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MOSCOW, Oct 6: Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov crushed Tommy Haas of Germany 6-1 6-2 to power into the final of the Kremlin Cup on Saturday.
The top seed, who has won this tournament for the past four years, needed only one hour two minutes to despatch fourth seed Haas with a noisy crowd cheering every shot.
Kafelnikov meets another German in Sunday’s final, Nicolas Kiefer, who defeated Slovak Dominik Hrbaty 6-4 6-3.
Yugoslav Jelena Dokic will play Elena Dementieva in the final after the Russian survived a 6-7 6-1 7-5 struggle against compatriot Anastasia Myskina on Saturday.
Dokic, seeded fifth, eased past sixth seed Silvia Farina Elia of Italy 6-4 6-3 in one hour 10 minutes after overcoming early problems.
The all-Russian semifinal was a battle over two hours 10 minutes including an hour-long first set. Myskina pulled away to a 5-3 lead before Dementieva won three straight games.
Semifinal results (prefix number denotes seedings):
1-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) beat 4-Tommy Haas (Germany) 6-1 6-2; Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) beat Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 6-4 6-3.
8-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 6-7 (9-7) 6-1 7-5; 5-Jelena Dokic (Yugoslavia) beat 6-Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) 6-4 6-3
Friday’s quaterfinals results:
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus x1) bt Thomas Johansson (Swe) 6-3, 7-5; Dominik Hrbaty (Svk) bt Jiri Novak (Cze) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Marc Rosset (Swi) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1); Tommy Haas (Ger x4) bt Magnus Gustafsson (Swe) 6-1, 6-4.
Jelena Dokic (Yug x5) bt Francesca Schiavone (Ita) 6-2, 6-0; Elena Dementieva (Rus x8) bt Martina Hingis (Swi x1) 6-2, 6-2; Silvia Farina Elia (Ita x6) bt Daja Bedanova (Cze) 1-6, 7-6 (11/9), 6-4; Anastasia Myskina (Rus) bt Barbara Schett (Aut) 6-4, 6-2.
TOKYO: Reigning US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt emerged victorious against American James Blake to claim a berth in Sunday’s final of the Japan Open tennis tournament.
The top seed, who was stretched to the distance by Blake on his way to winning his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadow, took the last seven games in a row for a 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Saturday’s results (x denotes seeds):
Men’s singles
Semifinals: Lleyton Hewitt (Aus x1) bt James Blake (USA) 6-4, 6-0; Michel Kratochvil (Swi x5) bt Karol Kucera (Svk) 6-0, 6-3
Women’s singles
Semifinals: Tamarine Tanasugarn (Tha x2) bt Joannette Kruger (Rsa x8) 6-3, 7-5.—Reuters
