11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

NEW YORK, Sept 10: Sweden's Joachim Johannson left Andy Roddick shell shocked after beating the defending champion in five sets on Thursday to reach the US Open semifinals.

After Andre Agassi's hopes were ended by Roger Federer earlier in the day, Roddick was left to fly the American flag but he lost 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4 in an explosive match featuring 64 aces.

Second seed Roddick, who blazed through his four previous matches without losing a set, fell two sets behind as the 6-foot-6 Johansson let rip with lethal serves and forehands.

Roddick, who cracked 34 aces to Johansson's 30, hit back to win the next two sets and with the fans going crazy he looked ready to pull off a stunning rally. But Johansson, 22, showed remarkable calm in the storm, staving off break points in the first game and then at 4-4.

The Swede then went 40-0 up as Roddick served to stay in the championships and held his nerve to clinch victory on his third match point as the American hit a backhand long.

The 28th seed, who goes out with Lleyton Hewitt's sister Jaslyn, now plays the Australian fourth seed for a place in the final after the 2001 champion thrashed Germany's Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

Earlier, Agassi's dreams of a third US Open title were left in tatters as Federer proved why he is the world's best player. As Wednesday's rain was replaced by a swirling breeze, top seed Federer returned to complete a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win and clinch a semi final against Tim Henman.

With a vicious crosswind playing havoc, Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Federer showed that behind the cool persona and flowing ground strokes is a core of steel.

The Swiss, bidding to become the first player since Swede Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three Grand Slam titles in the same year, held a two sets to one lead overnight. But Agassi, 34, launched a stirring fight back to break Federer's serve in the eighth game of the fourth set and level the match.

The fifth set became a war of attrition and it was Agassi, playing in his 12th quarterfinal here, who cracked first. He sent a forehand long in the eighth game to hand Federer a break and the Swiss player served out for the match.

Henman shrugged off an early setback to reach the semi-finals for the first time with a 6-1, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 triumph over Slovak Dominik Hrbaty after their match was also interrupted the previous night.

The Briton was close to victory on Wednesday, cruising two sets up before rain fell. He held serve at 4-5 in the third when play resumed but two games later a netted approach gave Hrbaty the set and a glimmer of hope. But Henman, 30, quickly regained control, breaking the Slovakian twice to advance. Henman holds a 6-2 head-to-head lead over the Swiss.

THURSDAY'S RESULTS:

MEN'S SINGLES:

QUARTERFINALS: Joachim Johansson beat Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4; Lleyton Hewitt beat Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-2, 6-2; Roger Federer beat Andre Agassi 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3; Tim Henman beat Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. -Reuters