Melbourne - Roger Federer got in a good workout as he won the semifinal of the AAMI Classic on Thursday, holding off Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) at the Australian Open tune-up event.

2006 Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, beaten by the Swiss three years ago in the Melbourne Park title match, finally had something to smile about after winning a relegation round match at the eight-man event.

The Cypriot defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

"I've got my smile back, this is a relief," said the winner, who suffered last week in Brisbane with a thigh injury after dealing with a back problem late in the 2008 season."

"The serving was not very pretty, but I managed. I played more aggressive than in my first match. I hope to just keep it up like this."

"I'm starting to feel good on court. I'm just playing my game and not thinking. And I still have four days to work on my serve."

Marin Cilic got some of the glory back for Croatia with a defeat of Spain's 32-year-old Carlos Moya in relegation play, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1).

Federer, who won the Kooyong title in 2005 but missed the event last year with illness which crippled the first half of his season, pronounced his game well in hand with the Grand Slam starting on Monday.

"The second set wasn't the best of levels, he was struggling with the sun and I couldn't capitalize."

"But I'll play enough tennis this week, and it's better to be on the match court," added the 13-time Grand Slam champion.

Federer clinched victory after two and a quarter hours with an ace on his fourth match point.

He plays the Saturday final against either countryman Stan Wawrinka, with whom he won the Olympic doubles gold medal, or Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, the 2007 Australian Open finalist.

Against the hard-hitting Verdasco, who helped Spain to the Davis Cup title two months ago, Federer took a 5-0 first-set lead before the match got more competitive.

The Spaniard won the second on a break in the eighth game but Federer secured victory in the third through his winning tiebreaker.

"As it went on, we played better and better," said Federer. "In the end it was a good match. Today was a bit up and down, but I was happy, it was OK." (dpa)