BANGKOK, Sept 29: Home favourite Paradorn Srichaphan staged an heroic fightback from 5-2 down in the final set to defeat Briton Tim Henman on Friday and advance to the semi-finals of the Thailand Open.

Big-hitting Paradorn found his range at the moment of truth to leave Henman looking flat-footed as the unseeded Briton lost his serve for the win at 5-3 before losing out in a 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) thriller.

Two Paradorn love service games took the deciding set to a tiebreaker, with a sellout crowd of Thais – many clad in traditional yellow in honour of the king – cheering their hero.

From 2-5 down in the decider, Henman saved two winning chances before another sizzler past his racket spelt the end after two and a half tightly contested hours.

Paradorn's win was only his second in eight contests against the 59th-ranked Briton.

The world number 45 now meets either Croatian top seed Ivan Ljubicic, who beat American Robby Ginepri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in Saturday's semi-final.

American James Blake faces a Davis Cup rematch with Russian Marat Safin after they booked semi-final places.

Third-seed Blake downed Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a victory that bolsters his chances of gaining a place in November's season-ending Masters Cup.

Former world No 1 Safin, who is making his comeback after a year of knee problems, overcame tough resistance from Russian-born German teenager Mihail Zverev to win 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-5.

Results:

Quarter-finals: 1-Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) beat 7-Robby Ginepri (US) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; 8-Paradorn Srichaphan (Thailand) beat Tim Henman (Britain) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); Marat Safin (Russia) beat Mischa Zverev (Germany) 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-5; 3-James Blake (US) beat 5-Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.—Agencies