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Federer sets up final showdown against Henman Top-ranked Roger Federer is to face British number one Tim Henman in Sunday's Pacific Life Open final as the Swiss survived a raucous crowd to beat Andre Agassi Saturday. World number one Federer outpowered fifth seed Agassi 4-6, 6-3,6-4 while ninth-seeded Henman posted a clinical 6-3, 6-2 win over Georgian dark horse Irakli Labadze in the other semi-final. Federer and Henman have met seven times, with the Briton winning six matches, including a 7-6, 6-1 victory in Rotterdam last month when the Swiss suffered his only defeat of the year. In reaching his second final in this hardcourt event, Henman suffocated Labadze with his net rushing attack and returned serve with authority. The 29-year-old Briton converted 16 of his 23 net approaches, broke the Georgian four times and committed only 10 unforced errors to 22 from his foe. In the other semi-final, Federer did not pick up his game in the 109 degree temperatures until late in the match, which turned in the ninth game of the final set with Agassi serving up 40-15. The 33-year-old Agassi smoothed the ball crosscourt as Federer managed to fire a return at the American, who poked the ball into the middle of the court where the in-form Swiss player tracked it down before burying a forehand winner. Federer then ran off three straight points, grabbing the break to 5-4 before he coolly served out the match, winning with two aces after nearly two hours on court. |
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