Ananova:

Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov are one match away from an all-Russian final at the President's Cup in Uzbekistan.

Both have reached the semi-finals, Safin by virtue of a three-set victory over Denmark's Kristian Pless.

The top seed's 3-6 6-1 6-2 win sets up a semi-final meeting with Sargis Sargsian.

The 20-year-old Pless broke Safin, US Open semi-finalist this year, in the third game of the opening set to take a 3-0 lead and the set.

"I couldn't pull myself together in the first set," Safin said after the match.

"He (Pless) perfectly started the second set, but broke down in the second game and had no chance in the entire match."

In other quarter-final action, third-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia knocked out Thailand's Paradom Srichaphan 7-6 6-2 to set up a semi-final clash with second seed Kafelnikov.

The Russian himself ousted Rainer Schuettler of Germany 7-6 6-3.

Sargsian of Armenia produced the major upset of the day, dispatching fourth-seeded Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands.

Sargsian needed three sets, including a tie-break in the first, to win 7-6 2-6 6-4 and reach his second semi-final this year.

Story filed: 19:44 Friday 14th September 2001

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