Federer to meet Fish in Indian Wells

Roger Federer moved into the semi-finals of the Pacific Life Open on Friday when unseeded Tommy Haas withdrew prior to the match with a sinus infection.

A three-time champion here from 2004-06, top seed Federer advanced to play unseeded American Fish, who continued his string of upsets by coming from a set down to defeat Argentina’s David Nalbandian 3-6 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/4).

World number one Federer is attempting to reach his first final of 2008 – it is the first year since 2000 in which the 26-year-old Swiss has gone so long at the start of a season without a title.

“I am very sorry for Tommy as I was looking forward to another great match with him,” Federer said. “We have played quite a few times, and I know and respect Tommy a lot. I hope he gets better quickly.”

Federer has not dropped a set in three matches this week and appears fully recovered from a bout with mononucleosis that slowed him earlier this season.

Haas had looked impressive en route to his second straight quarter-final appearance here, beating sixth seed Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco and 11th seed Andy Murray.

“I deeply regret that I have to withdraw from the Pacific Life Open,” Haas said. “I was playing my best tennis of the season and was looking forward to playing Roger Federer.”

Federer’s good fortune continued when Fish ousted seventh seed Nalbandian, who won both meetings against the world’s top-ranked player last year.

Fish delivered 23 aces in the two hour 45 minute marathon to follow his back-to-back upsets of Nikolay Davydenko and two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt.

Nalbandian, meanwhile, had just seven aces and eight double faults against Fish, who broke him four times and won his second successive match in a third-set tie-break.

The final here already is guaranteed to have at least one of the world’s top three players in action. Second-seeded Rafael Nadal and third seed Novak Djokovic advanced on Thursday to book their ninth career meeting in Saturday’s semi-final round.