NEW YORK. Sept 8: Former world number one Jim Courier battled back three times when Michael Chang was on the verge of winning sets to snatch a 7-6 (7-5). 7-6 (7-3). 7-5 US Open quarter final triumph here Thursday, reports AFP.

Fifth seed Chang had four set points in the first set. one in the second and served for the match in the third but could not overcome the 14th seed when it mattered most in their first Grand Slam meeting.

i let him serve for all

three sets and somehow managed to break him each time. That's a good sign for me." Courier said T was always fighting."

Chang, who lost here to the eventual champion the past four years, served at 5-4 in the first and third sets and 5-3 in the second but was thwarted by Courier at every turn, eventually double faulting away the final point to lose in three hours and seven minutes.

The times we've played have always been pretty close matches." Chang said. “It turned on a few points here and there. At the US Open you hope those things Just

don t happen. You have to capitalize on one of those opportunities at least, it's a little disappointing not to come through."

Courier advanced to a Saturday semifinal matchup with world number two Pete Sampras, the man who beat him here in the 1992 semifinals to drop Courier from the world's top ranking.

Sampras, the three-time reigning Wimbledon champion reached his fourth US Open semifinal in six years by Ireating 70th ranked Byron Black of Zimbabwe 7-6 (7-3). 7-4. 6-0 at the 9.86 million dollar tennis tournament.

Saturday's other semifinal

match is between reigning US Open champion and world number one Andre Agassi and fourth seed Boris Becker of Germany, this year s Wimbledon runner-up.

Courier's victory was his 100th in Grand Slam play and evened the series between the Americans at nine triumphs each. The two-time Australian and French Open champion reached his only US Open final in 1991, losing to Stefan Edberg. He was ousted in the second round here last year.

Chang led the third set 5-3 and forced Courier to deuce five times but could not reach set point. Courier then scored three of the first

four points off Chang's serve and broke back to pull even.

Courier held for a 6-5 edge and reached double match point on three unforced errors. Courier sent the first of them into the net with a baseline volley but Chang sent his second serve into the net to give away the final point.

"Normally I'm the one who’s behind and Michael is the one who's ahead." Courier said. "It was nice for it to work out this way."

Chang led 6-5 in the third set and had a break point on Courier's serve. But Courier won with a strong serve and slam combination and held to force the second tie-breaker.

Neither player had a successful first serve in the tiebreaker. in which Chang committed six unforced errors and dropped the final five points.

Chang broke in the fifth game of the first set and served for the set at 5-4. But Courier survived four break points, two on winners and two on errors by Chang, and went on to get the break he needed.

In the first tie-breaker. Courier grabbed a 4 -1 edge.

Chang then won three straight points before Courier hit three winners to claim the set.

Sampras fired 22 aces and won 35 of 37 first-serve points to subdue Black, who had earlier ousted eighth seed Michael Stich and ninth seed Thomas Enqvlst,

"That's the best 1 have played all week.” Sampras said. "I'm playing well and thats when I'm pretty tough to beat. When I’m serving well. I Just want to stay on top and not let him back into the match."

Sampras broke Black in the sixth game of the first set and was serving to win it at 5-3 when the two-handed gripper rallied. Black hit a pair of winners and Sampras made an error and double faulted on triple break point to bring Black even at 5-5. setting the stage for the tiebreaker.

Black sent three straight baseline volleys into the net to trail 5-2. Sampras lost the next point with a wide forehand. but hit a service winner and then slapped a running baseline forehand win-; tier down the right

"He really blew me off the court." BTScK 'Said "He has such a great serve. I really didn't have a weapon that could hurt him. It was kind of a downer."

Sampras broke Black in the third and fifth games of the second set and survived a break to take the set. completing the job with an ace before sweeping out the Zimbabwean in the third, claiming the final point with a 204 kmh ace.

"Nothing seems to faze him too much." Black said.

"You can break him and he still comes right back firing. 1 was really struggling every time on my serve."