Henman rolls over exhausted Federer to reach last four

It is surprising how well a player can perform when the pressure of expectation is lifted from his shoulders. Tim Henman, who arrived here a week ago hoping to rid himself of his phobia of the Paris Masters, demoralised a weary Roger Federer last night, defeating the Wimbledon champion, 7-6, 6-1, to advance to the semi-finals.

Today the British No 1 will challenge Andy Roddick, the United States Open champion and new world No 1, for a place in the final. Considering the way Henman has relaxed and built his confidence with wins against Sebastien Grosjean, Gustavo Kuerten and Federer, Roddick knows he will have to serve and return without flaws - as he did when beating Henman in the first round of the US Open.

It will be Henman's seventh appearance in a Masters Series semi-final, and the most improbable given that he was ranked No 31 at the start of the tournament. He goes into the final guaranteed a ranking in the mid-twenties.

As in his third-round match against Grosjean, Henman began slowly last night, and was unable to make an impression on Federer's serve en route to the first set tie-break. By hanging on to his own serve - and saving two set points when serving at 5-6 - Henman bought himself time to make an assault of his own.

Leading 6-3 in the tie-break, Henman seemed on the verge of blowing his chances. He double-faulted on his first set point, and Federer passed him to save the second. Steadying himself, Henman lured Federer into hitting a forehand over the baseline on the third set point to win the shoot-out, 7-5, after 55 minutes.

Federer's resistance was broken after he lost his serve for 1-3 in the second set, double-faulting twice in that fourth game. Henman broke to love for 5-1, and served the match out with an ace after 79 minutes. The Swiss third seed's supporters were dismayed, and the locals in the crowd whistled and jeered as he left the court.

If Roddick defeats Henman today, Federer's prospects of ending the year as No 1 at the Masters Cup will evaporate before he arrives in Houston for the year-end championships on 8 November.

"I'm not at all happy about my performance this week," Federer said. "It was my worst week ever. It gives me no confidence at all going into Houston. I was tired in the second set and tried to serve and volley. That's what really killed it."

Roddick, who has served brilliantly this week, reached the semi-finals with a 7-5, 7-6 win against Jonas Bjorkman, of Sweden. Today's other semi-final will be between Andrei Pavel, of Romania, and the Czech Jiri Novak.

Pavel defeated Rainer Schüttler, of Germany, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Schüttler, the world No 6, has had a steady season since finishing runner-up to Andre Agassi at the Australian Open in January, and will be in the eight-strong field in Houston. But he seems unable to give his best when he plays Pavel. It was the Romanian's fourth consecutive win against Schüttler.

Ranked No 191, Pavel has been hampered by wrist and back injuries this season, and gained entry to the tournament with a protected ranking of 44. He did not win his first match until September in Metz - where he had to save a match point against Dominik Hrbaty, of Slovakia. Yesterday, Pavel, the more consistent server, saved 10 of 12 break points against Schüttler.

Novak, whose steady serve and punishing groundstrokes accounted for Juan Carlos Ferrero in the third round - curtailing the Spaniard's reign as No 1 - yesterday dispatched Hicham Arazi, the Moroccan left-hander who gave Britain's Henman and Greg Rusedski such a hard time in the Davis Cup, 6-2, 6-2.

Roddick, who will go to the Masters Cup in Houston as the world No 1, is proud to stand tall at the head of a trio of young champions whose exploits this season have provided a welcome diversion from a stream of adverse publicity concerning drugs, internet betting and financial wrangles.

Roddick, who became the 22nd player to ascend to No 1 since the ATP rankings began in 1973, was asked if he thought Ferrero's loss of status would prompt the 23-year-old Spaniard to redouble his challenge in Houston on 8 November. "No, he was going to play hard either way," Roddick said. "I don't think all of a sudden he lost here and he's saying, 'Oh, I guess I'll try in Houston now'. There's a lot at stake. I'll expect everybody at that tournament to come with their best efforts."