Roddick Proclaims Himself Ready for Murray in Semis

WIMBLEDON, England, July 2 -- Just two players in Wimbledon's draw have consistently given Andy Roddick fits in recent years.

One is his next opponent, Britain's Andy Murray, who holds a 6-2 record against the top American.

The other is five-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, who will likely be waiting in Sunday's final should Roddick manage to upset Murray before a wildly partisan Centre Court crowd in the semifinals.

Federer's 18-2 edge against Roddick suggests that a third Wimbledon final between the two would result in more of the same: Another dose of humility for Roddick and another major title for the Swiss, who would break Pete Sampras's record of 14 with the achievement.

But Roddick, by all accounts, has never been as prepared to tackle the challenge ahead, having slimmed down and grown up considerably since his second-round ouster at Wimbledon last year.

He has hired a new coach in Larry Stefanki. He has shed 15 pounds, which restored him to the weight he carried when he won his first and only major title, the 2003 U.S. Open. And he has worked to shore up the most glaring weaknesses of what had been largely a one-dimensional game, his backhand and service return.

"He's moving great," said U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, who knows Roddick's game well. "He is fitter than he has been, which will help his defense on grass."

Adds Mary Carillo, who shares the ESPN broadcast booth: "I see so much more clarity in his game. He has put in so much hard work. And this is the major he has come closest to winning since he won his only title at the U.S. Open."

Roddick, 26, is well aware of Murray's potential, having lost his last three encounters with the Scot and having been thumped in straight sets in their only previous meeting on grass, in Wimbledon's third round in 2006.

Now ranked third in the world, Murray is markedly better than he was then.

"He has certainly come into his own as a player," Roddick said. "He really doesn't have a lot of weaknesses -- or any, for that matter. He has improved his serve a lot. He returns well. But with my serve, I can give myself a chance, you know, in any match."

Roddick blasted a career-high 43 aces and needed every one to pull out a five-set victory over Lleyton Hewitt in Wednesday's quarterfinals. The slugfest lasted 3 hours 51 minutes, while Murray breezed past his opponent, Juan Carlos Ferrero, in 1:42.

Roddick brushed off a suggestion that he might be weary from the fight 48 hours later, conceding that would probably be the case if he were 30. But at 26, he proclaimed himself in the best shape of his career and eager to get to it.

"I've been in this situation many times, you know," Roddick said.

A Near Double in Doubles

As expected, the top-ranked men's doubles team, Americans Bob and Mike Bryan, swept into the finals with a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 victory over Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman on Thursday. But the bigger news is that they were nearly joined in the finals by fellow Americans James Blake and Mardy Fish. The upstarts battled for 3 hours 29 minutes before losing to second-seeded Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, 10-8 in the fifth.