Fifth-seeded Marat Safin cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Kevin Kim on Friday and advanced to the semifinals of the China Open in Beijing.
The Russian will next face Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who upset third-seeded David Nalbandian 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
In the other quarter-final matches, Paradorn Srichaphan fired 11 aces en route to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Lee Hyung-taik, and Mikhail Youzhny topped Dominik Hrbaty 6-4, 6-2.
Safin has now won three straight-set matches in two days. He played his first and second-round matches Thursday following repeated rain delays.
He dominated Kim with his big serve and booming groundstrokes.
"It was quite easy for me to find my game," Safin said. "I'm playing much better ... so I'm quite confident on the court."
Safin, who won the 2000 U.S. Open, had an injury-plagued 2003 season and his looking for his first title this year. He lost in the first round of this year's U.S. Open.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2004)
