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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Part-time resident Pat gives Bermuda a boost

the French Open semi-finals on Wednesday.The 24-year-old Australian has a home in Pembroke and lists his residence as Bermuda. So when reporters questioned him about it following his straight-sets victory over Spain's Galo Blanco,

the French Open semi-finals on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Australian has a home in Pembroke and lists his residence as Bermuda. So when reporters questioned him about it following his straight-sets victory over Spain's Galo Blanco, he did the Island's tourism industry a favour.

"The place is beautiful. The people are fantastic. I'm very happy there,'' said Rafter, who meets 16th seed Sergi Bruguera in the semi-finals today at Roland Garros in Paris.

"It is my base. My friends are there and I'm very settled.'' Rafter said he investigated several possibilites -- London, the United States and Monte Carlo among them -- when choosing a new residence but finally settled on Bermuda.

"It was most attractive to me,'' he said.

Climate and tax benefits were two of the attractions but an even bigger one was geographic location: The Island sits between Europe and the US, two areas which host the most tournaments.

"I needed a base overseas,'' Rafter explained to reporters. "It's impossible for me to be based in Australia. After Wimbledon (which starts later this month), I have one week off before I play again.'' Rafter is one of three unseeded players remaining in the tournament but faces a big hurdle in Bruguera, a two-time French Open champion and premier clay-court player.

And while a breakthrough has been expected from Rafter for the past couple of years, few expected it would come on clay.

"Never have I thought of reaching this far in the French Open,'' he said after serve-and-volleying his way to a win over the 111th-ranked Blanco.

"It's just amazing. I'm stunned.'' Today's other semi-final pits Filip Dewulf of Belgium against Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil. Dewulf is ranked number 122 and Kuerten is number 66, and neither have ever played in a Grand Slam final before.

PAT RAFTER -- gunning for a place in his first Grand Slam final.