U.S. Open 2004 Finalist Lleyton Hewitt

Lleyton Hewitt came onto the court looking like a winner, acting like a winner and playing like a winner. In three sets, the Aussie favorite then delivered at Arthur Ashe stadium in the U.S. Open Tennis semis against Swedish underdog Joachim "Pim Pim" Johansson 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

Tomorrow, Hewitt (4) will be in his first US Open final since he won the title in 2001.

He will play the winner of the Roger Federer (1) vs. Tim Henman (5) match.

Hewitt has a winning record against both players - 8-5 vs. Federer and 8-0 vs. Henman.

Hewitt goes into tomorrow's final with a 16-match winning streak. Coming into the U.S. Open, he won two straight tournaments.

Johnsson played a more-than-respectable game in his first break-out major. He owns the most aces (106) in this tournament.

"I don't have any pressure on me," he said. "I just go out and have fun. It's my first semifinal. I didn't expect to be there. I want to win, but there's nothing I could do about it."

The two took off their brotherly love hats (Johansson has been dating Hewitt's sister for the past 4 1/2 years). After the match Hewitt said, "We had to come out here and put our professional cap on and just compete as hard as possible. And I'm happy with the way I played today."

In response to CBS Broadcaster Pam Shriver's question about who his sister Jaslyn was cheering for today, Hewitt countered Johansson previous answer by saying, "It has to be her brother!"

Over the past two Christmas breaks, the twenty-two year-old Johansson had joined the Hewitt family in Australia and played on their backyard court in Adelaide, practising with twenty-three year-old Lleyton.

Lleyton's twenty-one year-old sister, Jaslyn also plays on the pro circuit. In fact, she had reached the No. 1 ranking in junior women's, while Johansson was ranked third in junior men's at the time. Last month, she won $10,000 at tournament in London. Peter Smith, tennis coach to Lleyton for twelve years as well as to his sister, called the Hewitts "probably the best pupils" he's ever had.

Johansson and Jasyln Hewitt met when they each won a junior tournament in 2000 in Australia.

Johansson has been nicknamed "Pim Pim" for as long as he can remember. When they were children, his younger brother was unable to say "Joachim" so he said "Joapim" instead. This is how he got the nickname "Pim Pim." For Swedes, Pim Pim is known well as a small box of Swedish candies. This week, for all those not on the inside tennis track have come to learn about the twenty-eighth best player in the world, a young "sweet" Swedish man called "Pim Pim."

We'll be watching.

In the meantime, best of luck tomorrow to Australia's #1 player Lleyton Hewitt. Using your own phrase after winning each set, "Come on!"

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and "good on ya mate" living!

~ Jennifer King