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| November 18, 2005 | Friday | Shawwal 15, 1426 |
Nalbandian, Federer book semis berths
SHANGHAI, Nov 17: Roger Federer chalked up his 80th win of the season to reclaim his crown for most wins this year, as David Nalbandian bulldozed his way into the Masters Cup semifinals in Thursday’s other late match.
The world number one was taken to three sets before outlasting Guillermo Coria 6-0, 1-6, 6-2, taking his 2005 record to 80-3 and outstripping Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal’s 79-10.
Federer, who had already qualified for the semi-finals, extended his career-best winning streak to 34, just one off Thomas Muster’s 1995 tally of 35.
He will equal John McEnroe’s 1984 season record of 82-3 if he wins the 4.45-million-dollar tournament.
Nadal, who pulled out of the Masters with a foot injury, had held the honour for most wins since October 22 when he beat Robby Ginepri in Madrid for his 78th victory, with the injured Federer sidelined.
The two-time defending champion, already in the semis, is making his comeback here and again made heavy weather of a seemingly simple task after being taken to three sets by both Nalbandian and Ivan Ljubicic.
Coria, out of the reckoning after two straight defeats, slumped to three straight service breaks before calling for the trainer, prompting murmurs of discontent from the Qi Zhong Stadium crowd.
The elite eight-man tournament has already been robbed of five of its biggest names with Nadal and Andre Agassi pulling out on Monday.
But Coria continued and won his first game for 1-0 in the second set before astonishing fans at the Qi Zhong Stadium by breaking Federer twice to level the match.
Federer recovered his composure and got the crucial break at 3-2 in the decider as Coria played into the net. Coria double-faulted at 5-2 down to gift Federer the match.
Earlier, Nalbandian brushed aside an out-of-sorts Ivan Ljubicic 6-2, 6-2 to clinch a place in the semis.
The Argentine world number 12 broke Ljubicic three times in the opening set and twice in the second to avenge his semi-final defeat in Madrid last month.
Nalbandian, on holiday just eight days ago before Andy Roddick pulled out injured, joins Federer and Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the last four.
Former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio and Chilean debutant Fernando Gonzalez will play for the last semi-final spot on Friday.
Meanwhile, Californian twins Bob and Mike Bryan qualified for the semi-finals of the doubles competition along with Leander Paes and Nenad Zimonjic.
Federer’s only defeats this year have been in the Australian Open semifinal to Marat Safin, Nadal in the French Open and to French teenager Richard Gasquet in Monte Carlo.
Results:
Red group
David Nalbandian (ARG) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 6-2, 6-2
Roger Federer (SUI) bt Guillermo Coria (ARG) 6-0, 1-6, 6-2.—Agencies
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