Auckland, New Zealand – Top-seeded David Ferrer and Olivier Rochus were both semifinal winners Friday at the Heineken Open, a final hardcourt Australian Open tuneup.
The two-time Auckland champion Ferrer, who bested Argentine star David Nalbandian in last year's Auckland finale, rolled past fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-4.
It was the second match these two had played on Friday, due to rain washing out their quarterfinal matches on Thursday,
Ferrer took down Colombian Alejandro Falla 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 while Verdasco defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-5, 6-4.
Belgium's Rochus rallied from a first-set loss to down eighth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, 6-4 at ASB Tennis Centre.
Rochus will be going for his third career ATP title and first since 2006 at Munich, while Ferrer will contend for his 12th career title.
The 2012 Auckland champion will collect $71,900.
