Andy Roddick and Jimmy Connors huddled outside the shower in the players’ locker room – the gritty old legend in a blue suit and green tie; the rejuvenated young American in nothing but a white towel.

They spoke for 20 minutes – coach and pupil rehashing the splendid evening, rehashing their splendid summer together.

Roddick, ousted in the first round last year when he lost his mojo and respect, barreled into the U.S. Open semifinals late last night with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 rout of Australian Lleyton Hewitt.

“I was just asking Jimmy, ‘Did you think it would happen this quickly,’ ” said Roddick, whose won 18 of 19 matches this summer. “He said, ‘No, I was looking toward Australia.’ ”

For his part, Connors said as he left the locker room, “Talk to Andy. But Andy’s doing his talking with his racket.”

Before he took the court, Roddick, the ninth seed, got a dose of good luck when Rafael Nadal was upset. Hence, Roddick gets on Saturday the Russian surprise, 54th-ranked Mikhail Youznhy, with a wonderful shot of making it to Sunday’s finals, potentially against Roger Federer.

Roddick overpowered Hewitt with 17 aces and 46 winners. He hit a number of great backhands to go along with his always dangerous forehand.

“I appreciate playing good tennis again. It feels really good,” he said.

Roddick served out the match at love, ending with a 134-mph ace as Connors cheered on. Hewitt, beset by a knee injury, was not sharp, making an unusual amount of unforced errors.

“I’m in a little bit of shock. It’s been a rough six months,” said Roddick, the 2003 Open champion.

“This is the new Andy Roddick. I spent too much time this year looking back. What’s done is done. I feel it’s a new chapter.”

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Yesterday’s results

Men’s Singles – Fourth round

Nikolay Davydenko (7), Russia, def. Andy Murray (17), Britain, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

Tommy Haas (14), Germany, def. Marat Safin, Russia, 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Roger Federer (1), Switzerland, def. Marc Gicquel, France, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3.

James Blake (5), U.S., def. Tomas Berdych (12), Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.

Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, def. Rafael Nadal (2), Spain, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-1.

Andy Roddick (9), U.S., def. Lleyton Hewitt (15), Australia, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

Women’s singles – Quarterfinals

Amelie Mauresmo (1), France, def. Dinara Safina (12), Russia, 6-2, 6-3.

Justine Henin-Hardenne (2), Belgium, def. Lindsay Davenport (10), U.S., 6-4, 6-4.

Maria Sharapova (3), Russia, def. Tatiana Golovin (27), France, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (0).