Roger Federer will bid for a 16th Grand Slam title when he faces Juan Martin del Potro in Monday's US Open final.
The top seed outclassed Novak Djokovic in the semis and is hoping to become the first man since Bill Tilden in 1925 to win six successive US Open crowns.
"I'm relaxed," said the 27-year-old Swiss. "Things go quickly here, you don't have much time to think about it.
"I was pretty nervous going into my semi-final and it's going to be interesting to see how I handle it."
Looking to add the US Open to the French Open and Wimbledon titles he has already won in 2009, Federer takes on sixth seed Del Potro at 1800 BST.
The top seed has trium
phed on each of his six previous meeting with the 20-year-old Argentine, most recently in the semi-finals at Roland Garros.
Federer's Wimbledon victory saw him break Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles, with Sampras himself, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg amongst those watching on in the Centre Court crowd.
"I don't think Pete's coming for a start," said Federer, who has reached at least the semi-finals in 23 of his last 24 Grand Slam tournaments.
"But just knowing he was there and Laver was there and Borg was there, many of the greats, maybe wanting to witness tennis history... it definitely increased the pressure.
"So I feel a little bit different here. You just take things in your stride."
Federer, who became a father for the first time earlier this summer when new wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls, added: "It will be great to get the first slam as a dad.
"Keep the momentum going, win three in a row. It will be something very special."
In Del Potro, Federer will be facing his sixth different opponent in as many US Open finals dating back to his first win in 2004.
The Argentine, who thrashed third seed Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-2 6-2 in his semi-final, took Federer to five sets at the French Open but he admitted this could be an even trickier assignment.
"When I was playing Roger in the French Open I was so close," said Del Potro. "On that surface it was much better for me and here the surface is going to help him... not too much me.
"But I have a good feeling with everything and I'm hoping for the best."
NEW YORK — Someday Kim Clijsters will show her daughter the pictures — Jada pointing at herself on the giant video boards, scampering around the court and leaning over to touch the trophy.
The 18-month-old is too young to remember her mother's unforgettable run at the U.S. Open.
Clijsters came into her third tournament after 2 1/2 years of retirement just hoping to ease herself back into the experience of competing at a Grand Slam.
Instead, the Belgian beat five of the top 18 players in the world to become the first unseeded player to win the Open when she defeated No. 9 seed Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday night.
"It's a great feeling to have, but it's confusing in a lot of ways, as well," Clijsters said. "It went so quickly, everything."
No mother had captured a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980 at Wimbledon.
"I was so very excited to hear that Kim won, and I'm so happy for her," Goolagong Cawley, who won Wimbledon three years after having daughter Kelly, told The Associated Press on Monday. "Go Moms."
On the men's side, Roger Federer will try Monday to make it an all-parent championship. The new father of twin girls faces Juan Martin del Potro as he seeks his sixth straight U.S. Open title.
Federer beat Novak Djokovic on Sunday with the help of what he called the greatest shot of his life: a between-the-legs, back-to-the-net, crosscourt winner from the baseline. A point later, with the crowd in hysterics and Djokovic still in shock, the world's top-ranked player closed out the victory, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-5.
The sixth-seeded Del Potro steamrolled No. 3 Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 earlier in the day to reach his first Grand Slam final.
"Right now, I'm pretty relaxed," Federer said. "We'll see how it goes when the sun comes up. I'd like to keep this going. It'd be great to get my first Grand Slam as a dad."
Rain delayed the semifinal match between Clijsters and Serena Williams, then that match ended abruptly Saturday night in a very different kind of storm: Williams' tirade at a linesperson after a foot fault call resulted in a penalty that decided the final point of the match.
On Sunday, Williams was fined $10,000, and more punishment could follow from a broader investigation.
The ending left Clijsters stunned instead of celebrating her stellar play. But the break from tennis and motherhood have left the 26-year-old wiser than the last time she played the Open — when she won her lone previous major title in 2005.
"Because I've become a lot more understanding of myself, you know how to deal with it when different emotions come up," Clijsters said.
Lacking motivation, disheartened by a series of injuries, and yearning to start a family, Clijsters had retired. She didn't think about competitive tennis until she started training again at the start of the year.
"She's playing because she thinks it's fun and because she likes it," Wozniacki said. "I really think she might be a better player now than she was before."
What if somebody had called her in the hospital after Jada was born and told her she'd be back playing tennis in 18 months?
"I would have gone, 'Click,'" Clijsters said, laughing as she pantomimed hanging up a phone.
Clijsters beat both Williams sisters along the way, matching them power shot for power shot, then showed she could endure the 19-year-old Dane's patient game.
Clijsters didn't have a ranking coming in because she hadn't played enough tournaments to get on the list. She'll come in at around No. 20 when the new rankings are released this week.
On Sunday, Jada took a nap a bit later than usual so she could stay awake for the match.
"Brian and I were a lot more nervous than she was," Clijsters said. "She just thought it was the most normal thing."
US Open Tennis 2009, Schedule, Fixtures, Live Scores, Live Streaming.
The 2009 US Open Tennis Championship will be held from 31st August to 13th September, 2009 at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, New York City.
| US Open Finish | Base Prize Money | Olympus US Open Series 1st Place Finisher | 2nd Place Finisher | 3rd Place Finisher |
| Winner | $1,600,000 | $2,600,000 | $2,100,000 | $1,850,000 |
| Finalist | $800,000 | $1,300,000 | $1,050,000 | $925,000 |
| Semifinalist | $350,000 | $600,000 | $475,000 | $412,500 |
| Quarterfinalist | $175,000 | $300,000 | $237,500 | $206,250 |
US Open Tennis Singles Prize Money (Men & Women – 128 Draws)
| US Open Tennis 2009 Round | US Open Tennis 2009 Prize Money |
| Winners | $1,500,000 |
| Runners-Up | $750,000 |
| Semifinalists | $320,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $160,000 |
| Round of 16 | $80,000 |
| Third Round | $46,000 |
| Second Round | $30,000 |
| First Round | $18,500 |
| Total | $7,050,000 |
| US Open Tennis 2009 Round | US Open Tennis 2009 Prize Money |
| Winners | $420,000 |
| Runners-Up | $210,000 |
| Semifinalists | $105,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $50,000 |
| Round of 16 | $25,000 |
| Second Round | $15,000 |
| First Round | $10,000 |
| Total | $1,800,000 ($3,600,000) |
US Open Tennis Mixed Doubles Prize Money (Per Team – 32 Draws)
| US Open Tennis 2009 Round | US Open Tennis 2009 Prize Money |
| Winners | $180,000 |
| Runners-Up | $90,000 |
| Semifinalists | $30,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $15,000 |
| Second Round | $10,000 |
| First Round | $5,000 |
| Total | $500,000 |
| |||||||||
| 1 | Monday, Aug. 31 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s/Women’s 1st Round | |||||
| 2 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s 1st Round | ||||||
| 3 | Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s/Women’s 1st Round | |||||
| 4 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s 1st Round | ||||||
| 5 | Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s 1st/Women’s 2nd Round | |||||
| 6 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s 2nd Round | ||||||
| 7 | Thursday, Sept. 3 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s/Women’s 2nd Round | |||||
| 8 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s 2nd Round | ||||||
| 9 | Friday, Sept. 4 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s 2nd/Women’s 3rd Round | |||||
| 10 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s 2nd/Women’s 3rd Round | ||||||
| 11 | Saturday, Sept. 5 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s/Women’s 3rd Round | |||||
| 12 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s 3rd Round | ||||||
| 13 | Sunday, Sept. 6 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s 3rd/Women’s Round of 16 | |||||
| 14 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s 3rd/Women’s Round of 16 | ||||||
| 15 | Monday, Sept. 7 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s/Women’s Women’s Round of 16 | |||||
| 16 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s/Women’s Women’s Round of 16 | ||||||
| 17 | Tuesday, Sept. 8 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s Women’s Round of 16/Women’s Quarterfinal | |||||
| 18 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s Women’s Round of 16/Women’s Quarterfinal | ||||||
| 19 | Wednesday, Sept. 9 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s and/or Women’s Quarterfinal | |||||
| 20 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s and/or Women’s Quarterfinal | ||||||
| 21 | Thursday, Sept. 10 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s Quarterfinal/Mixed Doubles Final | |||||
| 22 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Men’s Quarterfinal/Women’s Doubles Semifinal | ||||||
| 23 | Friday, Sept. 11 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s Quarterfinal/Women’s Semifinals | |||||
| 24 | Saturday, Sept. 12 | Day | 11 a.m. | Men’s Semifinals | |||||
| 25 | Evening | 7 p.m. | Women’s Final/Pre-Match Ceremony | ||||||
| 26 | Sunday, Sept. 13 | Day | 12 p.m. | Women’s Doubles Final/Men’s Final | |||||
