Roddick, Canas through to first Masters Series final
Steve Keating
American Andy Roddick overcame Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic 6-4 6-3 on Saturday to power his way into the final of the $2.95 million Canada Tennis Masters and a meeting with red-hot Argentine Guillermo Canas.
Earlier in the day, the unseeded Canas claimed his fourth world top-10 victim of the week by upsetting third seed Tommy Haas 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5) to reach the first Masters Series final of his career.
In another dominant performance, Roddick needed just 53 minutes to sweep aside 14th seed Novak and book a place in his sixth final of the season and the first Masters Series final of his career.
Once again, Roddick's booming serve did most of the damage, the 12th-seeded American has dropped just one set in five matches and has only been broken twice in 52 service games.
Novak claimed one of those breaks when he trailed Roddick 3-1 in the first set, but the 19-year-old would not be broken again.
With the backing of a capacity centre court crowd, Roddick matched Novak shot-for-shot from the baseline, breaking Novak again to take the first set and once more early in the second to seize control of the match.
"The pace was pretty quick and I didn't have much time to think, but that might have helped me a bit," laughed Roddick.
"I've been playing pretty well the last two weeks. I really like the hardcourts, it's my favourite surface.
GREAT COMPETITOR
"But it will be tough tomorrow. He (Canas) doesn't have a weakness and he's a great competitor. He's played the best tennis of anyone this week for sure."
Canas's first appearance in a Masters Series final has been well-earned after he bulldozed his way past several top players, including world number two Marat Safin, fifth-ranked Yevgeny Kafelnikov and world number 10 Roger Federer.
Even more impressive, the 24-year-old has dropped just one set in five matches, to Haas.
After losing the first set, Haas broke Canas at the first opportunity in the second and third.
As courtside temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius, so did Canas's frustration as he slammed his racket into the ground after failing to capitalise on two chances to break in the sixth game of the third set.
But the Argentine continued to press and his persistence was rewarded when he broke the German with a searing shot down the line to level at 4-4.
Canas clinched the first point of the tie-break and was never caught after that, securing victory when Haas's service return sailed wide.
"It is amazing, four top-10 players in one week," said Canas. "I don't know why I have played so great.
"Now I am just trying to believe I am in the final. Tomorrow I will start to think about what I need to do to win."
Canas became the first Argentine to reach the Toronto final since Jose-Luis Clerc in 1978, and in so doing ended a brave run by Haas.
The German arrived at the tournament having not played a match since the French Open following a near-fatal motorcycle accident involving his parents in early June.
"I'm happy to get to the semis here but really it is tough to be happy right after losing this match," said Haas.
"I'm frustrated, it was a tight match. I played some great tennis and had my chances here and there.
"I didn't have much confidence coming here but now I believe that if my shoulder holds up that I can be quite dangerous at the U.S. Open."
