Mardy Fish has defeated Andy Roddick 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the Atlanta semifinals to reach his third final in four events.
"It's one of the best wins I've had," said Fish, who had lost nine of his ten meetings against friend and former roommate Roddick. "It's tough beating such a great friend...he couldn't have been nicer at net."
Fish has now won nine straight matches. He went 11-1 during the grass season by reaching the final of Queen's and winning Newport, despite a disappointing second-round loss at Wimbledon.
The 28-year-old American attributes his run to improved movement, losing 30 pounds in a bid to improve his fitness after knee surgery. "I didn't feel like I had a lot to do with the reason why I had the knee surgery," he told the Tennis Channel. "Until I really sort of said, maybe I've got a little too much weight on my knees.
"You'd be amazed, taking away 30 pounds, how much harder you can train and further you can go."
Fish will face John Isner in the final. Isner, who is playing his first event since his record-breaking marathon at Wimbledon, defeated Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-6 (7), 6-3 in brutal heat to win the afternoon semifinal.