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James Blake stays on course for third title in Stockholm

Top-seeded James Blake rallied past Jarkko Nieminen 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 on Friday night to reach the semi-finals of the Stockholm Open.

With the win, Blake improved his unbeaten record in the Swedish capital to 13-0, having won the last two titles in one of the world's oldest indoor tournaments.

The American was due to play former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson in yesterday's semi-finals. The Swede beat Mario Ancic of Croatia 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

No one has won the Stockholm Open three straight times.

John McEnroe and Boris Becker each won four times, but never three in a row.

Blake, who helped the US beat Sweden in the Davis Cup semi-finals in Goteborg, Sweden, last month broke Nieminen for 1-0 and 3-0 leads as he took control in the decisive set.

In the opening set, Blake led 5-2 before succumbing in the tiebreaker. In the second, he earned the decisive break to lead 5-4, then held at love with a final ace.

"I don't know about Stockholm, but it seems to bring out the best of me," Blake said.

Blake also beat Nieminen in last year's final.

"It's tough to play a lefty like Jarkko," Blake said.

Earlier, Ivo Karlovic reached the semis by beating Arnaud Clement 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7).

The seventh-seeded Croat saved a match point with an ace when trailing 6-5 in the third-set tiebreaker, then clinched the match with another ace at 8-7.

Karlovic was due to play Tommy Haas in yesterday's semi-finals at the Royal Tennis Hall.

The fourth-seeded Haas defeated Juan Monaco 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals for the second time since 2004.

"I expected to have some good rallies. He's a great athlete on the court and puts a lot of balls in play," Haas said. "I like playing indoors. I'm happy with my results so far here, but the next match will be difficult. Karlovic is a tough player."

Haas, who won the first five games, has struggled somewhat recently, getting crushed by Igor Andreev in the Davis Cup semi-finals against Russia and exiting in Bangkok in the second round last week.

Johansson improved his record to 23-11 in Stockholm, where he won titles in 2000 and 2004.

Johansson forced a decisive set by breaking Ancic at love to lead 6-5 in the second and then served out the set.

In the third, Johansson broke to lead 6-5, but Ancic broke right back to force the tiebreaker. Johansson got two early mini breaks and never trailed the rest of the way.
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