Melbourne: German Rainer Schuettler took full advantage of his easier run in the tournament to wear down Andy Roddick and reach his first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open on Friday.

The 31st-seeded Schuettler capitalised on Roddick's draining workload to win the second semi-final 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in 2hr 19min and will take on hot favourite Andre Agassi in Sunday's final.

Schuettler is the first German to reach a Grand Slam final since Michael Stich at the 1996 French Open, the last German winner was Boris Becker at the Australian Open in the same year.

"Right now, I'm speechless, it's unbelievable," said 26-year-old Schuettler moments after clinching match point. "It was a dream to have a chance to play in the final and sometimes you have the chance to realise the dream. I am looking forward to playing Andre in the final," he said.

"It's great to be in the final and I will give my best and see what happens."

Roddick looked a spent force in the fourth set and was feeling the effects of the draining five-hour quarter-final victory over Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui, which went to a record 21-19 in the fifth set in the early hours on Thursday.

Roddick went into the semi-final with almost double the amount of court time than Schuettler, who made him feel it early by running him around the court.

Schuettler enjoyed the benefit of an extensive five-week off-season training programme before coming to Australia and his fitness and court speed were deciding factors against Roddick.

Schuettler made a shaky start and was down three break points in his opening service game before he was broken, but he broke back in the fourth when Roddick double- faulted at 15-40.

The German was making Roddick scamper about the court with drop shots and the young American was broken again in the 12th game for Schuettler to take the opening set.

But Schuettler couldn't bask long over his early success with Roddick breaking his first two services of the next set to take a 4-0 lead. Roddick served it out to level the match, but called an injury timeout at the changeover to seek treatment on his right wrist before resuming.

Roddick was under early pressure in the third set down a break point in his opening service game but got out of trouble with a 210km/h service out wide to hold serve.

But Schuettler was taking control against the tiring Roddick and broke through in the sixth game when he drilled a forehand that the American could barely get his racquet to.

Roddick served up an 218km/h ace to hold in the eighth game but Schuettler advanced to two set points in the next game and served out for a two sets to one lead.

Roddick, sweating heavily in the oppressive evening heat, was under mounting pressure on his opening service in the fourth set and was lost serve on his fourth break point when he over-cooked a forehand wide.

Schuettler was comfortably holding serve, but Roddick was finding it an increasing struggle and fought off three more break points with two aces and another big serve to trail 2-1.

Schuettler was easing through his service games while Roddick was having problems with his serve. The end came swiftly when Roddick was down three match points in the ninth game after the American's backhand was wide and Schuettler claimed his final spot with a backhand winner to an unguarded court.

Agencies