Henman has a lucky break

Tennis: Tim Henman reached the semi-finals of the men's indoor tournament in Rotterdam yesterday after Pete Sampras withdrew through injury.

Sampras, the world No 1 who was due to face the British national champion in yesterday's quarter-finals, announced his withdrawal after injuring his ankle during his second-round victory over Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland.

It was the third disappointment for the tournament organisers after the German pair, Boris Becker and Michael Stich, had pulled out because of illness and injury respectively before Monday's start. Stich, who has only just returned after a serious ankle problem, faces another 10-week lay-off after surgery on a chipped bone in his left foot in Munich yesterday.

Goran Ivanisevic, the Croat who has recently won three tournaments after winning only one in 1995 - the last major event of the season, the Grand Slam Cup - reached the semi-finals after serving 18 aces in a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Martin Damm, of the Czech Republic.