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GSTAAD, July 9: Tired Wimbledon champion Roger Federer beat unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek 6-1 5-7 6-4 in his second match on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Swiss Open.
The world number one beat big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-7 6-3 7-6 in a rain-delayed second round clash in the morning before taking on Stepanek in the sunlit afternoon.
In both matches, Federer mixed some sublime all-court tennis with unforced errors as his hangover from Wimbledon fortnight took its toll.
"Maybe I needed the practise," said Federer, who lifted his second successive Wimbledon title last Sunday when he beat American Andy Roddick in the final. Stepanek also played twice on Friday, beating veteran Swiss favourite Marc Rosset 4-6 7-5 6-3.
After dropping his serve twice to lose the second set, Federer stormed back in the third, making the most of a break in the opening game. Federer, 22, will meet Italian qualifier Potito Starace in Saturday's semi-finals.
Starace, who will be 23 on Wednesday, beat defending champion and fourth seeded Czech Jiri Novak 6-4 6-3 in the opening quarterfinal. His progress follows a strong showing at the French Open where he reached the third round after beating Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean.
In the other semifinal, unseeded Russian Igor Andreev plays third-seeded German Rainer Schuettler, who beat Spain's Felix Mantilla 6-1 4-6 6-2. Andreev beat unseeded Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3 6-4.
RESULTS:
QUARTERFINAL: Rainer Schuettler (Germany) bt Felix Mantilla (Spain) 6-1 4-6 6-2; Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 6-1 5-7 6-4; Potito Starace (Italy) bt Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-3; Igor Andreev (Russia) bt Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 6-3 6-4
SECOND ROUND: Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) bt Marc Rosset (Switzerland) 4-6 7-5 6-3; Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4)
HALL OF FAME RESULTS
NEWPORT: Results from the US$380,000 ATP Hall of Fame Tennis Championship on Thursday:
SECOND ROUND: Vince Spadea (USA) bt Brian Vahaly (USA) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5); Alex Bogomolov (USA) bt James Blake (USA x2) 6-3, 6-1; Jurgen Melzer (AUT) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-3, 6-1; Cyril Saulnier (FRA) bt Gilles Elseneer (BEL) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3); Antony Dupuis (FRA) bt Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) 6-3, 6-4; Alexander Popp (GER) bt Glenn Weiner (USA) 6-1, 6-3;Jeff Morrison (USA) bt Brian Baker (USA) 6-3, 6-3; Greg Rusedski (GBR) bt Kenneth Carlsen (DEN) 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/6).
SWEDISH OPEN RESULTS:
BASTADl results at the 375,750 euro Swedish Open ATP tournament on Friday: Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) bt Rafael Nadal (Spain) 6-2 6-3; Robin Soderling (Sweden) bt Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-2; Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) bt Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-4 6-4; Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) bt Alberto Martin (Spain) 6-1 6-2. -Agencies
