SHANGHAI. Oct 9: Top seed Marcelo Rios reached his first final in nearly five months Saturday, overcoming a rain delay and threatening conditions to defeat Jonas Bjorkman 6-4, 6-1 at the 350.000-dollar Shanghai Heineken Open, reports AFP.

It was the week before the French Open last May when the 23-year-old Chilean last found himself involved in the fight for a title, that at St Polten. Austria.

Rios, seventh in the world, has battled with injuries for much of the year and is again feeling fresh after leg and hip problems over the summer.

The South American -- his

Spanish nickname of "Chino" means "Chinese" -- will play for his third title in the region Sunday against either sixth seed and holder Michael Chang or second-seeded Swede Magnus Norman.

On Friday, second seed Norman put paid to the upset plans of Thai Paradorn Srichaphan to advance to the semifinals.

Norman came back from 5-1 down in the first set to win 7-6. 6-1.

The Swede, who is the biggest winner on the ATP Tour alongside Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras with four titles in 1999. won four straight games as the pressure built on Srichaphan. The Thai number

one was playing in his second quarterfinal in as many tournaments.

Chang handed American compatriot Jan-Michael Gambill a 6-3. 7-6 beating.

Chang has been in a slump for two seasons, with a subsequent ranking drop from second in the world to 65th. The last of his 33 titles was earned here a year ago over Goran Ivanisevic, but injuries have played a role in his decline.

Rios won in Kuala Lumpur in 1995 and took the Heineken title in Singapore last year.

The first game against BJorkman was a marathon, lasting for more than 10 minutes and resulting in a break of the Swede.