Master takes on pretender in final

Roger Federer moved within one victory of his fourth straight US Open title, beating No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko 7-5, 6-1, 7-5 Saturday...

Roger Federer moved within one victory of his fourth straight US Open title, beating No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko 7-5, 6-1, 7-5 Saturday to stretch his winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 26 matches.

Federer, who will be seaking to become the first man to win four consecutive US championships since Bill Tilden in 1925, will face No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who earlier overcame the late summer heat and humidity of New York City to beat 15th-seeded David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

8220;I8217;m always very well-prepared for the majors. I know what it takes,8221; Federer said. 8220;When the second week comes around, I play my best.8221;

In Sunday8217;s championship match, Federer will face the only man to beat him over the past three months. 8220;I guess the best players of the summer are in the final,8221; said Federer, all too aware that he lost to Djokovic at a hard-court event in Montreal in early August.

That was Djokovic8217;s big breakthrough: He also beat Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick there, becoming the first man in 13 years to beat Nos. 1-3 in the rankings at a single tournament.

While Djokovic will be aiming for his first major title, Federer will be trying to tie Roy Emerson for second in tennis history behind Pete Sampras8217; 14. The Swiss will be playing in his 10 consecutive Grand Slam final. The 20-year-old Djokovic is the youngest men8217;s finalist at Flushing Meadows since Pete Sampras was 19 when he won the 1990 title. Djokovic is also the first man from Serbia to get to a major final.

Federer was broken a total of two times through five matches 8212; and then five times by Davydenko. In the opening set, 10 points lasted at least 10 strokes 8212; and Davydenko won seven.

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Davydenko went ahead 3-1 and was one point away from going up 4-1, but Federer saved a break point by ending an 11-stroke exchange with a backhand winner down the line. Federer converted his fifth break point to even things at 3-all, and then smacking a forehand winner.

When Federer served for the first set at 5-3, though, Davydenko saved one set point with a return winner, then broke with a cross-court forehand. They appeared headed to a tiebreaker, but Federer broke back to end the set with an angled forehand volley.