Rusedski, Philippoussis for summit clash

BASEL, Oct 5: Fourth seed Greg Rusedski and Australian Mark Philippoussis set up a final showdown between the game's biggest servers by pos...

BASEL, Oct 5: Fourth seed Greg Rusedski and Australian Mark Philippoussis set up a final showdown between the game8217;s biggest servers by posting semifinal wins at the Swiss Indoor Championships today.

The radar gun is sure to get a workout in tomorrow8217;s best-of-five finale as Rusedski and Philippoussis hammer away at each other.

The unseeded Australian8217;s 7-6 7-2 6-4 victory over Tim Henman vaulted him into his second final in as many tournaments.

Seventh seed Petr Korda provided Rusedski with his sternest test as he forced the Briton to three tough sets before surrendering 6-7 5-7 6-3 7-5 in just over two hours.

The first went to a tie-break which Korda won but Rusedski broke him three times in the second to seize control of the match.

Korda regrouped in the third but couldn8217;t force a second tie-break, Rusedski breaking his final serve to take the set.

One break was all Philippoussis needed and got against Henman, who out-aced the 20-year-old Australian 14-10.

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Both men refused to give an inch until midway through the second set when Philippoussis, ranked 21 in the world, recorded the only break, then held serve to take a 3-1 lead on Henman, ranked one place above him.

Schultz-McCarthy revives Dutch hopes: Den Bosch Netherlands : Hard-hitting Brenda Schultz-McCarthy revived Dutch Fed Cup final hopes by coming from behind to beat France8217;s leading player Mary Pierce 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first reverse singles today.

World number eight Pierce had been clear favourite against Schultz-McCarthy but had only herself to blame for the defeat after repeatedly squandering breakpoint chances in the third and final set. Earlier, on Saturday Pierce ran away from Dutch No 2, Miriam Oremans 6-4, 6-1 after Testud had downed a nervous Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in front of a partisan crowd of 7,000 at the Brabant Hall.