Dennis Passa

Former US player and current television commentator Jim Courier, right, shakes hands with Roger Federer of Switzerland during the post-match interview after Federer beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the men's semi-final match on day 12 of the Australian Open. (AFP Photo)

Federer In Final Down Under

Melbourne, Australia. Roger Federer is through to his 22nd Grand Slam final after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a near-flawless display on Friday at the Australian Open.

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, hopes to reverse his tear-filled exit from last year’s final when he was beaten by Rafael Nadal, the left-handed Spaniard’s first hard-court title.

This time, the man between Federer and another title here on Sunday will be Andy Murray, whose motivation has been fueled by a 74-year drought for British men in Grand Slam singles.

Murray beat Marin Cilic in the semifinals after ousting Nadal in the quarters. Now, hopes are high at home that he could be the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win a major singles title.

“I know he’d like to win the first for British tennis since what is it, 150,000 years?” Federer joked to the crowd amid much laughter.

If Federer plays on Sunday the way he did on Friday against Tsonga, the drought could continue for at least another Grand Slam.

“Don’t mess with Roger,” one fan wrote on a sign at Rod Laver Arena. And the shell-shocked Tsonga didn’t.

Federer reached his 18th final in the last 19 Grand Slam events by overpowering the 2008 Australian Open finalist. His semifinal loss here to Novak Djokovic in 2008 was the only break in the finals sequence.

Federer did not face a break point against Tsonga.

“It’s nice going through a match like that,” Federer said. “I think against top players, it’s always positive if you can win the first set.”

“Maybe mentally he was more fatigued than physically,” Federer added. “That’s unfortunate for him.”

Earlier on Friday, Serena and Venus Williams won their fourth Australian Open doubles title, beating Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-4, 6-3.

The Williams sisters won the Australian title for the first time in 2001 and added championships in 2003 and last year. Black, of Zimbabwe, and Huber, a South African-born American citizen, won the Australian Open doubles title in 2007 and were the top-seeded team in the tournament this year.

Serena has 11 singles majors and is hoping for a 12th on Saturday against Justine Henin.

Henin’s stunning success comes only two tournaments into her return from a 20-month retirement, a comeback that the Belgian herself has called “extraordinary” and Williams called an “amazing” story.

“It’s more than a dream for me,” Henin said on Friday. “The challenge of facing the No. 1 player in the world is magnificent.”

Henin and Williams both agree that their showdown will be as much a mental battle as a physical one.

“We both want it. But we’ll just see who’s playing better tomorrow,” Williams said.

The two have played 13 times, including six Grand Slam showdowns that went as far as only the semifinals.

Williams holds a 7-6 edge in their overall matchups. In Grand Slams, however, Henin leads 4-2.

Associated Press

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