Federer of old shows he's still a dominant player

NEW YORK -- He was always the ultimate of Swiss cool, imperturbable, playing tennis with the precision of a watchmaker, the steeliness of a banker. No longer.

The pressure and the disparagement have given us a new Roger Federer.

A pumped-up Federer needs one more win to claim his first Grand Slam of the year and 13th of his tremendous career. (AP)

Who, told he was heading for this third Grand Slam final of the year, responded, "I hope I get one. It would mean a hell of a lot to me."

That's not the guy we used to know. This is the one we're trying to get to know these days, the one who is desperate to prove he remains relevant, if no longer dominant.

Federer took apart Novak Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 Saturday in one of the men's semifinals.

He was Hurricane Roger, in a sense, before the arrival of the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna, in a swirl.

The rains and wind, as forecast, swept across Billie Jean King National Tennis Center before the other semi, the one between No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, could get out of the third set.

Before the scheduled women's final between Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic could even begin.

Murray won the first two sets. Nadal led the third. They'll return Sunday, as will the ladies.

Roger won't be back until Monday when, against one of the other two, he'll attempt to win a fifth straight Open, matching his Wimbledon record and becoming the first man to achieve the feat since Bill Tilden won six in a row in 1920-25.

"Who do I prefer?" was Federer's rhetorical response about the opponent. "I prefer the trophy, that's what I prefer."

Then he added, "I guess I have to say Rafa, because we've had such great battles over the years. Wimbledon was unbelievable."