Roddick charges into semis

Roddick captured his first Masters Series crown in Montreal last week, and his latest command performance on a rain-interrupted day on Friday represented his 28th win in 30 matches since losing in the first round of the French Open in May.

"I feel good and I'm having fun," he told reporters. "I'm playing with confidence and hopefully I can keep it going.

"One of the things I'm most pleased with is my demeanour on court. I'm staying calm whatever happens and that's allowing me to think clearly."

Thunderstorms delayed Roddick's appearance on centre court but he did not let any uncertainty creep into his game. Heavy serves and groundstrokes never allowed Zabaleta to settle and the sheer variety of his attack - a mix of net rushes, chip and charges and backcourt patience - was too much for the Argentine.

Roddick broke twice in both sets, the highlight a blistering return of serve at 4-2 in the second which was through Zabaleta before he had finished his service motion.

In all he was troubled for only 59 minutes. But he said: "I'm trying to win matches, I'm not concerned with the clock."

The 20-year-old meets Mirnyi on Saturday after the 'Beast of Belarus' pummelled Coria into submission. The Argentine is one of the best defensive players in the game but Mirnyi set his stall out at the net and Coria, who had won 18 of his last 19 matches, was at a loss to combat it.

Mirnyi also refused to allow two rain delays - the second lasting two hours 23 minutes - to disrupt his rhythm.

"I had to play my game and make it work because he's been playing so well over the last two or three months," said Mirnyi. "It's a good feeling for me...after making (the quarter-finals) at Montreal last week. This shows I am on the right track."

Mirnyi could move into the world's top 20 for the first time in his career when the new rankings are announced next week.

In the evening matches, American Mardy Fish produced one of the best performances of his career to dismiss David Nalbandian of Argentina 7-6 6-3. But the other home hope, Robby Ginepri, could neither live up to expectation nor match the consistency of eighth-seeded German Rainer Schuettler in a 6-2 6-3 defeat.

Schuettler, the Australian Open runner-up and three times a Masters Series semi-finalist in 2003, will be favourite to end Fish's run when the pair meet in the other semi-final.