The New Nation - Internet Edition

BBC Online

Roger Federer reached his fifth Hamburg Masters final with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Italy's Andreas Seppi.

Seppi, the world number 43 contesting his first Masters Series semi-final, had his moments in the first set, but never threatened the title holder.

"It was quite a long first set, but I created a lot of opportunities which wore him down," said Federer.

"Maybe I didn't serve my best, but I was very solid and consistent from the baseline and played a very good match."

Federer's latest comfortable victory in Hamburg came on a day when the stadium roof was closed because of persistent rain.

Chasing his fourth Hamburg crown, he will face either clay-court king Rafael Nadal or Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.

Federer beat Nadal in last year's final to end the Spaniard's 81-match winning streak on clay.