OEIRAS, Portugal — Roger Federer aims for his first title of the season, facing Nikolay Davydenko in the final of the Estoril Open.

The top-ranked Federer rallied to defeat Denis Gremelmayr 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 today in the semifinal. It's been eight years since Federer needed five tournaments to get a shot at his first trophy of season.

"I definitely feel more comfortable. The moving, the sliding, just the way I see the game today is much better," Federer said. "It gives me one extra shot of winning the tournament. It's my first final of the year, so I'm actually very happy."

Federer's previous best result in 2008 had been a semifinal loss to eventual champion Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January. He was slowed by mononucleosis early in the season.

Davydenko, the 2003 champion, defeated Florent Serra of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal match.

The fourth-ranked Davydenko is 0-11 against Federer.

"I know tomorrow will be a tough match, but I don't want to think about it," said Davydenko, who won his 11th straight match. "It's really good to be in a final on a clay court."

Gremelmayr broke Federer in the first game, and another break in the seventh put the German on course to win the first set. But Federer recovered to break the 104th-ranked player four times in the match, cruising in the third set.

Federer, who is working with new coach Jose Higueras for the first time at Estoril, came to the net often in the opening set with mixed results. Gremelmayr used a strong serve, power shots from the baseline and precision drops at the net to win the first set in a half an hour.

"I struggled early on to keep the ball in play," Federer said. "I didn't serve very well and he definitely surprised me how he was able to pull off so many winners off the backhand side."

The Swiss star improved in the second set and was up 3-0 behind an array of winning shots: a drop shot in the first game, an ace to break for the second and he served out to love for the third.

He held for 6-5 and raced to a triple-break chance in the 12th.

Federer hung back at the baseline to start the final set and broke the his opponent in the second game with a smash at the net. He lobbed Gremelmayr in the fourth game for another break and soon led 4-0.

Federer, who had 10 aces, used a strong serve that forced Gremelmayr to hit a return into the net to clinch the match.

"For me, it was unbelievably tough to read the first serve," Gremelmayr said. "That's his big weapon."

Davydenko, who hit 10 winners in the opening set, eased away from the 101st-ranked Serra after a break in the seventh. The Frenchman committed 16 unforced errors in the first set.

Davydenko broke Serra twice more to cruise to his second straight final after winning at Miami.

On the women's side, Maria Kirilenko of Russia rallied to defeat Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 and reach the final.

Kirilenko will play the 132nd-ranked Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Maret Ani of Estonia 6-2, 6-1.