HOUSTON, 16 November 2003 — World No. 1 Andy Roddick is finding life tough at the top as he was forced to dig deep to sneak past feisty Argentine Guillermo Coria 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 on Friday to book the last semifinal berth at the ATP Masters Cup.

Despite his struggles, Roddick now finds himself in good position to add one more jewel to what has been glittering season as he closes in on a seventh title and a winner’s purse of $1.4 million.

“I came here with one goal and that was to finish number one,” said Roddick, who clinched the year-end honor on Wednesday.

“Now that I’ve done that everything else is a bonus.” Roddick’s win sets up an intriguing showdown with Roger Federer, the raw, brute power of the US Open champion against the finesse and all-round game of the Swiss Wimbledon champion.

The other semifinal will also feature a grand slam winner, Australian Open champion Andre Agassi taking on the surprise package of the Masters Cup, Rainer Schuettler of Germany.

Roddick’s first match as number one ended in a loss to Britain’s Tim Henman and while his three matches here have produced two wins, the 21-year-old American has been stretched to the limit, each time needing three grueling sets to get the job done.

With his thundering serve and punishing forehand finding their mark, Roddick claimed the only break of the opening set to open his account. When he broke the Argentine again to forge 2-1 ahead in the second the American looked in full control. But suddenly the match swung, the fourth-ranked Coria immediately breaking back, playing some inspired tennis to force the second set to a tiebreak which he took 7-4 when a faltering Roddick double faulted.

The slim Argentine carried the momentum into the third, breaking Roddick to open the set. But just as suddenly as it appeared to be slipping away the match would swing back in Roddick’s favor, the American sweeping through the final five games and closing out the match with two booming aces.

Federer enters the match with a confidence boosting 4-1 record over Roddick and as the only player not to lose a match closing out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero.

In the day’s only other match Carlos Moya beat Schuettler 7-5, 6-4. Moya’s victory was the only one in six matches played by the two Spanish players, the Masters Cup proving to be far from an ideal buildup for the pair as they head off to Melbourne for the Davis Cup final with Australia.

Top-Ranked US Twins to Play French Duo in Masters Cup Final

Top-ranked American twins Bob and Mike Bryan advanced to the doubles finals of the ATP Masters Cup here Friday, beating Argentina’s Gaston Etlis and Martin Rodriguez 6-2, 6-4.

The Bryans, the first brothers to own the year-end world No. 1 doubles ranking, were to face France’s Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra in yesterday’s best-of-five final.

The US duo defeated the Frenchmen in round-robin play 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, and own a 2-1 edge in their career rivalry as a result.

“There are a few things that we observed we feel like we can use,” Mike Bryan said. “We feel we can play better than last time.”

The Bryans beat Santoro and Llodra last year at Indian Wells but the French duo avenged the defeat in April with a Monte Carlo quarterfinal triumph.

“They beat us in the round-robin so we know it will be a very tough match,” Santoro said.