WASHINGTON: Mardy Fish and Tommy Haas will meet in the Citi Open semifinals Saturday, their first matchup since 2007.
They have still seen plenty of each other.
After beating Xavier Malisse 6-3, 6-4 on Friday, the top-seeded Fish said he and Haas are “good friends” who live near each other in Los Angeles, often hanging out and practicing together.
“This is a guy that’s trying to take my lunch away tomorrow, and I’m going to try to beat him any way I can,” Fish said. “We’ll remain friends off the court.”
The fourth-seeded Haas routed Tobias Kamke 6-1, 6-2. Haas is 3-1 against Fish.
“He seems to be pretty close to back to 100 percent with his health and hitting the ball as well as I’ve seen him hit it in a long time,” Fish said.
Fish reached the semifinals in the tournament for the first time in seven tries. Haas, also making his seventh appearance in the event, reached the semifinals in 2008, too.
Second-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov will face No. 8 Sam Querrey in the other semifinal. Querrey, the winner last week in Los Angeles, beat No. 3 Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4, and Dolgopolov topped James Blake 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to the women’s final with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over No. 4 Vania King. Pavlyuchenkova will face Magdalena Rybarikova, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over third-seeded Sloane Stephens.
Pavlyuchenkova received treatment for a heat-related illness on the humid, 94-degree day.
“It was ridiculously hot out there,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “I don’t know seriously how people live here. It’s unbelievable. I think they should consider changing the date of the tournament. . I’ve been in Australia for six years, and I know what is hot, and I know it’s the same for everyone. But today, it just hit me.”
Federer pulls out
of Toronto Masters
Meantime, London Olympics finalist Roger Federer joined Rafael Nadal in withdrawing from the ATP Toronto Masters, with Canadian officials releasing the news shortly after the Swiss reached the gold medal match at Wimbledon on Friday.
Nadal, ranked third, withdrew on Thursday as he continues to try to heal the knee tendinitis which has wrecked his summer.
Seven-time Wimbledon winner Federer said in a statement that he would not be crossing the Atlantic for the tournament start on Monday.
“I’m very disappointed that I have to withdraw from Toronto,” said Federer, winner of a four-hour semi-final at the Games over Argentine Juan Martin del Potro which ended 19-17 in his favor in the third set on Friday.
“After a long stretch of tournaments, I will need some time to recover,” said the Swiss star.
“I look forward to coming back to Canada next year.” The Wimbledon final against Andy Murray will be a best of five sets at the weekend.
Federer turns 31 on Wednesday and would have likely played his opening match on his birthday at a tournament which has given all 16 seeds byes into the second round.
Nevertheless, the withdrawal list is growing. Also out are Nadal’s Spanish compatriots David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco plus Frenchman Gael Monfils (knee injury). American Andy Roddick pulled out with a shoulder problem.
