KEY POINTS:
Three seeds have survived to today's semifinals - and put your money on a Spanish showdown in tomorrow's final.
Top seed Tommy Robredo had his toughest contest of the week before beating German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in just under two hours, and his third-seeded compatriot David Ferrer overcome a sluggish start to eliminate Belgian Kristof Vliegen, also going the distance, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
That's not to write off the Heineken Open chances of seventh seed Agustin Calleri and either Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina or his quarter-final opponent from last night's late game, American Mardy Fish.
But Robredo and Ferrer, both 24 and with terrific court coverage skills, look the class acts.
All four semfinalists had to play twice yesterday thanks to Tuesday's washout. World No 7 Robredo thrived on the workload, and fancied his chances of a fifth ATP Tour singles crown.
"I am a little tired now," he said last night. "But I will have a massage, a good dinner, watch a movie and I'll be ready.
"If I am tired tomorrow I don't care. I'm in the semifinals and I'm not going to let a chance go. I'll push hard. If I am not dying on court I'm going to be running."
Things looked pretty straightforward for Robredo as he won the first set and was serving for 6-all in the second.
However, 23-year-old Kohlschreiber, the eliminator of fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty in the morning, worked his way to a break point for the set, and grabbed it.
Both players produced some slashing strokeplay, but Robredo was stronger when it mattered.
Kohlshreiber will be kicking himself at missing four break points in the third set after the Spaniard had gone a break up.
Robredo relished the battle, after easing through his first two matches.
"If you keep winning easy, easy easy, then your body is not going to react to a tough opponent.
"[Last night] has given me a lot more confidence and will hopefully help me to be better tomorrow."
Ferrer, the world No 14, got his game in order after scratching through the first set, and having to get his right thigh strapped.
He said the leg was "no problem" and reckoned he was too relaxed in the first set. He made no race of the deciding set, breaking Vliegen's last three service games.
Ferrer has made the quarter-finals twice in Auckland - in 2003 and last year. He rated the prospect of playing Robredo in the final as a "dream".
"But I don't think of these things. I want to play point to point," he added.
Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco played 62 games yesterday and had his chances against compatriot Calleri after winning the first set.
However, world No 30 Calleri, who has won two singles titles, including the Kitzbuhel tournament last year, is no slug.
His steadiness eventually wore down the hard-working Monaco, who was playing his sixth match since last Saturday, and Calleri got home 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Calleri's win sets up a semifinal against Robredo. The pair have clashed four times, all on clay, for two wins apiece, but haven't faced each other since 2004.
