Roddick ousted from Australian Open semis, Federer moves on

Andy Roddick is out from Australian Open where as Roger Federer moved within one victory of his 14th Grand Slam title with another dominating victory. Federer ousted Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 Thursday to reach the Australian Open final.

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Nadal and fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Roddick, who undertook a rigorous offseason training regime designed to help him beat Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, was in good form.

The women’s final matchup was set earlier in the day. Serena Williams was calm, collected and cool — with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed to keep out Melbourne’s oppressive heat wave — to end Olympic champion Elena Dementieva’s 15-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

All that stands between her and a 10th Grand Slam title is third-seeded Dinara Safina, who is hungry to take home her first major trophy to go along with the two that brother Marat Safin has earned.

Safina ousted fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal.