HALLE, Germany, June 14 (UPI) -- Roger Federer moved closer to his first tournament win on grass Saturday at the Gerry Weber Open.
The top seed from Switzerland rallied past sixth-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, to advance to the final of the $960,000 Wimbledon tune-up.
Federer reached his fifth championship match of the season despite struggling in the first set.
The 21-year-old improved his ATP-leading match win total to 42 - two more than French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero. He has won three titles this season and seeks his eighth of his career on Sunday, when he takes on last year's runner-up and 1999 winner Nicolas Kiefer of Germany in the final.
Kiefer got past eighth seed Arnaud Clement of France, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, to reach his first final since coming up short here to Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
