ATP: Semifinals Set in Sydney, Auckland

Marcos Baghdatis and Richard Gasquet are keeping their resurgences going in Sydney, as they both made it through to the semifinals yesterday. Gasquet saw off the not-to-be-mocked Potito Starace to set up a semifinal encounter with Julien Benneteau, who beat Leonardo Mayer with a bagel, no less.

Well done, Lamb. IRTTY now hates you.

It was Baggy who had the really impressive win, though, backing up his victory over Troicki by knocking out fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt. He’s so much more likeable when he’s playing well, isn’t he?

Oh, and Mardy Fish won. Hands up who is pleased. Seriously, I’d like to take a count.

In Auckland, only one Spaniard remains out of the bazillion who entered, and that’s … Albert Montanes, who beat qualifier Michael Lammer to book his semifinal spot.

Sixth seed Jurgen Melzer was knocked out by Arnaud Clement, and Tommy Robredo fell to John Isner 64 in the third. I feel this merits a mini-picspam.

Auckland

Singles – Quarter-finals
J Isner (USA) d [1] T Robredo (ESP) 76(5) 36 64
[5] P Kohlschreiber (GER) d M Gicquel (FRA) 63 61
A Clement (FRA) d [6] J Melzer (AUT) 62 75
[8] A Montanes (ESP) d [Q] M Lammer (SUI) 63 63

Doubles – Semi-finals
M Melo (BRA) / B Soares (BRA) d T Bellucci (BRA) / A Sa (BRA) 75 63

Doubles – Quarter-finals
M Melo (BRA) / B Soares (BRA) d R Wassen (NED) / H Zeballos (ARG) 61 75

Sydney

Singles – Quarter-finals
M Baghdatis (CYP) d [4] L Hewitt (AUS) 46 62 63
M Fish (USA) d [WC] P Luczak (AUS) 76(5) 62
R Gasquet (FRA) d P Starace (ITA) 63 76(7)
J Benneteau (FRA) d [Q] L Mayer (ARG) 64 67(5) 60

Doubles – Quarter-finals
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) 62 46 10-5
S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d [WC] C Ball (AUS) / S Huss (AUS) 36 76(5) 10-8
I Andreev (RUS) / E Korolev (KAZ) d [Alt] B Becker (GER) / S Lipsky (USA) 75 10 – ret. (Becker – arm)