Rusedski defeats Ivanisevic at 10th attempt

Greg Rusedski had to play two matches within hours of each other, but was justly rewarded with a place in the semi-finals of the Heineken Open here yesterday.

The British No 2 found success against the second seed Goran Ivanisevic for the first time in 10 attempts, a 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, scoreline the result of the meeting between two of the ATP Tour's biggest servers. Earlier in the day, Rusedski completed a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Michal Tabara of the Czech Republic in a match which was halted by rain on Wednesday.

Of the four players forced into double duty, Rusedski and Switzerland's Michel Kratchovil were the only ones to reach the last four. Kratchovil swept past the local favourite Mark Nielsen 6-3, 6-2, then squeezed past Argentina's David Nalbandian 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.

"After I won the first set, it became really difficult mentally. After dropping the second set, I knew I had to get back to business right away," Rusedski said after a match that surprisingly featured only 15 aces and a remarkable nine service breaks. "I've had 15 match points against Goran in the past and always fallen at the final hurdle, but I got there in the end today. After nine losses, you start to get a complex that you're not going to beat this guy."

The extra rest did not help the Wimbledon champion, who continues to struggle with a bad shoulder. "It's a tear, plus my nerve is jammed," he said. "Every time I lift my arm it's jamming the nerve.

"I don't have a problem with the pain so much, but I lose the power in my arm. My serve was not going anywhere because my arm was very sore, very heavy."

"He's not the best returner in the game and he was returning my serve pretty easy. If I play like this [at the Australian Open], I'll be going home quick."

Awaiting Rusedski in the semi-final was Novak, who has a 12-2 record at this event and is seeking his third tournament title in nine months. "I'm at my best ranking ever, I'm on fire," Novak said. "The key has been the extra confidence I got from winning a lot of matches last year."

Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman beat the top seed Marat Safin of Russia 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, but could not get past Jerome Golmard falling to the Frenchman 6-3, 6-4. "I'm disappointed, but I'm starting to find my game," Safin said. "I'm still having a little trouble with the wind because I haven't played outdoors for a while."

While Safin could have done with a bit more practice ahead of the Australian Open which starts on Monday, Andre Agassi, who is hoping for his third consecutive successes at Melbourne, was put through his paces by Thomas Enqvist in the semi-final of the Kooyong Classic.

The American won 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 in sweltering conditions claiming that the match was the warm-up he had been craving. "That's why we come and play here, for a match like that," he said. "It had all the elements you like for your preparation. It had some great tennis and some real pressure situations."