two sets, won by Johansson at 6-4 each set, but they must’ve been close as he won by one service break in both sets. Roddick had a bit easier time of it in the third and fourth sets as the enormity of what he was about to do set in on Johansson. The fifth set picked up from the fourth with Roddick’s service game simply dominant. (At one point, he won a sick 29 points in a row on his serve over the final three sets.) Several times Roddick managed to jump out to a love-40 lead on Johansson’s serve, only to lose the next five points and the game. Tied at 4 games apiece in the fifth, Johannson held serve to go up 5-4, forcing Roddick to hold serve to stay in the match. If only it were that easy. Roddick quickly fell behind love-40 before coming up with two big serves to make it 30-40. On Johansson’s third match point, Roddick sailed a backhand long ending his hope’s of defending his championship. This marks the first time since 1986 that no American man has made it into the semifinals in Flushing Meadows. World #1 Roger Federer -- aiming to be the first man since 1988 to win three Grand Slams in one year -- completed his rain-delayed five set match with #6 seed Andre Agassi ealier in the day. The men’s semifinals -- Federer vs. #5 seed Tim Henman and Johansson vs. #4 seed Leyton Hewitt -- will be played on Super Saturday, sandwiched around the women’s final. The women shall play their semifinal matches this afternoon, with #8 seed -- and There It Is fave -- Jennifer Capriati facing #6 seed Elena Dementieva and #5 seed Lindsay Davenport -- who has been on fire recently, winning 22 straight matches -- against #9 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. What scares me is that most people are predicting an all-American final. There’s nothing like expectations, right Mr. Bowa?