Showing more composure when it mattered most, world number five Moya beat Kafelnikov 7-5, 7-5 to set up a semifinal clash with Briton Tim Henman.Both players had dropped serve twice in the first set when Moya managed the telling break, with Kafelnikov netting a backhand to hand him a 6-5 lead.The Spaniard then served for the set, wrapping it up thanks to another backhand into the net from the Russian.

The second set was also close until Moya went 6-5 up with backhand winner and then clinched the match when Kafelnikov hit a service return into the net on the Spaniard's second match point.

World number 10 Kafelnikov, who lost to Pete Sampras in last year's final, had his chances but made too many unforced errors in a match which lasted one hour and 33 minutes.

Moya, a semifinalist last year in his first appearance in the event, will faceHenman tomorrow for a place in Sunday's final.

After earning a line of his own in the record books at last, Pete Sampras crowned a fine day by outclassing Slovakian Karol Kucera yesterday.

Chilean world number two Marcelo Rios, Sampras' only rival in the race for number one, had earlier withdrawn injured from the season's finale, making the American certain to finish the year in top spot for a record consecutive sixth time.

As if to underline his domination, Sampras, who had already made sure of a berth in the semifinals, taught world number seven Kucera a tennis lesson on his way to a spectacular 6-2, 6-1 win in just 45 minutes.

Tim Henman, who became the first British player to secure a place in the semifinals of the year-ending event by taming Spaniard Alex Corretja in three sets, said he understood most of the talk would be on Sampras.``It's a phenomenal achievement,'' the Briton world number nine, who beat Corretja 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, said of the American's record.

Rios, a mere 33 points behindSampras at the start of the week, needed a better result than the American here to finish 1998 in front.

Sampras ended the year as number one for the fifth straight time last year, equalling the record set by American Jimmy Connors from 1974 to 1978.

Rusedski, who stepped in after American Andre Agassi retired with a back injury on Wednesday, wasted nine set points before taking the first set in a tie break. He then relied on his heavy artillery to cruise to a 7-6, 6-1 win over Spaniard Albert Costa, who has never won an indoor match in his professional career.

Henman, who showed more composure when it mattered most to beat baseliner Corretja in an exciting clash of styles, will qualify even if he loses his last round-robin match against Rusedski today.

Rusedski will make it to the semifinals if he beats Henman and Costa beats Corretja.

Henman and Rusedski are tied 1-1.