BEIJING, Sept 28: American Andy Roddick overcame German Bjorn Phau 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 to reach the final of the China Open on Saturday. In the women’s competition, world number two Jelena Jankovic grinded out victory over Vera Zvonareva in their semi-final.

Former US Open champion Roddick seemed set to cruise to an easy win over 137th-ranked Phau after breezing through the first set but ran into a brick wall in the second when the German mounted a gutsy fightback.

The resistance proved only fleeting, though, as Roddick broke Phau’s serve and seemingly his spirit after a marathon deuce battle at 1-1 in the final set.

World number 92 Sela, who earlier knocked out Spanish top seed David Ferrer and sixth seed Tommy Robredo on the way to his first ATP final, proved too nimble for 32-year-old Wimbledon semi-finalist Schuettler, closing out the match in 69 minutes.

After losing focus in the middle stages, U.S. Open finalist Jankovic notched up the pressure on Russian Zvonareva in the final set to win 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Kuznetsova will fancy her chances in the final of the $600,000 tournament, having beaten Jankovic in their last two meetings, including in the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last week.

Results:

Semi-finals:

Men’s singles:

2-Andy Roddick (US) bt Bjorn Phau

(Germany) 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-1; Dudi Sela (Israel) bt 7-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) 6-3, 6-3.

Women’s singles:

4-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) bt Zheng Jie (China) 7-6(3), 7-5; 1-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) bt 5-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

TSONGA REACHES FINAL

BANGKOK: Top seed Novak Djokovic booked his place in the final of the $576,000 Thailand Open with a stylish 7-5, 6-1 win over third seed Tomas Berdych.

Djokovic’s opponent will be second-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who surged to a commanding 6-0, 6-3 victory over fourth seed Gael Monfils.

Djokovic had fortune on his side when he clinched a close first set with a powerful backhand that crashed off the top of the net and landed way out of the Czech’s reach.

Playing in the Thailand Open semis for a second successive year, Berdych fought hard and was unlucky to lose the second set 6-1.

In the other semi, Monfils did not stand a chance as Tsonga, rapidly gaining confidence after a long injury layoff, unleashed a stream of stinging topspin-loaded returns which kept his compatriot on the back foot throughout the 52-minute match.

Results:

Semi-finals:

Men’s singles:

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt 3-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 7-5, 6-1; 2-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) bt 4-Gael Monfils (France) 6-0, 6-3.

Women’s singles:

1-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) bt 3-Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Samantha Stosur (Australia) bt Jill Craybas (US) 6-0, 6-1.—Reuters