Perhaps it was only to be expected for players of Wimbledon experience to find it tough going, without a ball change, in the soggy conditions at Templeogue last evening. Despite all, Andrew Foster was still able to cause a surprise in the Carlsberg Irish Open Tennis championships by beating number two seed Colin Beecher, a fellow Briton, to clinch a semi-final place.

The two Englishmen were of the opinion that their match was messed up and slowed down due to the same balls being on court for their entire, 90-minute quarter-final match.

At all major tournaments a ball change takes place after seven and nine games.

Foster appreciated the economics of the situation. He said: "I fully understand that budgets have to be met, but the wet conditions made the balls bigger and heavier, making it difficult to play your best tennis. However, not to worry.

"My serve was spoiled and Colin's forehand was affected, and this made for a poor match and poor tennis," he added.

Beecher, beaten 6-4 7-6, said: "It was difficult to play at your best in the conditions and it spoiled the match, but we just got on with it."

Foster, seeded five, is pleased to have gone a stage further than anticipated by the seeding committee. He faces the number 10 seed, Australia's Ashley Naumann, in this evening's semi-finals.

Naumann is an experienced 26year-old who has played in the main draw of two Australian Opens. He is dead keen on winning here and thus relaunching his bid to improve his world ranking.

He ousted Joe Green, the Irish prospect now on scholarship at Harvard University.

This proved a match of attrition, largely contested from the base line with long games and rallies to match.

Green received at 4-5 for a chance of the first set but missed out.