They've played eight times previously, and Hewitt holds a 6-2 career edge, including 3-0 in Grand Slam matches. One of those was a 2001 quarterfinal, in which Roddick lost his temper after a fifth-set overrule by the chair umpire.

Hewitt went on to win that U.S. Open on his way to No. 1. Roddick would win the tournament two years later, also a step toward the top of the rankings. Both have slipped since: Roddick is seeded ninth here, Hewitt 15th.

"Both of us are in the same boat in a lot of ways," Hewitt said. "We both know what to expect from one another's games. We've played enough times. We've played enough big matches, as well. At the end of the day, it's going to be who can execute well on Wednesday, and who does that best is going to win."Back in 2001, on the first point of what would be the final game, Roddick hit a forehand that a linesman called good but the chair umpire called out, even though the ball landed on the sideline farthest from his chair. Roddick let loose with a racket-slamming, body-twisting tantrum -- "Are you an absolute moron?!" he yelled at the umpire -- and five points later, the match was over.

Odds are, there won't be any sort of similar display this time, and not merely because Roddick has learned to manage his emotions much better on court. Nowadays, there's recourse for players who feel they've been robbed: An instant replay system is making its Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Open.

Something else that's new, for Roddick: He's been playing with a lot more confidence since recently teaming up with Jimmy Connors.

"The passion he brings to the court is huge. It's contagious," said Roddick, who owns a 10-match winning streak that began at the Cincinnati Masters. "But first and foremost I get the opportunity on a daily basis to have information from one of the greatest players that ever played."

HALL OF FAME
Pete Sampras heads the list of nominees for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Sampras, who won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles, is joined by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the "recent player" category, the Hall announced Tuesday from its home in Newport, R.I.

Sampras was ranked No. 1 for a record 286 weeks, including 102 in a row from April 1996 to March 1998. He won a total of 64 singles titles, including his haul of majors: seven at Wimbledon, five at the U.S. Open and two at the Australian Open. Sampras won the last match of his career, beating Andre Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final.

Sanchez Vicario won three French Opens and was the first Spanish woman to win the U.S. Open singles title in 1994. In addition to those four major singles titles, she won six doubles and four mixed doubles Grand Slam championships.

Other nominees for the Hall: Sven Davidson (the first Swedish man to win a Grand Slam title), and Christine Truman Janes (won the French Championships in 1959 at age 18) in the "master player" category; Russ Addams (photographer) and the late Robert Johnson (credited with launching the careers of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson) in the "contributor" category.

DAVIS CUP
As expected, Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryan brothers will represent the United States against Russia in the Sept. 22-24 Davis Cup semifinals.

U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe announced his roster Tuesday at the U.S. Open, where Roddick already is in the quarterfinals and Blake was waiting to play his fourth-round match.

McEnroe's experience with the team has been quite different from that of his brother, John, whose 14-month tenure as U.S. captain was marked by frustration at not being able to persuade Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi to play.

"They really pull for each other and support each other. It makes my job really pleasant, really easy. They've just been tremendous. I mean, there's never been one time where I've had to say to any one of these guys, 'Are you available?' It's a given that they're going to play," Patrick McEnroe said.

"I texted Andy this morning. I said, 'I just want you to know I'm just about to announce the team officially,"' McEnroe recounted Tuesday. "He texted me back, 'Did I make the team?"'Russia will host the best-of-five semifinal on a clay court indoors. Marat Safin, Mikhail Youzhny and Dmitry Tursunov are expected to be on Russia's team.

"As soon as this tournament is over, we'll get the guys on the clay as quickly as they can after taking a few days off," McEnroe said, depending on how they do here the rest of the way."