CHENNAI, India (AFP) -- Fourth seed Mikhail Youzhny hit timely form in the new season to cruise into the final of the 436,000-dollar ATP Chennai Open here on Saturday.

The 19th ranked Russian defeated Croatian youngster Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-3 in the first semifinal on the hard court of the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium in this southern Indian city.
Youzhny will clash with the winner between world number two Rafael Nadal and veteran Spaniard Carlos Moya in today's final worth 68,800 dollars to the champion.
Youzhny dominated Cilic from the start, breaking the 19-year-old former world junior number two in the opening game of the match.
The Russian, returning strongly from the baseline, broke the 71st-ranked Cilic again in the seventh game and wrapped up the first set in 34 minutes.
Cilic, who defeated Russia's top player Nikolay Davydenko twice last year, faltered again in the second set when he lost two consecutive service games to bow out of the tournament.
Both players had finished their quarterfinal matches in the early hours of Saturday after rain played havoc with the scheduling.
Youzhny, looking for his fourth career title, said he was confident going into the final.
""We are professionals and have to adjust to the rain,"" he said. ""Both of us finished our quarterfinal matches at the same time and obviously there was little time to recover.
""But I am happy with the way I played today. I kept the pressure on him from the start. I am ready for the final. It does not matter who I play against.