Tennis: Novak's toil pays off

By TERRY MADDAFORD

On a day when his rivals did it easy, Jiri Novak had to work hard to book places in the international Open singles semifinals today and tomorrow's doubles final.

For defending champion Gustavo Kuerten and Spanish pocket rocket Raefel Nadal, it was a much easier day.

First on court, second-seed Novak, chasing a repeat of his 1996 success, dropped his first and fifth service games and, after almost an hour's toil, the first set to unseeded Dutchman Raemon Sluiter.

Then, with one service break in each of the following two sets, he ended with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory that took 1h 39m.

"In the first set he played some very good tennis," Novak said.

"It is not easy when you have to stop twice for rain, even if they are not long breaks.

"In the end I was happy with my game. Definitely."

Looking ahead to today's first-up semifinal with 17-year-old Nadal, Novak said he had not played him before.

"He is the coming new star from Spain. He has nothing to lose. Like many others," 28-year-old Novak said.

Minutes after Novak and Sluiter had left the court, Nadal appeared for his anticipated clash with Frenchman Gregory Carraz, ranked around 20 places lower but a threat nevertheless.

That anticipation quickly turned to frustration for the ASB Bank Tennis Centre crowd.

A regulation start. Nadal 1-0 on serve. Carraz, with a third serve ace, replied. Nadal again 2-1. Then drama - Carraz called for the trainer. Strapping was applied to his right thigh.

Back on court he tossed for his first serve of the fourth game, hit it into the net and called it quits - sidelined by a hamstring injury.

"I was very keen to win," Nadal said. "But I can't consider myself happy because I won so easy.

"I took a lot out of my last match [Wednesday night's win in two tiebreaker sets over qualifier Mario Ancic] and was keen to continue in the same way in this one.

"I think it will a good match with Jiri Novak. He is very good. This will be my second semifinal. I hope I can do better."

Third seed Kuerten, in a game blighted by a long rain delay, but buoyed by the return of the Brazilian fans, needed almost 90 minutes of playing time to see off fifth-seeded American Vince Spadea 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) in a game of some long and, at times, exquisite rallies.

Shrugging off a couple of shocking line calls, Kuerten, after racing through the first set - five aces, no double faults - had to work harder in the second as he battled back from 1-4 to level at 4-4 and eventually take it to the tiebreaker.

Spadea led 2-1 and 3-2, but not again as the Kuerten magic took over to win three points in a row, and then the one needed to be in today's second semifinal, where he will meet either unseeded Slovak Dominik Hrbaty or German qualifier Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Novak returned to the court for a second time with Czech Radek Stepanek in their doubles semifinal.

In a contest between two unseeded combinations, the Czechs beat South Africans Jeff Coetzee and Chris Haggard 7-5, 6-1.

Novak/Stepanek will play tomorrow's final against the winners of this afternoon's second semifinal.

* In the last night's rain-affected final quarter-final, Hrbaty won the first set 6-1, Kohlschreiber won the second 6-3, and Hrbaty led 1-0 in the third when play was called off. The match will resume this morning.

Today's schedule

Centre court, from 11am:

Singles semifinals: Rafael Nadal (Spain) v 2-Jiri Novak (Czech), Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) or Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) v 3-Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil).

Doubles quarter-final (court No 4, 11am): 1-Mahesh Bhupathi (India)/Fabrice Santoro (France) v Jan-Michael Gambill/Brian MacPhie (US).

Semifinal (after the singles on centre court): The quarter-final winners v 3-Jared Palmer (US)/Pavel Vizner (Czech).