Haas Beats Roddick, Fish Up Next; Murray Cans Coach

Petchey quit his job last summer as head of men's national training at the British Lawn Tennis Association to coach Murray full-time.

Murray rocketed to prominence in February at San Jose, defeating Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt en route to his first title, but since then has reached one quarterfinal in four events.

"I've not thought about my next coach and will take time to find one who can help develop the next stages of my tennis," said Murray, intoning that Petchey has taken him as far as he could. "We are not in a hurry. It has barely been a full year that I have been on the professional tour, and I am continuously learning new things."

One thing Murray had learned of late was how to use the f-word and c-word live on television in a doubles loss in Davis Cup earlier this month.

The outgoing and passionate Petchey seemed a perfect fit for Murray, who continues to express his own rebellious streak. Petchey had nothing but kind words for his former charge.

"I am very proud of what we have achieved together," Petchey said. "Getting Andy into the Top 50 and winning his first ATP title at the age of 18. I have no doubt that Andy will make the Top 10 and be a Grand Slam winner in the future and wish him every success."

Haas Ends Roddick Streak at ATP Houston

Top-seeded Andy Roddick's troubled 2006 season, and likely his ranking come Monday, hit a new low Friday when the former No. 1 was ousted at the site of some of his greatest triumphs over the past few years, losing 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 to No. 5 seed Tommy Haas Friday at the U.S. Claycourt Championships.

Roddick, though not known for his claycourt acumen, was nonetheless attempting to reach his sixth consecutive final at Houston. Roddick couldn't convert two break chances in the final game, with the result a repeat of the 2004 final.

"This is the first time I've left Houston on Friday," Roddick told reporters, adding that he'd be on his boat on Lake Austin Saturday rather than heading to the Masters Series-Monte Carlo, the first big claycourt stop of the French Open run-up. "I'm mad but I'm not upset, if that makes sense. There are minimal questions I asked myself after that match."

Only one other seeded player reached the semis Friday, with No. 7-seeded American Paul Goldstein reporting an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over Spanish claycourt specialist Al Montanes.

Two unseeded players also gained berths into the semifinals with American Mardy Fish earning his first win in four attempts over countryman Vince Spadea 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, and Austria's Jurgen Melzer downing Fernando Vicente 7-5, 6-4.

"He got a break but he still had to work hard in the first set (Thursday night), and I was fresh," said Fish, who entering the match was 0-3 versus Spadea, and in the previous round received a walkover against Rainer Schuettler. "I had chances before and just had some stupid points at key times. I still felt I had a chance to win. I just had to play more aggressive on the big points."

Spadea served for the match against Fish, up a set and 5-4.

Saturday's semifinal match-ups will be (5) Haas vs. (WC) Fish (German leads career meetings 2-0), and (7) Goldstein vs. Melzer.

Safin Stuns French Champ Gaudio at ATP Valencia

A former No. 1 is always a threat, and Marat Safin has never won the French Open, but the big Russian just leapt from curiosity to threat-level during the 2006 claycourt season with a 6-4, 6-4 dismissal of former Roland Garros champ Gaston Gaudio Friday at the ATP stop in Valencia.

Safin last won a clay title in 2000 when he was victorious at Barcelona and Mallorca, and has since lost four dirt finals for a 2-4 career record in claycourt finals.

"It could have gone the other way," Safin told AFP. "But I think I was more comfortable on the court and he made errors on some crucial points and that gave me the edge."

Spanish qualifier Nicolas Almagro will be the Russian's next challenge after he ousted No. 6 seed Filippo Volandri 6-4, 6-1.

Other winners into the semifinals were No. 7 seed Fernando Verdasco, who came back to beat Spaniard Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez from a set down, and France's Gilles Simon who edged Italian Andreas Seppi in two tiebreaks.

Saturday's semifinal match-up are (7) Verdasco vs. Simon, and (WC) Safin vs. (Q) Almago.

Kuzy Upset, Top 3 Into Semis at WTA Charleston

No. 4 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova failed to join the top three seeds in the semifinals of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston Friday, upset 6-3, 7-6(4) by No. 6 seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld.

"I could not get on top of it," Kuznetsova told reporters. "I was not feeling playing my game. I was not feeling my shots. I was fighting in the end. I was feeling better. But still it was not good enough."

Other winners into the semis on the dirt were (1) Justine Henin-Hardenne (d. (7) Safina), (2) Nadia Petrova (d. Castano, bagel in the second), and (3) Patty Schnyder (d. (8) Dechy, bagel in the first).

"I had everything in my hands," Petrova said after baking the bagel. "She played a few good points but I must say I just didn't let her play the tennis she likes. She likes the heavy balls, to move a lot on the court. I just tried to make the points as short as possible."

Henin-Hardenne has won 14 straight matches is Charleston.

Saturday's semifinal match-ups are (1) Henin-Hardenne vs. (3) Schnyder (H-H leads career meetings 6-0), and (2) Petrova vs. (6) Groenefeld (Petrova leads 3-1).

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