Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, second- seeded Czech Tomas Berdych and third-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet posted quarterfinal wins, while former champion Lleyton Hewitt came up a loser Friday at the $832,000 Japan Open.
The world No. 8 Ferrer, a U.S. Open semifinalist last month, grounded his 10th-seeded countryman Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4, while the former world No. 1 and 2001 Tokyo titlist Hewitt, seeded fourth this week, gave way to seventh- seeded Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6) at Ariake Colosseum.
Ferrer will meet the 6-foot-10 Karlovic in Saturday's semifinals here. During his victory over Hewitt, the massive-serving Karlovic became only the fourth player since 1991 to swat 1,000 aces in a season, as he drilled 25 bombs against the return-of-serve artist Hewitt.
The other semi will pit Berdych against the red-hot Gasquet, as Berdych outlasted eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-5, while Gasquet rattled off his eighth straight match victory by dousing Israeli Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-1. Gasquet is fresh off his title in India last week.
The 2007 titlist here will collect $145,000.
Bangkok, Thailand (Sports Network) - Seeds Tomas Berdych and Tommy Haas were among Wednesday's first-round winners, while former world No. 1 Andy Roddick pulled out of the $550,000 Thailand Open, citing a left foot injury.
The second-seeded Roddick was scheduled to meet Taipei's Yeu-Tzuoo Wang on Day 2 here, but the American, fresh off his Davis Cup action in Sweden, withdrew due to the foot problem suffered during practice here on Tuesday. Roddick helped the United States beat Sweden 4-1 in last week's Davis Cup semifinal in Gothenburg.
Roddick was the 2004 Bangkok runner-up to Roger Federer.
Top-seeded U.S. Open finalist Novak Djokovic pulled out of the draw here on Tuesday, citing a back injury, while world No. 2 Rafael Nadal withdrew from the event on Sunday due to a knee injury, leaving this watered-down tournament without three of the top-five players on the planet.
Meanwhile, the third-seeded Berdych, of the Czech Republic, blasted Thai wild card Kittipong Wachiramanowong 6-3, 6-0 and the fourth-seeded Haas, of Germany, overcame American Vincent Spadea 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Impact Arena.
Sixth-seeded Russian Dmitry Tursunov got past Austrian Werner Eschauer 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, while eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco vaulted past American lucky-loser David Martin 6-2, 6-1.
Other Day-2 wins came for Russian Igor Kunitsyn, German lucky-loser Simon Stadler, Aussie qualifier Nick Lindahl and the wild card Wang, who, instead of facing Roddick, took on American lucky-loser Phillip King and prevailed 6-3, 6-3.
The 2007 Bangkok titlist will collect $76,500.
Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, second- seeded Czech Tomas Berdych and third-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet posted quarterfinal wins, while former champion Lleyton Hewitt came up a loser Friday at the $832,000 Japan Open.
