Top-seeded Andy Roddick beat Belgium's Olivier Rochus 6-4, 6-4 Friday in the Swiss Indoors, and set up a semifinal against defending champion David Nalbandian.
"Today I hit the ball the best so far. My mind was right. I was into it. It was a good game," Roddick said.
Nalbandian, seeded fourth, beat former two-time winner Tim Henman 6-2, 6-4, and boosted his hopes of securing the last slot in the top-eight Masters Cup next month. Nalbandian lies eighth in the ATP Champions Race.
He and Roddick will meet for the first time since their US Open semifinal, when Nalbandian won the first two sets but lost in five.
"David has played the best out of anyone so far this week," Roddick said. "We've had a couple of tough matches this summer, most recently at the US Open, so it's going to be difficult."
When asked how he'd handle Roddick's blistering serve, Nalbandian said, "Like always."
Nalbandian said he felt rested since an injury-enforced break after the US Open.
In Saturday's other semifinal, No. 3 seed Guillermo Coria, who trounced Spain's Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-2, will play Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, who downed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Henman said he was given no chance by Nalbandian, who has won four of their five encounters.
"He deserves to be at the Masters," Henman said. "He is probably one of the most underrated players around. He's very, very difficult to beat."
Henman won the Swiss Indoors in 1998 and 2001 and reached the final in 1999. The Englishman has slipped from No. 4 to No. 32, and been hampered by a shoulder injury.
"It was a very frustrating day. I certainly didn't play my best. It was his day."
Coria said he was pleased to have regained the strong form he showed before the US Open. This is his first tournament since then, following an injury to his left adductor.
"I feel good indoors and if I keep this level I think I can win this tournament," he said.
Ljubicic, who on Thursday defeated Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, said he had been overconfident at the start of the match against Lapentti.
"I started to play much better in the second set," he said. "It took me one set to find my rhythm. I served well on the important points."
Federer issued a statement Friday saying that his "spine was totally blocked" during the match and that he was having treatment. He said he hoped to play in the forthcoming Paris Masters but could not guarantee it.
Notebook
AP, Luxembourg, Linz, Austria and Stockholm, Sweden
Top-seeded Kim Clijsters beat Emilie Loit of France 6-4 7-5 Friday to reach the semifinals of the SEAT Open.
Second-seeded Chanda Rubin also went through, but only after Alicia Molik of Australia was forced to retire with a foot injury when she was ahead 7-5, 4-5.
Clijsters, the two-time defending champion, has a semifinal on Saturday against fifth-seeded Maria Sharapova, who came from behind to beat Anca Barna of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Patty Schnyder advances
Eighth-seeded Patty Schnyder ousted title favorite Anastasia Myskina 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the Generali Open on Friday.
Schnyder surprised Myskina with her powerful serve and volleys, and outclassed the Russian, winning points at will.
"It was a perfect match for me, everything I tried worked out," Schnyder said.
Enqvist in semifinals
Former three-time champion Thomas Enqvist beat American Robby Ginepri 6-3, 6-4 Friday to reach the semifinals of his hometown Stockholm Open.
Enqvist will face fifth-seeded Mardy Fish in the semifinals, after the American outlasted Mario Ancic of Croatia 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (4).
Wild card Robin Soderling also reach Saturday's semis by beating fellow Swede and 1997 Stockholm champion Jonas Bjorkman 6-4, 6-3.
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