BANGKOK, 3 October 2004 — Roger Federer bids for his 10th title of the season today when the undisputed world No. 1 clashes with his closest rival Andy Roddick in the final of the $550,000 Thailand Open. Top seed Federer improved his record this season of success to 68 wins and six losses, with three of the four Grand Slam titles in his possession for 2004 and top ranking status for the year already ensured.

In reaching the final, the Swiss destroyed the hometown victory dream of Bangkok’s Paradorn Srichaphan with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 win. Second seed Roddick reduced No. 3 Marat Safin to a frustrated racket smash in their final-set tie-breaker, 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (0-7), 7-6 (7-2). Each of the heavy hitters notched 18 aces in a balanced contest lasting two hours and four minutes. The impeccable Federer is one win away from another all-time standard in the game.

Should he triumph today, he would become only the third man in the history of tennis to win 12 finals in a row. The others: Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe more than two decades ago.

The likelihood of more success looks strong, with Federer holding a 7-1 record against Roddick, whom he’s beaten back-to-back at Wimbledon as well as in their last meeting in August in Canada.

Federer took one hour, 55 minutes to claim victory over Paradorn after losing his first set of the week. “I’m sorry I had to beat Paradorn in Thailand,” said the winner. “I know how much he wants to win here. I know how much it means to him here in Bangkok — but I know how I’d feel if he beat me at home.”

The 20th-ranked Thai fell in a lighting-fast Federer reaction as the Swiss pounced with a break for 5-3 in the third and then served out the win.

Paradorn was still pleased with a top effort at home. “This was one of my best matches. I got a lot of energy and confidence from the crowd. It’s always special to play at home in front of the fans and family and friends. “It was a great match, I gave 110 percent,” said the Thai.

Roddick admitted he squeezed through against the volatile Safin. “I tried to be aggressive in the final tie-break,” said the American who leads the ATP with 70 match wins since January. “I went for more shots and I got lucky sometimes. I had some lucky second serves and he played better from the baseline than I did. I’m just glad I got through. It will be a fun final against Federer,” he said, perhaps in jest after winning just one of the six sets the pair have played in 2004.

Paradorn, who failed in the upset in front of his home fans, said he was not overly disappointed to go down.

“I was thinking positive and went out there to play my best and have fun. I’m not sorry that I lost — he is number one in the world. He broke me at the right time and imposed his game. But the home crowd inspired me and gave me energy. I’m really proud of the way I played and fought today.”

Canas Crushes Novak, Faces Unheralded Burgsmuller

In Shanghai, Argentina’s Guillermo Canas dominated Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic yesterday to book his place in the final of the $380,000 ATP Shanghai Open tennis tournament against unheralded German Lars Burgsmuller.

Third seed Canas used an impressive combination of speed and aggression to secure a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the powerful Czech who looked out of sorts from the start of the semifinal matchup. “I think I played very well, I did everything I needed to do,” said Canas, who has been playing some of the hottest tennis of the tour and has reached three ATP finals this year.

“I felt great, although today I was expecting another match, a tough match,” he added.

Novak, last year’s runner up in Shanghai and who is usually a steady player even when he struggles, committed a litany of double faults and unforced errors to virtually give the first set away. “I tried to hit hard but I made too many mistakes,” said Novak. Smelling blood, the agile baseliner from Buenos Aires turned up the pace with scorching serves and even rushed the net when the opportunity presented itself.

Novak, the tournament second seed, walked away with his dignity intact in the fifth and seventh games, but it was too little too late as Canas closed out the second set in convincing fashion.

“I know that he didn’t play the best tennis that he can,” Canas said of his opponent’s poor performance. The 29-year-old Czech summed up his disappointment by saying: “It was a very bad day. I played really bad.”

Burgsmuller, 28, won his only ATP trophy in Copenhagen in 2002, and was finalist this year in Hertogenbosch as well as in Casablanca four years ago. Canas has won 17 of his last 18 matches, with his only loss coming at the hands of 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick.

Berdych to Meet Volandri in Palermo Final

In Palermo, Czech 18-year-old Tomas Berdych reached his first ATP final after defeating Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer 7-5, 6-4 here yesterday.

Eighth seed Berdych, who beat world No. 1 Roger Federer on his way to the quarterfinals of the Olympics earlier this year, will meet Italian fifth seed Filippo Volandri in the final.

Volandri overcame unseeded Argentinian Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

Volandri has one singles title to his name. The 23-year-old won at St. Polten in Austria in May where he defeated Belgium’s Xavier Malisse in the final.

Sharapova Advances to Korea Open Finals

In Seoul, Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova cruised past Anne Kremer of Luxembourg yesterday to reach the final of the Korea Open WTA tournament here.

The 17-year-old Russian needed only 23 minutes to take the first set 6-0 and another 24 minutes to take the second 6-2.

Sharapova combined explosive serves with razor-sharp strokes, displaying dazzling speed and power. She took advantage of her 1.83-centimeter (six-feet) height and her power to hammer in five aces during the match.

“I think I easily won the semi-final because of my good condition” Sharapova said. “Kremer couldn’t keep up with me today.”

Sharapova said she expects to win today’s final, where she will face Poland’s Marta Domachowska, who defeated Abigail Spears of the United States 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

Serena, Capriati Pull Out of Filderstadt

Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati have pulled out of the Filderstadt tennis tournament starting tomorrow.

Williams has a knee injury while fellow American Capriati has influenza, organizers said yesterday. Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne withdrew earlier from the $650,000 German event because of a virus.

A former world No. 1 like Williams and Capriati, Belgian Henin-Hardenne has struggled with the virus since winning the Australian Open at the start of the year. She has dropped to third in the WTA rankings.