World No. 1 men's tennis player Roger Federer and Britain's Tim Henman have advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo.
Federer overcame a first-set loss to beat Japan's Takao Suzuki in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6. In the semifinals, the Swiss player takes on Germany's Benjamin Becker, who rallied to upset fifth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.
The other semifinal has Britain's Tim Henman taking on Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea. Henman won two matches - a third round contest with Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina (7-6, 6-3) and a quarterfinal over third seed Mario Ancic (6-2, 6-2). Lee scored a three-sets quarterfinal win over second seed Tommy Robredo of Spain (7-6, 4-6, 6-1).
In the women's semifinals, top seed Marion Bartoli of France faces compatriot Camille Pin and Aiko Nakamura plays Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan.
Bartoli won her second round match, postponed by Thursday's rain, over Vera Dushevina of Russia (6-2, 6-4). The Frenchwoman then beat Junri Namigata of Japan in the quarterfinals (6-2, 6-1).
Pin also won twice - in the second round over American Lilia Osterloh (6-4, 3-6, 6-0) and in the quarterfinals over countrywoman Youlia Fedossova (5-7, 6-4, 6-1).
Japan's Nakamura made the quarterfinals when fourth seed Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain retired with a leg muscle injury. The Japanese player then beat American Jamea Jackson (6-1, 1-6, 7-6). Chan Yung-jan scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over Ai Sugiyama of Japan.
In other tennis news:
World No. 4 women's tennis player Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia has reached the semifinals of the Porsche Grand Prix hard court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.
Kuznetsova scored a straight-sets win Friday over Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, 6-4, 6-1. Jankovic made several unforced errors and was visibly fatigued from her late Thursday night second-round match.
The second-seeded Kuznetsova plays compatriot and fourth seed Nadia Petrova, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Meanwhile, French player Tatiana Golovin scored a straight-sets win over fellow teenager Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands (6-1, 6-2). Golovin plays fifth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who advanced when her opponent, third seed Elena Dementieva of Russia, withdrew with a thigh injury.
Kuznetsova is going for her third straight title and her fourth tournament win this year.