Andre Agassi after his win over Nikolay Davydenko in Dubai on Saturday

Dubai: Champion Roger Federer set up a tantalising semi-final showdown with Andre Agassi at the Dubai Open after a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Russian Mikhail Youzhny on Saturday.

Agassi beat Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6 in their rain-delayed quarter final. Croatia?s Ivan Ljubicic will be aiming to reach his third final in as many weeks when he takes on fifth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo.

Federer, who had been stretched to a third-set tiebreak in each of his last three matches, took just 72 minutes to overcome seventh seeded Youzhny.

Fourth-seeded Agassi dominated his contest from the outset, breaking Davydenko to love in the opening game of the match. Although Davydenko levelled at 3-3 following a forehand error from Agassi, the American regained the advantage in the next game which was enough to decide the first set.

Davydenko again found himself on the back foot as he had to fend of a break point in the third game with a forehand volley. His reprieve did not last long as he dropped his serve two games later with a double fault. Although Agassi was broken while serving for the match, he claimed the tiebreak 7-4 to seal victory.

Ljubicic had earlier upset third seed Tim Henman 7-5, 6-4 in a match disrupted by rain on Friday.

Mahesh-Todd out

Third seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Australia's Todd Woodbridge lost to unseeded Czech pair of Martin Damm and Radek Stepanek in the doubles semi-finals.

The Indo-Australian pair managed to win the first set in tie-break, but then it was Damm and Stepanek all the way as they won 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to book a berth in the final.