New Haven, August 25:

James Blake beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in a deciding set tiebreaker to set up an all-American final at the Pilot Pen.

Blake’s 6-4 3-6 7-6 (2) win sets up a final against his best friend on tour, Mardy Fish. Fish beat hard-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance to his first final this year. It will be the first time the frequent practice partners have played each other for a championship.

In the women’s draw, Svetlana Kuznetsova advanced to her fifth final of the year when Elena Dementieva retired ill while trailing 4-6, 6-3, 3-0 in the all-Russian semi-final. Kuznetsova will face 18-year-old Hungarian qualifier Agnes Szavay, who won her seventh match in eight days, beating Eleni Daniilidou 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.