Australian Open: Federer Into Final and Clinches No1 Spot

Roger Federer takes on Marat Safin tomorrow in what promises to be a truly special Australian Open final. By beating Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 yesterday in the second semi-final Federer both clinched the right to meet the Russian and took over from Andy Roddick as the world No1.

So the battle lines were drawn: Federer's supreme all- court game, the classic amalgam of power and silky touch, against Safin's mighty serve and coruscating ground strokes, notably the double-fisted backhand.

Pete Sampras, the winner of a record 14 grand slam titles, at various times towards the end of his illustrious career, would refer to the rising young stars of the game as "the future of tennis" - and tomorrow's finalists must have been very much in his mind.

Such was the case in September 2000 when he was pummelled to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat in the US Open by Safin, then 20. It was the first time Sampras had lost a grand slam final for five years.

The American had a habit of saying what he believed people wanted to hear and he would deliberately over-praise someone who had beaten him, knowing that the next time he might turn the tables. However, his demolition by the Russian was absolute. "Whatever I tried he had the answer," said Sampras. "It reminded me of when I was 19 and steamrolled Andre [Agassi] in the final. Marat is going to win many majors."

Nine months later Sampras, seven times Wimbledon champion, first had cause to note Federer when the Swiss ended the American's run of 31 consecutive victories on the grass. Perhaps the keen disappointment of that fourth-round defeat, with Federer winning 7-5 in the fifth set, prevented Sampras from being as effusive as when he lost to Safin. "Roger is a little extra-special with a good all-court game" was as far as he would go about the Swiss, then 19.

Now, less than three years later, the reigning Wimbledon champion is being talked about in the same breath as Sampras - a player who might be every bit as dominant. And Federer, unlike the American, has a real chance of winning on all the grand slam surfaces, including the clay of Roland Garros, which was Sampras's bête rouge . Tomorrow the Swiss, like Safin, will be challenging for his second major title.

Yesterday those in the Federer entourage - including the women's former world No1, Martina Hingis - were well aware of what the semi-final meant to him. He had missed the opportunity of becoming the world No1 last year when losing to Roddick in Montreal.

"I was shaking all over then," said Federer, who rarely displays much emotion while playing but who famously broke down in tears after winning Wimbledon. Beneath the calm exterior run deep passions.

Having previously played down the significance of being the top-ranked player, Federer, whose face was wreathed in beatific smiles after defeating Ferrero, the French Open champion, admitted that he had been determined to enjoy the moment: "You only become No1 in the world for the first time once." By doing so he became the 23rd player to attain the pinnacle since the modern rankings began in 1973.

Safin reached this summit briefly in 2000 and should have added the Australian Open title to his US crown two years later when he unaccountably lost the final against Sweden's Thomas Johansson. Last year his career fell about his ears; a wrist injury saw him miss three grand slam events, and there were many prepared to believe the wayward Russian, whose taste for the good life is acute, had made his pile and might not be able to remotivate himself.

They were wrong. Last month, having finally sorted out his wrist in a Los Angeles clinic, he buckled down to training in Monte Carlo, even if this seems an oxymoron. Much of his regime was based on that used by Sebastian Coe, although here the Russian has looked more like a marathon runner, with three five-set matches lasting over three hours, including memorable victories over Roddick in the quarter-final and Agassi, defending champion.

"Marat is a great guy and we are all happy to see him back, but scared at the same time," said Federer. Small wonder. If he has gas left in his tank, then Safin could knock Federer out of his elegant stride. In the opening set yesterday Ferrero was hitting the ball harder than the Swiss and serving particularly well - a foretaste of what Safin might achieve. But the Spaniard, suffering pain in both thighs, could not keep up the pressure.

"Physically I don't know how Marat will be but after being out for so long with injury he's very motivated," said Ferrero.

On this occasion it may not be quite enough. Federer grew into a champion's clothes after Wimbledon, going on to win the end-of-season Masters Cup, where he beat Roddick, Agassi (twice) and Ferrero. Tomorrow he will parade the garments of the world No1 and the concomitant self-belief.

The players:

Roger Federer:

Age 22

Born Basle

Seeded 2

1st rd A Bogomolov (US) 6-3, 6-4, 6-0

2nd rd J Morrison (US) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4

3rd rd T Reid (Aus) 6-3, 6-0, 6-1

4th rd L Hewitt (Aus, 15) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4

QF D Nalbandian (Arg, 8) 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3

SF JC Ferrero (Sp,3) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4

Marat Safin:

Age 24

Born Moscow

Unseeded

1st rd B Vahaly (US) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

2nd rd J Nieminen (Fin) 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

3rd rd T Martin (US) 7-5, 1-6, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5

4th rd J Blake (US) 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

QF A Roddick (US, 1) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4

SF A Agassi (US, 4) 7-6, 7-6, 5-7, 1-6, 6-3

Head to head:

Safin 1 Federer 3

In their four meetings Federer has beaten Safin three times on clay and twice in straight sets. The Russian's single win was on carpet.