Twice winner Marat Safin outshone Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets at the Paris Masters on Friday and looks ideally placed to be crowned for a third time here.
The Russian, seeded sixth, stormed into the semi-finals 6-4, 7-6 and is the only favourite left in the last four of the tournament after his victory over the Australian second seed.
Safin, who won the 2.43-million euro ($3.13 million) Parisian indoor tournament in 2000 and 2002, will meet 13th seed Guillermo Canas in the semi-finals. The Argentine dismissed Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-3.
Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek reached the last four with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Russian Mikhail Youzhny. He will play another qualifier, Belarussian Max Mirnyi, who beat Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-7, 6-4, 7-6.
"I don't want to have a lot of expectations by saying that I am a favourite. I would love to see myself there, as well as the other three guys going to be in the semi-finals," Safin said.
But he admitted he felt especially well in Paris.
"I feel like I'm playing really my best tennis here, every time I come here. In 1999 I was in the final against Agassi.
"In 2000 I was playing great tennis during the whole week, won the tournament. In 2002 I beat Lleyton in the final like in three straight sets.
"For some reason I feel really great on the court, really confident, really comfortable. I cannot explain why," he said.
And the Paris magic, which Safin would like to work at the French Open as well, was there again on Friday, perhaps more than ever before.
"It's a very long time since I last played this way. I really enjoy it. I hope I really can manage to stay this way until the end of the season. It would be great.
"It's not going to be easy, but I will try," he said.
CONSISTENT CANAS
Safin has never won a tournament three times and, should he make it this weekend, he would emulate Boris Becker, the only player with a trio of titles in Bercy.
There were many similarities with the German's game in Safin's performance against Hewitt.
The Russian struck 10 aces in the 100-minute match, won 80 percent of his points on his first serve and was a model of consistency against one of the most impressive tennis machines on the circuit.
His backhand was probably the key to the match as it was the weapon he used to secure his two breaks, in the third game of the first set and the sixth of the second.
Safin was so impressive that even Hewitt was forced to smile in appreciation after a winning lob from the Russian as he was serving for the match.
Safin's serve only let him down once but at a crucial time, when he was serving for his first match point at 5-4 in the second set, letting Hewitt back in.
But it was only a reprieve as the Russian cruised ahead in the tiebreak, which he won 7-2.
Winner of the Madrid Masters last month, Safin is back at his very best right in time for the Masters Cup later this month.
Hewitt, however, was a little bit short of match play after staying off the court for three weeks for personal reasons following his split with former fiancee Kim Clijsters.
Safin should however beware of Canas, who made it back from 274th to 14th in the world this season and has been arguably even more consistent than the Russian in the tournament so far.
The Argentine made only six unforced errors in each of his last two matches.
