CLASSIC RUNS ON EMPTY SPARSE CROWD SEES HAAS BEAT HRBATY.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

The vacant seats at the L.A. Tennis Center told the story.

Fans were willing to brave triple-digit temperatures all week for the opportunity to see Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.

On the most pleasant day of the Countrywide Classic, many prepaid- ticket holders found reason to do something else.

No Agassi. No Roddick. No American singles players. Nobody left whom anyone other than devoted tennis enthusiasts would know.

So it was in front of scattered center-court seating and bare corners Saturday at UCLA that sixth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany defeated Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals.

Haas will face eighth-seeded Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, a 6-4, 6-2 winner against third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, in today's final at 2 p.m.

Haas, who lives in Florida, once appeared on his way to becoming a player that would draw international interest.

He made it up to No. 2 in the world in 2002. Now he is ranked No. 21, has never made the final of a Grand Slam and, at age 28, is running out of time to make his move.

Haas had an easy time with Hrbaty, a player who had beaten him three times in a row, serving nine aces and never allowing a break point.

``Tommy played really well,'' Hrbaty said. ``He held his serve easy, and he got confidence with his baseline strokes.''

Haas broke Hrbaty in his second and third service games of the firstset, then in the 11th game of the second set.

``That was obviously on my mind,'' Haas said of avenging his recent losses to Hrbaty. ``I told him after the match, `I finally got you again.' ''

It is Haas' first appearance in a final since February. He battled a wrist injury during the spring.

Haas has a history of doing well in Los Angeles, where he won the title in 2004. There's a secret to his L.A. success. His favorite fast-food place is down the street from UCLA.

``I have a snack pretty much every day here from In-N-Out burger,'' Haas said. ``A double-double, no onion. It's good stuff.''

Tursunov advanced to the first ATP final of his career, spoiling Gonzalez's 26th birthday in the process.

Gonzalez, who ended Agassi's final run in Los Angeles in three sets on Friday, slammed a ball into the ground after losing the first set when he dropped his final service game by spraying a backhand wide.

Tursunov got a free pass into the semifinals when Roddick withdrew from the tournament Friday with a strained muscle in his left side.

Tursunov dominated the second set, breaking Gonzalez in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2 and again with a big forehand service return on match point.

It was the first win in four tries against Gonzalez for the 23-year-old Tursunov, who lives in Roseville near Sacramento.

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Tommy Haas returns a shot during his match against Dominik Hrbaty on his way to a semifinal victory at the Countrywide Classic on Saturday.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer