October 28, 2007	Sunday	Shawwal 15, 1428

BASEL (Switzerland), Oct 27: Roger Federer beat Nicolas Kiefer for the ninth time in succession on Friday, his 6-3, 6-2 victory earning him a semi-final spot in the Swiss Indoors tournament.

The Swiss, who has only lost four sets to Kiefer, will face off at home against big-serving Ivo Karlovic who outlasted Czech fifth seed Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (15/13).

Berdych missed on five match points while Karlovic advanced on his fifth match point, firing 38 aces along the way over more than two and a half hours.

Federer can assure himself of another year as world number one if he lifts the title for the second year in a row on Sunday. He already heads the season-wrap up Masters Cup in Shanghai atop the eight man field.

Three spots remain to be determined, with nothing possible at three European tournaments this week but everything riding on results at the Paris Masters which concludes the ATP regular season starting on Monday.

Berdych and Karlovic remain in the chase, the Czech standing provisional 12th with three spots in the field remaining open.

In addition to the peerless Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Andy Roddick have booked spots.

Results (x denotes seeding):

Quarter-finals: Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x5) 6-7(5), 7-6(2) 7-6(13); Roger Federer (SWI x1) bt Nicolas Kiefer (GER) 6-3, 6-2; Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA x8) 6-2, 7-6(5); Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHL x2) 6-3, 7-5.

LJUBICIC KNOCKED OUT

LYON (France): Ivan Ljubicic stumbled in his bid to qualify for the Masters Cup when he lost 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 to Colombian Alejandro Falla in the quarter-finals of the Lyon Grand Prix on Friday.

The fifth-seeded Croat bowed out after two hours 31 minutes despite serving 30 aces.

Falla, who is more used to playing at Challenger level, meets last year’s finalist Marc Gicquel for a place in the final after the Frenchman defeated Argentine qualifier Diego Hartfield 7-5, 6-3.

There will be at least one Frenchman in the final since Sebastien Grosjean, who beat Julien Benneteau 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, will take on the in-form Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga trounced Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-2.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Marc Gicquel (FRA) bt Diego Hartfield (ARG) 7-5, 6-3; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Olivier Rochus (BEL) 6-3, 6-2; Alejandro Falla (COL) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x5) 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5; Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 7-6 (7/4).

SCHNYDER OUSTS TOP SEED

LINZ (Austria): Top seed Anna Chakvetadze was humbled 6-1, 6-0 by Swiss left-hander Patty Schnyder in the quarter-finals of the Linz Open on Friday.

Second seed Daniela Hantuchova was stretched by Ukraine’s Alona Bondarenko before edging through 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Marion Bartoli was also tested, the third-seeded Frenchwoman breaking in the final game to defeat Ukraine’s Julia Vakulenko 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

Fifth seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova claimed a minor upset over fourth seed Dinara Safina of Russia, winning 6-3, 7-6. Sixth-seeded Schnyder surrendered only three points on serve in each set before overpowering her hapless opponent Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze 6-1, 6-0.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x2) bt Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; Patty Schnyder (SUI x6) bt Anna Chakvetadze (RUS x1) 6-1, 6-0; Marion Bartoli (FRA x3) bt Julia Vakulenko (UKR) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; Nicole Vaidisova (CZE x5) bt Dinara Safina (RUS x4) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).

MURRAY IN SEMIS

ST PETERSBURG: Second seed Andy Murray came from behind to beat Russian Dmitry Tursunov 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the St Petersburg Open.

After dropping a set for the first time in three matches, the 20-year-old Briton saved several break points before winning the second on a tiebreak. Fifth seed Tursunov again wasted numerous chances to break in the deciding set before surrendering his serve in the sixth game.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Andy Murray (GBR x2) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x5) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x6) bt Potito Starace (ITA x4) 6-3, 6-4; Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x3) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x7) 6-4 – retired; Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-4, 6-4.—Agencies