BANGKOK, 2 October 2004 — Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan yesterday lined up a semifinal clash with world No. 1 Roger Federer as he handed out a 6-2, 7-5 defeat to Dutchman Dennis van Scheppingen at the $550,000 Thailand Open.
Paradorn, the world No. 20, had a shaky conclusion to his quarterfinal, being broken while serving for victory. But the fourth seed buckled down, getting through two games later to earn his first career meeting against the world No. 1 from Switzerland.
Paradorn will have pride on the line against the Swiss. “I’ll be giving 110 percent against him. The Thai people are very fair, but I know they want me to win. I’m the No. 1 in Thailand playing the No. 1 in the world, this is the dream of every player. I’ll be very relaxed because I have nothing to lose against him.”
Top seed Federer moved nearer to a 10th title of the season at the expense of Swede Robin Soderling with 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. The Swiss struck 14 aces in the one-hour, 22-minute victory.
American second seed Andy Roddick laid on a 21-ace performance to crush Thomas Johansson 6-3, 6-4, moving past jet-lag and into the semis. Roddick took just 51 minutes for his victory against the Swede, back after knee surgery which kept him away in 2003. Johansson scored only 10 aces and lost his serve twice. Roddick never faced a break point.
He now faces third seed Marat Safin, who knocked out Flavio Saretta 6-2, 6-1 leaving the top four seeds all in title contention.
Top seeds Novak, Canas Set Up Semi Showdow
In Shanghai, Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic powered into the semifinals of $380,000 ATP Shanghai Open yesterday, downing Jan-Michael Gambill 6-3, 6-3 and setting up a clash against Guillermo Canas of Argentina.
Top seed Novak cruised to victory over Gambill as his American opponent time and again threw away certain winners and looked unsteady from start to finish. Gambill was looking for his first semifinal appearance of the year but unforced errors and the strength of the baselining Czech proved his undoing.
Novak began the first set with a break and was quickly up 3-0 as he outhit and even outran the 27-year-old from Washington state. It was more of the same in the second set as the 29-year-old Czech, who has struggled this year, showed resurgent form that could see him avenge last year’s loss in the Shanghai final.
Today, the world No. 34 faces Canas, who although seeded third is the tournament’s other top seed after Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero pulled out earlier in the week due to a wrist injury.
Last year’s winner, Australian Mark Philippoussis, crashed out in the first round.
Canas, who missed most of last season with a wrist injury, needed only two sets to oust seventh-seeded Brazilian Ricardo Mello and book a spot in the semifinals. Canas had an easy time against Mello, winning 6-3, 6-4 even though the Brazilian has been playing some of the hottest tennis of the tour.
Also advancing to the semifinals was veteran Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark, who battled through a tough set first to beat Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.
Ranked 98 in the world, Carlsen will face German Lars Burgsmuller, who is ranked 123. He outlasted Italian journeyman Davide Sanguinetti 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6).
Sharapova Storms Through to Korea Open Semifinals
In Seoul, Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova needed less than an hour to see off Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-1 and book her place in the semifinals of the Hansol Korea Open yesterday. Taking center court after a four-hour rain delay, the 17-year-old Russian piled the pressure on Stosur to set up a semifinal clash with Anne Kremer of Luxembourg.
