Malisse triumphs over ageing Krajicek

Youth triumphed over experience at Wimbledon on Thursday, but only just, because it took five sets for Belgian Xavier Malisse to put paid to former champion Richard Krajicek and reach his first grand slam semi-final.

In a see-saw match of nail-biting intensity, the 21-year-old Belgian never lost his youthful self-belief to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 in their quarter-final on court one.

In the end it was a set too far for Krajicek, who almost retired this year after an elbow injury kept him out of tennis for 20 months.

"One day of tennis too many," Krajicek said after the match. "I was just not sharp."

The injury was the latest in a series for the 30-year-old Dutchman, who has also suffered knee and shoulder problems.

He had played only one competitive match in more than a year and a half before coming to Wimbledon and had endured two five-setters on his way to the quarter-final clash with Malisse.

He was also unlucky with the schedule and the rain.

While Malisse finished his fourth round clash on time last Monday and had two days rest, Krajicek's rain-delayed clash with Mark Philippoussis only finished late on Wednesday.

Malisse, the first Belgian to reach a Wimbledon semi-final since 1904, played from the back of the court, countering Krajicek's serve-and-volley game with blistering passes.

He came out guns blazing and took the first set in 20 minutes before Krajicek had time to warm up.

"I think I played the best set of the week that first set," said Malisse, who faces Argentine David Nalbandian in the semi-finals.

But the 1996 champion did warm up and got his hefty serve in gear to stay with Malisse, pouncing to break in the ninth game of the second set.

Malisse, who put out fifth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov and serve-and-volley Briton Greg Rusedski on his way to the quarter-finals, was not going to be overawed by the two-metre tall Dutchman with the grass pedigree, however.

He won the third set with some fine penetrating serving and torrid returns down the line, breaking the Dutchman twice.

"I felt pretty comfortable out there. I think I learned a lot playing against Rusedski and I did not get tight," Malisse said.

But Krajicek was not going to roll over easily. He broke Malisse's serve in the first game of the fourth set and again in the ninth as the Belgian lost the plot, putting a ball long.

The final set brought out the best in both players with some fine serving, but Krajicek was tiring faster and sent down an erratic double fault to lose his serve in the 15th game.

Malisse served the match out, winning when Krajicek returned long to give himself a great chance of reaching the final in his third Wimbeldon.

"Before the tournament I expected to get to the second or third round so every match is a bonus," he said. "I am enjoying myself."