Kiefer, Mauresmo reach Australian Open semifinals
(Bloomberg)
Updated: 2006-01-25 15:17

Nicolas Kiefer outlasted Sebastien Grosjean in the longest match at this year's Australian Open to advance to his first Grand Slam semifinal in 35 attempts, as third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo upset Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, both joining Justine Henin-Hardenne, Maria Sharapova, David Nalbandian and the unfancied Marcos Baghdatis in semis.  

Germany's Kiefer, seeded 21st, won 6-3, 0-6, 6-4, 6-7 (1-7), 8-6 in four hours, 48 minutes to become the first German to reach the semifinals at one of the four majors since 2003. He'll face top-ranked Roger Federer or No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko next.

Nicolas Kiefer of Germany reacts during his quarterfinal match against Sebastien Grosjean of France at the Australian Open Tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. Kiefer won the match 6-3, 0-6, 6-4, 6-7, 8-6. [AP]

The 28-year-old Kiefer, with six tour titles and a career- high ranking of No. 4 achieved six years ago, had failed in four previous Grand Slam quarterfinals. He last got past the second round at Melbourne Park in 2000.

``There was so much pressure, it was a very close match,'' Kiefer told Channel Seven in a courtside interview. ``When there's so much tension on the court you want to win so bad.''

In a match between the two oldest players left in the men's draw, 25th-seeded Frenchman Grosjean hit 59 winners to 34 by Kiefer and made 12 fewer unforced errors. Kiefer hung in to set up two match points, the second of which he converted when Grosjean put a backhand volley into the net.

The tense finish produced several confrontations with officials. Kiefer, who had already been fined $5,000 for three previous incidents at the tournament, got a time violation in the fifth set as he berated chair umpire Carlos Bernardes after being broken to trail 3-4.

Four games later Grosjean called for the referee after his opponent threw his racket as he volleyed into the net. Bernardes of Brazil ruled it hadn't hindered Grosjean.

Mauresmo, who lost to Martina Hingis in the 1999 final at Melbourne Park, took just 52 minutes to beat seventh-seeded Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-0 and end a run of three straight quarterfinal losses at the Australian Open.

France's Amelie Mauresmo reacts after winning her quarterfinal match against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder at the Australian Open Tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. Mauresmo won in straight sets 6-3 6-0. [AP]

``I really felt my game was very effective today and she couldn't do much,'' Mauresmo told Channel Seven. The 26-year-old Frenchwoman will meet Hingis or U.S. Open champion and No. 2 seed Kim Clijsters in the semifinals.

Federer, on a record 49-match winning streak on hard courts, resumes his bid for a seventh Grand Slam title against a Russian opponent he's beaten in all six previous meetings. The 24-year- old Swiss is seeking to become the first top seed to win at Melbourne Park since Andre Agassi in 2000.

``I expect a tough match, tough baseline rallies,'' Federer said after his five-set win over unseeded German Tommy Haas in the fourth round. ``I'm the guy who's got to dictate and play my game. If I can play good tennis, I'm looking good.''

Justine Henin-Hardenne, the 2004 champion, beat top-ranked Lindsay Davenport yesterday to extend her winning run at Melbourne Park to 12 matches and set up a semifinal against fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova. Unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis advanced to the last four in the men's draw, where he'll meet David Nalbandian.