WIMBLEDON, England - Finally, it has come to this: Andy Roddick's power has become such a potent weapon that a group of former players want to make it illegal.
They would probably get no argument from Jonas Bjorkman. With the accuracy of a marksman, Roddick fired his serve like a rifle yesterday and combined it with cannon shots from the baseline to defeat Bjorkman, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, yesterday to move to the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in his young career.
Roddick is scheduled to play No. 4-seeded - and world No. 4 - Roger Federer on Centre Court today for a chance to snatch the championship on Sunday. Federer defeated No. 8 Sjeng Schalken, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Australia's Mark Philippoussis also advanced with a huge comeback from 0-2 in sets over Germany's Alexander Popp. He will play France's Sebastien Grosjean, who reached the semifinals for the first time by ending Tim Henman's bid to become the first Englishman to win Wimbledon since 1936. None of today's semifinalists has won a Grand Slam.
Roddick became the tournament favorite after defending champion Lleyton Hewitt lost his opening-round match, and the American's odds increased considerably when Philippoussis ousted Andre Agassi in the round of 16.
If there's such a thing as smart money in sports, Roddick showed with his serve yesterday why it's on him.
After 2 1/2 hours of rain that delayed the opening matches, he hit on 50 of 70 first serves, a good percentage that becomes great considering they were lined up to 134 mph and that of the 50 he put in play, he won 44 points. Add to that the whipping forehand he used with consistent accuracy and the newfound maturity since hiring Agassi's former coach, Brad Gilbert, and a Wimbledon favorite is born.
"The way I look at it, there are four players left, so it's open to those four players," said Roddick after breezing through a match in which he lost serve only once. "I think it makes it a little bit intriguing, a little bit exciting maybe for outsiders, the prospect of a new Grand Slam champion."
While Roddick's first serves were flying low, hard and fast, Bjorkman struggled to get them in play throughout the match, hitting only 56 of 92 and losing 16 of those points.
With Pete Sampras all but retired and Agassi now a 33-year-old father, Roddick, at 20, has been under the magnifying glass throughout the tournament. Few blemishes have been found in his game. Not many people have ever doubted he possesses the talent to win a Grand Slam, but just as few have felt certain he had the maturity to overcome his habit of self-flagellation on the court.
