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Berlin, May 10: Title holder Justine Henin-Hardenne saved a set point on Saturday as she reached the final of the us$1.2m German Open with a 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 victory over Amelie Mauresmo of France.
Henin-Hardenne saved the set point at 6-5 in the first-set tiebreak before taking the decisive game two points later.
The Belgian wasted a 3-1 lead in the second set but then got the deciding break for 5-3, failed to serve out the match in the ninth game, but wrapped up matters in the 10th on her second match point after 1 hour 45 minutes.
In an all-Belgian final, the third-seeded Henin-Hardenne meets tournament number one Kim Clijsters, who got her first career win over Jennifer Capriati of the U.S. in the other semi-final, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4.
Clijsters leads the series with Henin-Hardenne 7-2.
Earlier top seed Kim Clijsters beat Jennifer Capriati for the first time with a spectacular 6-4 6-7 6-4 victory for a place in the final.
By reaching the final, Clijsters made sure of regaining the world number two spot she lost this week to Venus Williams, who pulled out of the Berlin tournament with a stomach injury.
Semifinals: Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) bt Amelie Mauresmo (France) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4; Kim Clijsters (Belgium) bt Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-4.
ROME: Switzerland’s Roger Federer won through to the final of the 2.45 million euro Rome Masters Series when defeating Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero in Saturday’s semi-final.
The number four seed clinched his place in Sunday’s finale after Ferrero, the number two seed, retired with a right shoulder injury when trailing 6-2, 4-2.
Federer will play the winner of Saturday’s other semi between Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Felix Mantilla.
Ferrero surrendered to his injury after losing his service for the third time in the second set.
Results (prefix numbers denote seeding):
Semifinals: 4-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 2-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 6-2 4-2, retired; Felix Mantilla (Spain) beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4—Reuters
