May 20, 2006	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 21, 1427

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ROME, May 19: Former US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova broke the spell of a spirited qualifier with nothing to lose on Friday to set up an all-Russian semifinal at the Rome Masters.

The seventh-seeded Kuznetsova needed two hours, 41 minutes to stop Swiss-born Italian Romina Oprandi 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) in a battle of 20-year-olds.

Oprandi, playing in only her second WTA-level tournament, forced the vastly more experienced Kuznetsova to save a match point in the ninth game of the final set.

The former youth soccer player and junior Orange Bowl champion is set for a rise from her world ranking of 133.

Kuznetsova will face off Saturday on the clay of the Foro Italico against Dinara Safina, who extended her dream clay run 6-1, 6-1 over off-the-boil compatriot Elena Dementieva.

The comprehensive defeat in 67 minutes at the Rome Masters left two-time Grand Slam finalist Dementieva gasping after a match where she committed 27 unforced errors, double-faulted seven times and was broken six times.

For Safina, the possibility of taking the title is looking extremely good after not having dropped a set this week. Her previous best in Rome was the second round.

The 19-year-old sister of Marat Safin, winner of four career titles and world ranked 19th, hopes her form holds up for two more matches this weekend.

Safina, with 18 winners, claimed victory on her second match point, breaking Dementieva.

Russians are creating their own revolution on the WTA Tour so far this season, claiming titles at all five of the elite Tier I events in 2006, with two trophies from Nadia Petrova and one each from Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Kuznet.

Results (quarterfinals):

7-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Romina Oprandi (Italy) 6-4 5-7 7-6(4); 16-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat 5-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 6-1 6-1

STEPANEK IN SEMIS

HAMBURG: Radek Stepanek became the first player to reach the semifinals of the Hamburg Masters on Friday, defeating Max Mirnyi of Belarus 7-6 (5), 6-1.

The 15th-seeded Czech won a tiebreak after a hard-fought first set, seemingly dispiriting Mirnyi before breezing through the second.

Stepanek's first semifinal at a Master Series tournament on clay will be against Spain's Fernando Verdasco or Chile's Jose Acasuso.

Stepanek converted his first break point at 4-4 with a forehand past Mirnyi, who had rushed the net. Serving for the set at 5-4, Stepanek was up 30-0 when he committed his only double fault of the match, a slip that briefly gave Mirnyi the upper hand and allowed him to break back to 5-5.

In the tiebreak, Stepanek charged to a 3-0 lead before Mirnyi made a mini-break and moved 5-4 ahead. Stepanek then swept the remaining points.

Mirnyi allowed Stepanek to break early in the second set and take a 3-0 lead. The Czech broke again to lead 4-1 and then held his serve, sealing the victory with an ace and a love game.

Later, fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, the highest-ranked player left, faced 12th-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia.

Eighth-seeded Tommy Robredo was to meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.

The pre-tournament withdrawals of top-ranked pair Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has boosted others' chances of heading to the French Open this month with a Masters title.

Results (quarterfinals)

Jose Acasuso (Argentina) beat Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-1 6-7(6) 6-3; 15-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Max Mirnyi (Belarus) 7-6(5) 6-1.—Agencies