NEWPORT, Rhode Island — Defending champion Fabrice Santoro advanced to the final of the Hall of Fame Championships by beating Vince Spadea 7-6 (4), 6-1 today.

The matchup between the 35-year-old Santoro and 33-year-old Spadea was the oldest combined ages in a semifinal on the ATP tour since 1993, when 31-year old Brad Gilbert beat 40-year old Jimmy Connors in San Francisco.

Santoro, the second seed and oldest champion on Newport's grass courts in the 31-year history of the tournament, will face Prakash Amritraj on Sunday.

Amritraj, a wild card entry, upset seventh-seeded Frank Dancevic of Canada 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

Amritraj was watched by his father, Vijay, who won the Newport title three times. If Amritraj wins on Sunday, he and Vijay would become the second son and father pair to win ATP titles after Taylor and Phil Dent.

Amritraj became the first Indian to reach an ATP final since 1998 at Newport, when Leander Paes won the title.

Santoro, looking for his sixth career title, relied on a variety of two-handed cuts, slices and drops to reach his first ATP final since Newport last year.

"You just have to prepare hard," Spadea said. "You're playing an unorthodox style. I think I played well early and just didn't continue it."

In the second set, Santoro moved Spadea from side to side, dropping both two-handed forehand and backhand shots around the court. But it was a one-handed, reaching backhand that he barely flipped from the grass over the net that closed the match.

"I don't make that one very often," Santoro said.