By Kamakshi Tandon

It wasn't Fernando Gonzalez's winning backhand on match point that set off the fireworks over Rod Laver Arena, but everyone who watched his 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 extravaganza against Tommy Haas in the Australian Open semifinal could believe otherwise.

The end of Gonzalez's 91-minute victory coincided perfectly with the start of Australia Day fireworks in Melbourne, which also served as an inadvertent celebration of his unexpected run here.

Gonzalez is this year's equivalent of Marcos Baghdatis, a surprise finalist in 2006 - genial, flashy and just a little shocked by how well he's playing. There was a brief feeling that Baghdatis' second-round conqueror  Gael Monfils might turn out to be this event's revelation, but instead it has been Gonzalez, playing with the patience and variety he began working to develop in his game six months ago.

It was then that Gonzales decided he wanted to be more than just another good-but-not-great player. "I been like three or four years between the 11 and 25, like going up, down, up, down," he said. "Always I was playing the same and same. I need to do some other things."

He hired a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who coached compatriot Marcelo Rios to No. 1 and has also worked with Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Tim Henman over the last decade. The two reworked Gonzalez's weaker backhand side, and also improved the Chilean's fitness so he could hang in a point instead of going for the winner too early. "I feel that I [had] a big hole in my left side. Now I don't have it," Gonzalez said. "Now I'm more fit, you know. I can play longer. Before I could panic if I stay too much [on the backhand side]. Now I can stay here and wait for the other guy to make something or I can create many things."

The change required some technical adjustments, a difficult task for a pro player with full-time playing commitments. But Gonzalez found the time. "Mostly with the body," he said, describing the difference between old and new. "On the backhand, on the volley, little bit on the grip.

"Larry, he likes a lot the good techniques, simple techniques, try to do always the same."

But one thing Gonzalez still relishes is uncorking his huge forehand, even if he chooses his spots more judiciously now. "It's the best thing that tennis have, you know, try to go for a winner forehand. For me, is really the biggest thing, I think," he said, smiling.

And while the Chilean is a little older than Baghdatis and his vociferous cheering section is still a little quieter than the Cypriot's band of Greeks, his recent form suggests he's capable of making life uncomfortable for Roger Federer when the two meet in Sunday's final.

"I know I'm playing much better than the last time we played," he said. Interesting words, because the last time these two met was in the final of Basel, Federer's hometown event, and Gonzalez pushed the dominant Swiss to a third-set tiebreak. "He was playing really good. Me, too, but I was a little bit tired. It was [my] third final in a row," said Gonzalez. "Of course, he's the favorite player, but I'm going to try my best and I look forward to win the match."

Federer's superb semifinal  performance against Andy Roddick may have suggested there would be no  stopping him from collecting his 10th Grand Slam singles title, but Gonzalez's roaring win was the perfect rebuttal to those who would already
carve the world No.1's name on the trophy.

More significantly, it represented not just a flash of inspiration but a brilliance that has been building though the last rounds. Against Haas, Gonzalez hit 42 winners and just 3 unforced errors - all three in the second set.

"Never," said Gonzalez when asked if he could ever remember making so few  mistakes. "And one was a really stupid one too!"

Such purple patches were also in evidence during his last set against James Blake - 24 winners and 5 unforced errors - and Lleyton Hewitt - 33 winners and 2 unforced errors in the first two sets.

"The stats speak for themselves," said Haas, who lost the first 10 points of the match. "I just have to hand it to him, tip the hat, say that's too good tonight. Nothing I could have done."

The performance suggests the Chilean can challenge Federer in the final, said Haas. "If he can make very few unforced errors, play like he did tonight, I think it would be a good match, and we'll see what happens."

Federer, who has been no slouch in the numbers department himself, hit 45 winners and 12 unforced errors in his semifinal match. Haas saw the parallel. "Pretty similar for Roger last night, I think. Everything that he touched or did was, you know, unbelievable display, unbelievable to watch," he said. "Not much Andy could do. I think he was a little bit confused at times, pretty much like I am, trying to do something different, and nothing really worked.

"Should be a pretty good final," he added.