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The elimination of wild-card entrant Jeff Morrison in Saturday's semifinal match against Nicolas Kiefer set the stage for an all-German final. But Morrison, an American, put up a worthy fight in three sets that kept the crowd guessing until the last point.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Kiefer. "I had to find my rhythm but he didn't give me so many chances."

Kiefer lost the first set, 3-6, but rebounded to win the last two 6-2, 6-4, and battled Morrison's big serve and serve-and-volley attack to take the victory on Stadium Court.

Morrison was pumping his fists and a booming serve in a bright first set for the 25-year-old, who was playing in his first ATP semifinal. The second set blurred expectations though, as Kiefer took an early lead at 5-1. Morrison tried to stage a comeback with two service aces in the next game to move the score to 5-2, but Kiefer held his serve and took the set without a point from Morrison in the last game.

The deciding set found Kiefer and Morrison trading games to 4-4. But once again, Kiefer pulled ahead, breaking Morrison on his serve for a key 5-4 lead, during which Morrison double-faulted twice. Kiefer, who pointed to his head during the last game, took the set again without allowing Morrison a point in the last game.

"I knew that I was going to take it to Nicolas, that he wouldn't give me any points," Morrison said. "All the credit's to him, he's a heck of an athlete."

Saturday's semifinal matches marked the first time in the Open Era that no seeded player has reached the semifinals at the Mercedes-Benz Cup.