HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - Top-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina, weary and sore, was ousted from the Vietnam Open on Saturday with a 6-1, 6-0 loss in the semifinals to Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden.
Bjorkman will play for the title Sunday against third-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, who held off second-seeded Thomas Johansson of Sweden 7-5, 6-4.
Puerta lost in 67 minutes in a match in which his opponent served well and covered the court.
"I feel really tired and I have pain in all my body," Puerta said. "Jonas played a perfect match."
Puerta was ranked No. 10 entering Vietnam's inaugural ATP tournament.
"I've been waiting for this moment for more than a year and half to be playing this well," Bjorkman said. "There was a time I believed I may never play this well again. It's nice that it's back."
Stepanek will be playing in his second ATP final of 2005. He was tested in the first set by Johansson but was in command thereafter.
"In the beginning of the second set, he looked to be a little tired and I felt fresh," Stepanek said. "At the time he showed he was a little tired, I was the one who controlled the game."