HAMBURG, Germany - Tommy Robredo defeated Mario Ancic of Croatia 7-5, 6-4 Saturday and will face Radek Stepanek in the final of the Hamburg Masters.
Earlier, Stepanek defeated Jose Acasuso 6-4, 7-6 (5) to secure a top-10 ranking for the first time.
Robredo is 3-0 against Stepanek, and beat the Czech in straight sets when they last met in April in the quarterfinals of the Open Seat Godo.
"I will play the same as this week and the same way as when I beat him in Barcelona," the 24-year-old Robredo said after reaching his first Masters final and improving to 12-3 on clay. "I will be patient. I will try to let him miss."
Stepanek hasn't lost a set in the Hamburg tournament and Robredo has lost only one.
Ancic converted his first break point in the opening set when Robredo missed a forehand to go up 2-1, but the Spaniard got a double break point and recovered his serve to even it at 2-2. In the final game, Robredo won the set with a passing shot.
The pair stayed even for most of the second set, though Robredo squandered a break point at 4-3. He broke Ancic on the second match point.
"He took his chances and I didn't," Ancic said. "But when you're playing No. 12 in the world in such big matches, it comes down to these couple of points.
Stepanek broke on a net cord to take the first game and held for a quick 2-0 lead. He earned another break point at 4-2, but the Argentine saved it with a crosscourt forehand before holding.
Stepanek blew two of four set points with long backhands down the line, while a poor forehand cost him the third. He earned a fourth with an ace and ended with a strong first serve that Acasuso could not return.
In the second set, Acasuso blew his first break point at 4-2 when he sent a forehand pass attempt into the net after a long rally.
In the tiebreaker, Stepanek took two points on Acasuso's serve to lead 4-1, but Acasuso rallied from 5-2 to win the next three points. Acasuso netted a return and Stepanek clinched the match with a backhand winner down the line.
The last Czech to reach the final in Hamburg was Karel Novacek, who won the title in 1991.
"He serves really well. It's difficult to read his serve," the 23-year-old Acasuso said after his first Masters Series semifinal. "He mixes up his game. He never plays two balls the same way. I'm a bit upset I lost today, but if I look back it's been a positive week for me."