Top seed Andy Roddick served like lightning while medical comeback marvel James Blake served notice he is back here on Saturday, each advancing to the final of the 600,000-dollar ATP Washington Classic.
Fifth-ranked Roddick unleashed a barrage of sizzling serves in sweltering heat to defeat Thailand's 42nd-ranked Paradorn Srichaphan 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 while 101st-rated Blake ousted Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-3 in semi-final matches.
"I feel like I'm in a groove," Roddick said. "I feel like I've turned the corner to playing well. I hit the ball well, got it doing what I wanted."
Blake and Roddick each surrendered only one point on their serves in their second set. Blake, who fired nine aces, lost his point in the third game while Roddick, who blasted 13 aces, dropped his in the final game of the match.
Roddick seeks a 19th career title and fourth of the year in an all-American final, having earlier won at San Jose, Houston and Queen's. Blake bids for his second crown, his first having come here in 2002 over Paradorn in the final.
"It's a great feeling to be back in the final," Blake said. "I have no pressure against Andy. I'm playing one of the best players in the world. I'm going to go out and have some fun. I need to have a big serving day."
Blake, 25, reached his fourth ATP final, his first since 2003 at Long Island and his first since a 2004 illness called Zoster that affected his hearing and vision and caused temporary facial paralysis.
Blake, 18-15 this year, slid to 210th in the rankings but returns to the top 100 on Monday.
"This is what I've been looking for," Blake said. "I can play at this level again and I can succeed at this level again."
Roddick is 5-0 against Blake in ATP matches, having taken only one set off the 22-year-old powerhouse who is a close friend and frequent practice partner.
Roddick displayed true firepower at 44 degrees Celsius with a 73 percent first-serve accuracy rate against Paradorn. Roddick lost only four points on his own serve in the 82-minute match.
Roddick improved to 43-9 this year and 6-1 lifetime against Paradorn, who has lost five in a row to Roddick since his lone triumph came in a 2002 Paris quarter-final.
Paradorn, 26, fell to 20-22 for the year but enjoyed his deepest ATP run since losing to Carlos Moya in the Chennai final in January.
"I have a lot of confidence from playing well here," Paradorn said. "It was a good week."
Berdych, 29, ousted Swiss world number one Roger Federer one year ago in the second round of the Athens Olympics. At 21-22, he will crack the top 33 for the first time on Monday. But he could not muster more than one break chance.
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