DUBAI, March 5: Roger Federer reached the semifinals of the Dubai Open on Friday with a comfortable 6-3 6-3 victory over Romania's Andrei Pavel.

Pavel held his own until the sixth game when Federer broke to love, the pace of a cross-court rally forcing a forehand error on break point. Pavel had to hold off a further two break points at 5-2 and two more at 1-1 in the second set before Federer claimed a break for 3-2 with a backhand winner on the run.

In an earlier quarterfinal, Mikhail Youzhny ended the ambitions of Spain's Rafael Nadal when he defeated the 17-year-old 6-2 1-6 6-1. Youzhny, who captured the Davis Cup for Russia in 2002 in the deciding match, jumped to a 4-1 lead in the first set. Although Nadal led 40-0 on Youzhny's serve in the next game he put no depth on his returns and his opponent held for 5-1.

In the second set a more aggressive Nadal gained the upper hand and after an early break each he broke again for 3-1. Youzhny then all but gave up, dropping the next three games to love and allowing Nadal a run of 16 straight points. Youzhny also struggled to hold his serve as the final set got underway and then faced a break point at 1-1. But he saved that with an ace and went on to win the next 10 points to earn a 4-1 lead against the fading Spaniard. A further break for 5-1 all but sealed the match.

Youzhny now facea Feliciano Lopez of Spain, who struggled to close out his match 6-4 7-6 against big-serving Croat Ivan Ljubicic after leading by a set and 4-2.

Thursday results: