Ace Server Andy Roddick Photo Credit: Getty Images

The 2004 Masters Cup semi-finalists have been determined: Andy Roddick will meet Lleyton Hewitt on Saturday while Marat Safin will be matched against the world's number one player, Roger Federer.

Tonight, Safin beat Tim Henman 6-2, 7-6 to reach the last of the Masters Cup semi-finalist positions.

The stage is now set to watch the world's four top-ranked players.

Earlier today, tennis great Andy Roddick joined Goran Ivanisevic and Pete Sampras as one of only three players to go over 1,000 aces since the ATP started keeping records in 1991. Roddick's record this season: 1,008.

Ivanisevic did it four times in his career. In 1996, he had a record 1,477 aces.

Pete Sampras had 1,011 aces in 1993.

Roddick did it today at the Masters Cup's Westside Tennis Club in Houston with fifteen aces. The result of strong serves and play got him into the semi-finals after beating Argentina's Guillermo Coria 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

Earlier today, Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, the Masters champion in 2001 and 2002, beat French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, 6-1 6-2. He did it in 59 minutes.

Looking ahead to his semi-final on Saturday with Hewitt, the twenty-two year-old Roddick said:

I feel good, I'm going to take a lot of positives out of these three matches.

I didn't drop a set but I had a couple of close ones so I wouldn't say I dominated.

But it should be a good match. I'm going to give out some pretty big blows and he's going to send them back to me.

"He went back and worked his tail off in Austin for three weeks and got himself in great shape," said Roddick's trainer, Doug Spreen. "If you talk to Andre Agassi, he's probably learned he can push harder than the last time. That's what Andy is finding."

Saturday's semi-final match-up will determine who will finish the year with the number two ranking.

A Roddick victory on Saturday would assure him of finishing second in the year-end ranking. Hewitt must win the tournament to leap past him. But that is only a detail, not a shining goal.

"Lleyton and I have both been No. 1 before," Roddick said. "So, you know, I think we'd both like to be there instead."

The two former world number ones will be joined in the semi-finals by the defending champion and current top ranked player Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Russia's 24 year-old, Marat Safin took on Britain's Tim Henman later this evening to determine the final spot. Safin now joins Roddick in the Blue Group.

So it's:

The financial incentive: $1,520,000 to the winner of the season-ending Masters Cup.

For details regarding the entire tournament, go to:

For "official" Andy Roddick news and information, go to:

Congratulations to all four players, especially Andy Roddick, who also holds the record for the fastest serve at 155mph.

Other reasons to be impressed and inspired by the twenty-two year-old from Omaha, Nebraska who currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida:

Roddick became the youngest American (21 years, 2 months) and second overall (behind Lleyton Hewitt, 20 years, 8 months in 2001) to finish No. 1 in the history of ATP Rankings (since 1973)...

Roddick made the biggest jump to No. 1 from previous year, improving from No. 10...

Roddick became the sixth American to finish No. 1 and first since Agassi in 1999 (Sampras-6 times, Connors-5, McEnroe-4, Courier-1, Agassi-1).

And there's more.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and record-breaking 1K living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King

P.S. For the latest book on Roddick or to follow in his footsteps by wearing the same Reebok tennis shoes he sports, go to: