Federer tops Kiefer to reach final

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-15  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ROGER Federer reached the Gerry Weber Open final yesterday without dropping his serve in any match after a 6-1, 6-4 win against Germany's Nicolas Kiefer.

Federer pushed his record winning streak on grass to 58 matches at the Wimbledon warmup, which the top-ranked Swiss has won four times. Each time, he has gone on to win the grand slam tournament.

"Nobody has won the grand slam from the Gerry Weber Open before me," Federer said. "I hope I can do it again."

Federer has served 39 times without a break at the tournament, allowing only two chances, as he ran his winning streak at Halle, Germany, to 24 matches.

In today's final, Federer faces the winner between seventh-ranked James Blake of the United States and Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Kiefer, who has fallen to No. 38 after a wrist injury, was the last player to beat Federer in Halle - back in 2002 in the semifinals. The next year Federer launched his grass streak at Halle, which includes five Wimbledon titles.

Federer came into Halle after Rafael Nadal routed him in the French Open last Sunday, his worst loss to his rival.

In London, Nadal reached the semifinals of the Artois Championships at the Queen's Club for the first time on Friday, absorbing a barrage of lethal serving from giant Croat Ivo Karlovic to post a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) victory.

The top seed saw 35 aces whistle past his racket but displayed his trademark tenacity and plenty of grasscourt craft to sneak through to face defending champion Andy Roddick.

Roddick was not even required to take to the court on Friday after his quarterfinal opponent Andy Murray withdrew with a thumb injury sustained against Ernests Gulbis.