Tennis: Courier faces Philippoussis in Sybase Open semi

Former world number one Jim Courier showed signs his one-time elite form may be returning when he outlasted Paul Goldstein 6-4 6-4 and charged into the semi-finals of the $375,000 Sybase Open on Friday. As is his trademark, Courier came out slugging, ripping forehands and returns and breaking his sometime practice partner in the first game. "Jim was able to dictate with his forehand and knocked some balls off," Goldstein said. "I felt I played great but Jim took the big points away from me."

Courier, the fifth seed, will face Australian second seed and defending champion Mark Philippoussis, who held off a spirited challenge from limping American Justin Gimelstob 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. Philippoussis and Gimelstob engaged in a classic big man's battle with both competitors going for winners on seemingly every opportunity. Gimelstob was treated for a right ankle sprain at 4-4 in the first set, but gamely played on. In the end, though, the powerful Aussie was too much for him, pasting 44 winners, including 16 aces, ending the contest on a service winner.

Seventh seed Wayne Ferreira of South Africa will face unseeded Swede Mikael Tillstrom in the other semi-final. Ferreira got off to a slow start against Swedish giant Magnus Larsson but punished his returns in the last two sets to take the match 4-6 6-3 6-4 and reach his first semi-final in 10 months. "At the beginning, I wasn't serving well and I was hitting short," said Ferreira. "Then I gradually got more depth on my shots and made him play a few more balls."

Former French Open champion Chang's brief revival was stomped out by Sweden's Mikael Tillstrom, who overpowered his smaller foe 2-6 6-3 6-3. Tillstrom used an explosive forehand and rocket returns to subdue the fourth-seeded American, who screamed in anguish late in the third set after watching one of his numerous floaters buried into the corner for a winner. "I got tentative," Chang said. "You can't allow your opponent to set up and hit those shots. Maybe I was waiting for him to miss rather than making things happen."