SYDNEY, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Juan Carlos Ferrero Thursday led advancers to the semifinals of the adidas International tournament.
The $932,000 event is being played in Sydney, Australia.
Ferrero beat Paradorn Srichaphan in straight sets to make it to the semifinals. The scores were 6-3, 6-1.
Srichaphan had a seven-match winning streak snapped. Ferrero was much fresher than Srichaphan, who had battled through two three-set matches this week after getting to Sydney late from winning the Chennai title.
Ferrero has dropped just nine games in his past two matches.
Rainer Schuettler of Germany improved his 2003 match record to 5-1 after beating qualifier Mardy Fish of the United States, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Schuettler had a double break at 4-1 in the second set, but slumped to 4-3 and then had to save three break points to stop Fish from leveling the set at 4-4.
"I was just trying to keep the ball above the net and keep fighting for every point," Schuettler said. "I didn't try to play pretty tennis in the wind. I've had a good start to the year the past four or five seasons and I'm pleased that is the case again this year. I'm looking forward to the semifinals. I've won two or three rounds every year at the Australian Open, and this year I'll try to go further."
Meanwhile, top seeded Marat Safin was forced to withdraw because of rotator cuff ailment, forcing him to forfeit his match against qualifier Hyung-Taik Lee of Korea.
Safin planned to travel to Melbourne to receive treatment Friday.
"I need to stop a few days," Safin said. "I have to (not) serve like for three days. So hopefully for the Australian Open, for the beginning, I'll be OK. I'll ask for a late start and try to recover."
Safin, the third seed at next week's Australian Open, pointed to his intense preparations for the first Grand Slam event of 2003 as the reason for his shoulder ailment.
"For (the) last couple of weeks, I practice quite a lot," he said. "It's too much exercise is what they told me - too much, just too tired."
He was not sure when he would bounce back.
"I don't know," Safin said. "I have to speak to the doctor. Hopefully I'll be ready for the Australian Open. I'll ask for a late start and try to recover. I can playing forehand, backhand, anything except serve."
On the women's side, Kim Clijsters of Belgium and Justin Henin-Hardenne rolled into the semifinals.
Clijsters rolled over No. 7 Chanda Rubin of the United States, 6-1, 6-2. Henin-Hardenne had a slightly tougher time but reached the final four with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Amanda Coetzer of South Africa.
The Fed Cup teammates will clash in the semifinals. Last year, Clijsters topped Henin-Hardenne in the adidas quarterfinals.
Russia's Tatiana Panova, who conquered top- seeded Jennifer Capriati in the second round, is the lone unseeded semifinalist.
The 26-year-old Moscow native cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over qualifier Olga Barabanschikova of Belarus.
Panova will meet No. 6 Lindsay Davenport of the United States.
Davenport, played just nine WTA events last year after returning from a knee injury, recorded a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) win over fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Davenport, 26, reached the finals in four events last season, but has not won since the 2001 Pan Pacific Open.
