Date:08/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/08/stories/2006100807491600.htm

Sport - Tennis

Federer to meet Henman

TOKYO: Top-ranked Roger Federer cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Benjamin Becker on Saturday to advance to his first Japan Open final.

Federer barely broke a sweat in Saturday's match and was never seriously challenged by the 14th-seeded German, who beat Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open last month to send the eight-time Grand Slam winner into retirement.

Federer will meet Britain's Tim Henman in Sunday's final at Ariake Colosseum. Henman, who is chasing his first title this year, posted a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over ninth-seeded Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea.

Federer said he was looking forward to playing Henman.

``That will be fun,'' said Federer. ``He's a good friend of mine. I think playing Henman will be a little bit more exciting for myself.''

The results: At Tokyo (Japan Open): Semifinals: Men: Roger Federer bt Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4; Tim Henman bt Hyung Taik Lee 6-4, 7-6(5). Women: Aiko Nakamura bt Yung-Jan Chan 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-4; Marion Bartoli bt Camille Pin 6-0, 6-1.

At Metz (ATP Moselle Open): Quarterfinals: Marc Gicquel bt Florent Serra 6-4, 7-5; Jurgen Melzer bt Mardy Fish 1-6, 7-5, 7-5; Sebastien Grosjean bt Arnaud Clement 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2; Novak Djokovic bt Tobias Clemens 6-4, 6-1.

At Stuttgart (WTA Porsche Grand Prix): Semifinals: Tatiana Golovin bt Patty Schnyder 6-1, 5-7, 7-5. Nadia Petrova bt Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. Quarterfinals: Tatiana Golovin bt Michaella Krajicek 6-1, 6-2; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-1; Nadia Petrova bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-4; Patty Schnyder w/o Elena Dementieva.

At Tashkent (WTA Tashkent Open): Semifinals: Tian Tian Sun bt Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-4; Iroda Tulyaganova bt Olga Poutchkova 6-4, 6-0. — Agencies