29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

MELBOURNE, Jan 28: Fluid and ferocious in equal measure, Roger Federer felled his nemesis David Nalbandian on Wednesday to reach his first Australian Open semi-final.

The 7-5 6-4 5-7 6-3 victory was a first grand slam triumph over the burly Argentine for Wimbledon champion Federer and sweet revenge for defeats here and at the U.S. Open last year.

The defeat in New York had been a fifth straight loss to Nalbandian. Wednesday's thumping win set Federer up for a sizzling semi-final against third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero.

French Open champion Ferrero earlier showed no sign of the elbow, shoulder or hamstring injuries which had threatened to scupper him earlier in the tournament as he fought off stylish Hicham Arazi 6-1 7-6 7-6.

The only way the Spaniard can now prevent Federer from becoming world number one for the first time on Monday is by beating him in the semis and going on to win the title.

In the women's draw, Kim Clijsters fought off a niggling ankle injury and a bout of paralysing nerves to squeeze into the semis with a 6-2 7-6 win over Russian Anastasia Myskina.

The Belgian world number two, who said she will wait until she is given the "all clear" on her ankle before taking the court for her last-four clash, is due to face Patty Schnyder. The Swiss ended Lisa Raymond's giant-killing run with a 7-6 6-3 win.

Federer attacked from the start, lashing backhands and forehands to the back of the court and ghosting in to the net for the kill. The Argentine, who beat Federer in the fourth round here 12 months ago, has been the form player this year and a mammoth obstacle to scale.

The eighth seed had not lost a set coming into the quarter-finals but was left screaming at the heavens in frustration as Federer hustled him point by point.

The stylish Swiss broke in the last game of each of the first two sets to stretch into the lead but in the third the tables were turned, Nalbandian broke to stay in the match.

Cheered on by compatriot and former women's world number one Martina Hingis - in Melbourne as a commentator - Federer broke early in the fourth. Slashing winners beyond the reach of the Argentine's reach, the second seed closed out, pummelling a serve down on match point that Nalbandian sent long.

Clijsters beat Myskina in an edgy affair. Despite her injury, Clijsters said it would take a lot to sideline her now that she is only two matches away from her maiden grand slam crown.

Myskina admitted that nerves had got the better of her. Schnyder had not made it past the quarter-finals of a major tournament in nine years and was thrilled by her victory.

Raymond, the 25th seed, had caused the biggest upset of the tournament when she ousted third seed Venus Williams in the third round with a dazzling and dominant performance.

However, the American doubles specialist was defensive and erratic against Schnyder. Ferrero battled into the semis here for the first time with a gutsy victory.

The wiry Spaniard, French Open champion and runner-up at the U.S. Open last year, underlined his title credentials with another hard-nosed performance in an absorbing baseline struggle.

Reults:

Men's singles (quarterfinals): 2-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 8-David Nalbandian (Argentina) 7-5 6-4 5-7 6-3; 3-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Hicham Arazi (Morocco) 6-1 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5)

Women's singles (quarterfinals): 2-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat 6-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 6-2 7-6 (11-9); 22-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat 25-Lisa Raymond (U.S.) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3-Reuters