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Safin to face Coria in Monte Carlo

Guillermo Coria returns to David Nalbandian during their quaterfinal match at the Monte Carlo Tennis Open tournament in Monaco, Friday. Coria won 6-4, 6-3. PHOTO: AP

Former Grand Slam winner Marat Safin advanced Friday to a semifinal showdown with clay-court expert Guillermo Coria at the US$2.91 million Monte Carlo Masters on Friday.

Rainer Schuettler will meet 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya in Saturday's other semi.

Coria, who has not lost on clay since last June -- 24 straight wins -- meets 2000 US Open champion Safin for the first time in a match pitting size and strength against grace and mobility.

Safin is 1.93m tall, while the slim Coria stands 1.75m.

Big hitter Safin says he must attack No. 3 seed Coria from the beginning to stand any chance of handing the Argentine his first clay defeat since Martin Verkerk in the French Open semis.

"You have to push hard and take control of the match," he said. "Otherwise it's hard because they start to be confident and then it's difficult to turn the situation round."

Coria is equally wary of Safin.

"When he's playing well, for me he is the best player in the world on all surfaces," Coria said. "He has a great forehand, serve and backhand. I will have to raise my game to another level."

Safin progressed with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 quarterfinal win over Spain's Alberto Martin, while Coria defeated No. 7 David Nalbandian -- his countryman -- 6-4, 6-3.

Elsewhere, No. 4 Schuettler easily beat No. 6 Tim Henman 6-3, 6-1, and Moya -- unbeaten in tie-breaks since last June -- downed Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Although Moya remains favorite on clay, he's not taking the German lightly.

"You have to respect him," Moya said. "He beat Guga [Gustavo Kuerten] and Henman so he must be pretty good. Clay is not his natural surface, but I respect him a lot."
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