03-11-2004 "I didn't really play well. I struggled during the whole match. Each time I play him, I don't enjoy playing tennis," said Safin, who crancked 13 aces to Ljubicic's 17, hammered 39 winners and made 12 of his 14 net approach shots.

"He is a difficult player to play against. He can play from the baseline, can volley and most importantly he serves well," he added.

"He could have finished me in straight set," Safin said. "But I changed a little bit of tacticts and started returning his serve a little better. Just fighting."

04-11-2004 last 16

(6)M Safin (RUS) d J Melzer (AUT) 62 75

In the semi-final , the 24-year-old Russian hammered 34 winners along with seven aces to outclass the thirteenth-seeded Argentine 6/2, 7/6 (5) in one hour and fourty minutes.

Safin reaches his fourth final here in Paris after having captured the title in 2000 and 2002.

'I had to stay focused throughout the entire match because I knew he could come back any time,' Safin said.

'I felt quite comfortable in the first set. In the second, he started making less unforced errors.'