Los Angeles, Aug 2 (DPA) Two-time champion Tommy Haas missed a chance for a third Los Angeles Open final as he crashed out 6-3, 7-5 to sixth seeded American Sam Querrey Saturday.

Haas, the 2004 and 2006 champion at UCLA, was unable to take matters into a third set in the pair's semi-final, with Querrey saving three break points in the final game to secure his victory.

The Californian will meet another 'local' when he faces LA-born Australian qualifier Carsten Ball, who continued the tennis week of his life 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) over Argentine Leonardo Mayer.

Top seeded Haas, aged 31, stood 16-3 since May as his game exploded with a Halle grass title and a Wimbledon semi-final against Roger Federer.

But the German, confident with his own hardcourt game despite the loss, was less than pleased by the antics of Querrey's 'Samurai' cheer squad, a gang of his bare-chested mates who follow his matches in the US and cheer and jeer as they see fit.

'Those guys just showed they have no class,' said former number two Haas. 'It's now up to Sam to take control of the situation if he wants to. This was not the fifth set of a US Open.

'I'm still playing tennis for the big matches,' said Haas. 'For my first summer hardcourt match, I'm pretty pleased. My goal is to peak for the US Open.'

Querrey said that recent work on the athletics track has helped his game - along with reaching three finals since Wimbledon in his last three events.