Russians converging on men's final

While Americans have enjoyed the red, white and blue antics of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick at this year's U.S. Open, the Russians are now relishing the possibility of an all-Russian men's final.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov and defending champion Marat Safin are both still on course for Sunday's showcase match, and Kafelnikov for one would love to make history.

"I can't even describe what we would feel like," the seventh seed said on Thursday after thrashing Brazilian top seed and world number one Gustavo Kuerten 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in the quarter-finals.

"It has never happened before. But if it happens like that, I can't even describe what we're going to feel like when we step out on the court on Sunday playing for one of the most prestigious trophies in men's professional tennis."

But first things first.

Kafelnikov says he doesn't want to get ahead of himself. First, he must deal with the winner of Thursday night's match between fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt and 18th seed Roddick while Safin, the defending champion, faces Sampras in the semifinals.

It will mark the first time two Russians have reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam.

"I don't want to look that far ahead at the moment," Kafelnikov said of a possible meeting with Safin. "I'm just happy to be part of Super Saturday."

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Kafelnikov, who also reached the semifinals here in 1999, said that if two Russians battle for the title, it would be keenly followed back home.

However, Russians who want to watch the match will have to pay to do so on cable.

"They're really enthusiastic people... they will always watch, no matter how much it costs or what channel it's on," he said. "They don't really care."

Although Kuerten was hampered by tightness in his left groin, Kafelnikov deflected any inference that this was a factor.

When asked if the Brazilian's serve was below par, he snapped back, "It's because I returned well."

The two had faced each other in a Grand Slam only three times previously.

All three were at the French Open, all three in the quarter-finals, and Kuerten used all three as a springboard to the championship. Two of those meetings were decided in five sets.

So even with a comfortable lead on Thursday, Kafelnikov said: "I was a little nervous inside. I knew how important the match is for me. I just didn't want to have the previous experience happen like it did three times in the French Open where I have the match in my hand and I'm not able to close it out. Today was a different story."

Kafelnikov took advice from John McEnroe by stepping up his serve-and-volley game, and it paid off with him winning 25 of 35 net approaches.

He felt he had to be more aggressive against Kuerten, who isn't the same shotmaker on hardcourts as he is on clay.

"I don't feel comfortable when I'm serving and volleying," he said. "But I had to put pressure on Guga (Kuerten) when he was returning."