DUSSELDORF, Germany, 21 May 2004 — Chile charged into a second straight final at the 2.1-million-euros World Team Championships yesterday and now have a day to recuperate as Australia and Argentina fight today for the chance to face the holders.

Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez guaranteed the South American clay powerhouse another shot at the title as the nation aims to become the first nation since the US in 1984-1985 to claim back-to-back trophies at the Rochusclub.

Germany’s undefeated record in Red Group play was blemished as Massu accounted for Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 and Gonzalez stopped Tommy Haas 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to grab an untouchable 2-0 lead.

Tomorrow’s final could see a re-run of last year’s South American skirmish between Chile and Argentina — but Australia with Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis peaking nicely for Paris will have a say in matters.

Schuettler lost his first match of the week at the eight-nation tournament considered the top tune-up for Roland Garros.

The German dropped the first set against Massu, but squared the second, only to lose in the opening game of the third on a break of serve. Spain, among the traditional European powerhouses on the dirt, slump off to Paris with a 0-3 team record, winning only three of 13 sets played.

The end came swiftly in a concluding tie as the Czech Republic pounded out a 3-0 scoreline on the day. Jiri Novak stopped Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, Radek Stepanek defeated 2002 Paris champion Albert Costa 6-4, 6-3 and the Iberian doubles duo of Galo Blanco and Alex Corretja were dumped out an embarrassing 6-0, 6-1 by their rivals.

Hrbaty Stays on Course for Fourth Title of Year

In Casablanca, Morocco, Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty stayed on course for his fourth ATP title this year as he reached the semifinals of the Grand Prix Hassan II tournament yesterday.

The No. 1 seed, ranked 32nd in the world, overwhelmed eighth seed Oscar Hernandez of Spain 6-3, 6-0 in less than an hour to set up a last four clash with Frenchman Julien Benneteau who beat countryman Thierry Ascione 6-3, 6-4.

The two men met in Adelaide earlier this year where Hrbaty won 6-1, 6-4 on his way to winning the hardcourt tournament. His two other tournament wins were in Auckland and Marseille.

The other semifinal will be between Belgium’s Christophe Rochus, a 6-3, 6-1 winner against Antony Dupuis, and Spaniard Santiago Ventura who beat Ivo Heuberger 6-3. 6-4.

Smashnova Advances to Semifinals at Vienna

Second-seeded Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi of Israel yesterday advanced to the semifinals of the $170,000 Wien Energie Grand Prix tournament, ousting the No. 7 seed, Magui Serna of Spain, 6-1, 6-0.

The 2002 champion, who had a first-round bye, has lost only two games in two matches in Vienna.

In the semifinals, Smashnova-Pistolesi will take on fifth-seeded Amy Frazier of the United States, who defeated Slovak Lubomira Kurhajcova 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

The other semifinals will see Australian sixth seed Alicia Molik play eighth-seeded Jelena Kostanic of Croatia today.

While Molik ousted Germany’s Marlene Weingaertner with an easy 6-2, 6-3 win, Kostanic had to battle harder to beat Russian Alina Jidkova 7-6 (5), 6-2.