Andy Roddick will be out to prove that missing the Beijing Olympics was a wise choice as he bids for his third title of the season in a Sunday final against Juan del Potro at the Los Angeles Classic.
The American earned his first trophy shot since winning Dubai nearly six months ago, defeating German Denis Gremelmayr 6-2, 6-2. Del Potro dominated American Mardy Fish 6-2, 6-1 in their semi-final to win his 13th straight ATP match.
Number 9 Roddick is counting on being fresh and prepared on hardcourt for the August 25 start of the US Open while his main rivals try to recover only a week after the end of the Games event and a trans-Pacific flight back from China.
The former top-ranking Roddick will have one more chance to fine-tune next week in Washington where he will head the field.
"I've been to the Olympics once, that made my decision easier," said the American, 31-8 on the season. "I feel the US Open is my best chance to win a grand slam.
"I wanted to be prepared, not flying back from Beijing and starting a major five days later. It's working out well for me."
Del Potro, 19, came to the hardcourts on the back of consecutive clay titles in Stuttgart and Kitzbuehel and is bidding for a career-first hardcourt crown.
The loss in 81 minutes was a disaster for Fish, who was hoping to impress in the city he will soon call home after he gets married.
"I've very happy, I played unbelievable today," said Del Potro. "Mardy's a good player but I didn't let him do anything today.
"I'm so happy to be in my first hardcourt final, I'd love to win another title. I actually prefer hardcourt more than clay. My coach has taught me that, he has changed my mind, my game - everything."
Roddick has never won in LA and came to the court this week after failing to make his opening match in Cincinnati due to neck spasms.
Earlier this season, the former number one, injured his right shoulder in Rome, withdraw in a semi-final and missed the French Open.
Roddick won just a single match at Wimbledon and Toronto, where he began the summer hardcourt season.
