TENNIS: Of the four men's semi-finalists at this year's Australian Open, only Roger Federer has never been the world number one.
If he beats Juan Carlos Ferrero tomorrow, a match that pits the Wimbledon champion against the French Open champion, then the Swiss, aka the Fed Express, will become the 23rd man to reach this pinnacle since the modern rankings began in 1973.
It was not something Federer wished to dwell on after beating Argentina's David Nalbandian 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the fourth quarter-final in the Rod Laver Arena yesterday - Ferrero having previously defeated Morocco's Hicham Arazi 6-1, 7-6, 7-6.
"Being number one is secondary right now," he said. "I need to concentrate on trying to win my second grand slam." The simple truth is that no matter what his ranking, Federer is the best player in the world. This has nothing to do with ranking points, or matches and titles won - it is a subjective assessment based entirely on the fact that of all the leading players Federer is the one, way above all the rest, that tennis fans most want to watch. The fact that he has brought style, elegance and touch to the modern game - and a one-handed backhand - has thrilled everybody who feared the template for the future was double-fisted baseline bashing.
There is room for all styles, but against the odds Federer has proved it is possible to beat the power hitters through a mixture of style and grace. This is not to say that the 22-year-old Swiss does not give the ball a most fearful clump, notably on the forehand, but it is the sheer variety that makes the aficionados purr.
Nalbandian is much less gifted but a wonderful fighter. His arrival in the Wimbledon final two years ago caught everybody on the hop, but it was no fluke. Many had thought he might win his first slam here; coming into the quarter-final he held a 5-1 lead over Federer, including a five-set victory here last year in the fourth round, and a further slam win at last year's US Open. Crucially Federer downed the obdurate Argentinian for the first time at the end-of-season Tennis Masters Cup in Houston.
Having now beaten Lleyton Hewitt and Nalbandian in successive rounds, Federer should be well and truly in the groove against baseliners. However, Ferrero, who reached the final of last year's US Open where he lost to Roddick, has a little more to his game than either of the other two.
The Spaniard dealt efficiently enough with the gifted but temperamentally volatile Arazi, yet he has both thighs protectively strapped, and may lack the mobility needed to tackle Federer at his best. And Federer's self-belief is growing with every win, a confidence that liberates him to pursue the full range of his glorious stroke-play.
Against Nalbandian he knew he had to be slightly circumspect - "I took too many chances against him in the past and that's why I lost". But when the Argentinian cornered him in the first set at 5-5, forcing two break points, Federer responded with four aces, then ripped apart Nalbandian's service game.
It was never less than close, with Federer making more errors than in his previous match against Hewitt. "I couldn't find my rhythm," he complained, which had much to do with Nalbandian's cussed defence. The difference between Federer now and Federer a year ago is that he has learned to play his very best tennis when it most matters.
It is possible he may lose to Ferrero, who would then himself regain the number one spot. But if this should happen, it would not prevent everybody believing that the best player in the world was still the man from Switzerland.
