Rusedski into semis

Greg Rusedski kept British hopes alive in the Nottingham Open grass-court event yesterday after Tim Henman and Mark Petchey were both defeated in the quarter-finals.

Rusedski, Britain's No 2, defeated Japan's Shuzo Matsuoka 7-6, 5-7, 6- 4 to become the only Briton to reach the semi-finals. Henman was beaten 7-6, 6-7, 6-1 by Jan Siemerink, the No 5 seed from the Netherlands, before Petchey, who came within two points of victory, fell 3-6,7-6, 6-3 to the unseeded Australian Sandon Stolle.

However, the Canadian-born Rusedski gave the crowds something to cheer about when his marathon match finally ended with victory in gloomy conditions at 8.40pm.

Earlier in the day Henman, the Oxford-born British No 1, battled for two hours to reach one set all with Siemerink before the Dutchman stormed through the final set in just 22 minutes to take his place in the last four.

But Henman was not too downhearted, saying: "I would obviously like to have won today but I'm happy with my game. It's been a positive week and I feel confident going into Wimbledon."